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Classic game replay

Johann Jacob Loewenthal vs Adolf Anderssen, 1851

This replay preserves the complete 76-ply score of Anderssen playing Black across 38 numbered moves. The board can be advanced one ply at a time; the notes stick to observable board changes rather than guessing at the players’ intentions.

On this page
  1. Practice positions
  2. Replay with move-by-move board facts
  3. PGN
  4. Sources and checking
  5. Continue with another game
White
Johann Jacob Loewenthal
Black
Adolf Anderssen
Event
London m9
Year
1851
Result
0-1
Opening
C54 Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Traditional Line

Opening reference: Italian Game: Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Traditional Line (C54).

In this game, 20 half-moves are labelled opening, 56 middlegame and 0 endgame. The score contains 19 captures and 4 checks or mates; before a recorded move, the position offered a median of 37 legal choices. The source score ends after 38...Rf7 with the recorded result 0-1. Its termination tag was not retained, so this record does not infer whether the game ended by resignation, time or another cause.

Practice positions

The daily trainer uses a short set of positions from this complete score. Each link goes to the exact half-move rather than only the numbered move.

  1. 7...Bxd2+ — Capture with check on d27...Bxd2+ was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  2. 13...fxe6 — Recapture on e613...fxe6 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  3. 21...c5 — Create pressure on d421...c5 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  4. 28...Nf4 — Create pressure on g228...Nf4 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  5. 38...Rf7 — Answering the check38...Rf7 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.

Replay with move-by-move board facts

The board, fact panel and transcript use the same legal score. “Fixed engine check” means Stockfish 17.1, one thread, a fixed 25,000-node search and 3 candidate lines. It compares moves under one reproducible setting; it does not claim to reconstruct a player’s thoughts.

♜♞♝♛♚♝♞♜♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♜♞♝♛♚♝♞♜
Johann Jacob Loewenthal vs Adolf Anderssen, 1851

Start position

Use Previous and Next on the board, or select a move in the transcript. The board fact and fixed engine check remain visible until you choose another move.

Opening · 1.e4 to 10...O-O

  1. 1.e4 Claim central space

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from e2 to e4; from there it controls d5 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6.

  2. 1...e5 Claim central space

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from e7 to e5; from there it controls d4 and f4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e5 Nf3 Nc6 d4.

  3. 2.Nf3 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from g1 to f3; from f3 it attacks Black's pawn on e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf3 Nc6 d4 exd4.

  4. 2...Nc6 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from b8 to c6; from there it controls d4 and e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc6 d4 exd4 Nxd4.

  5. 3.d4 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from d2 to d4; the move changes the central pawn contact; from d4 it attacks Black's pawn on e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d4 exd4 Nxd4 Nf6.

  6. 3...exd4 Exchange on d4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on d4; the move changes the central pawn contact; Black accepts doubled pawns on the d-file; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · exd4 Nxd4 Nf6 Nxc6.

  7. 4.Bc4 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from f1 to c4; from c4 it attacks Black's pawn on f7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bc4 Nf6 O-O d6.

  8. 4...Bc5 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from f8 to c5; from there it controls d4 and d6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bc5.

  9. 5.c3 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from c2 to c3; the move changes the central pawn contact; from c3 it attacks Black's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · c3 Nf6.

  10. 5...Nf6 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from g8 to f6; from f6 it attacks White's pawn on e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf6 cxd4 Bb4+ Bd2.

  11. 6.cxd4 Exchange on d4

    Board fact: White's pawn takes the pawn on d4; the move changes the central pawn contact; from d4 it attacks Black's bishop on c5; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · cxd4 Bb4+ Bd2 Nxe4.

  12. 6...Bb4+ A forcing check

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from c5 to b4; the move checks White's king; from there it controls c3, c5 and d6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bb4+ Bd2 Bxd2+ Nbxd2.

  13. 7.Bd2 Answering the check

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from c1 to d2; from d2 it attacks Black's bishop on b4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bd2 Bxd2+ Nbxd2 d5.

  14. 7...Bxd2+ Capture with check on d2

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the bishop on d2; the move checks White's king; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxd2+ Nbxd2.

  15. 8.Nbxd2 Recapture on d2

    Board fact: White's knight recaptures the bishop on d2; from d2 it reinforces the bishop on c4; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nbxd2 d5.

  16. 8...d5 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from d7 to d5; the move changes the central pawn contact; from d5 it attacks White's bishop on c4 and White's pawn on e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d5 exd5 Nxd5 O-O.

  17. 9.exd5 Exchange on d5

    Board fact: White's pawn takes the pawn on d5; the move changes the central pawn contact; White accepts doubled pawns on the d-file; from d5 it attacks Black's knight on c6; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · exd5 Nxd5 O-O O-O.

  18. 9...Nxd5 Recapture on d5

    Board fact: Black's knight recaptures the pawn on d5; from d5 it reinforces the pawn on c7; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxd5 O-O O-O Qc2.

  19. 10.O-O Kingside castling

    Board fact: White castles kingside, moving the king to g1 and the rook to f1. The move changes king safety and develops the rook in one turn.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · O-O O-O.

  20. 10...O-O Kingside castling

    Board fact: Black castles kingside, moving the king to g8 and the rook to f8. The move changes king safety and develops the rook in one turn.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · O-O Re1 Nf4 g3.

Middlegame · 11.h3 to 38...Rf7

  1. 11.h3 Advance the h-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from h2 to h3.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · h3 Nb6 Bb3 Nxd4.

  2. 11...Nf4 Create pressure on g2

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from d5 to f4; from f4 it attacks White's pawn on g2 and White's pawn on h3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf4 Ne4 Na5 Bd3.

  3. 12.Ne4 Improve the knight

    Board fact: White moves the knight from d2 to e4; from there it controls c3, c5 and d6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ne4.

  4. 12...Be6 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from c8 to e6; from e6 it attacks White's bishop on c4 and White's pawn on h3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Be6 Bxe6.

  5. 13.Bxe6 Exchange on e6

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the bishop on e6; from e6 it attacks Black's pawn on f7; white is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxe6 fxe6 Kh2 Qd5.

  6. 13...fxe6 Recapture on e6

    Board fact: Black's pawn recaptures the bishop on e6; the move changes the central pawn contact; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · fxe6 Re1.

  7. 14.Re1 Rook on the semi-open e-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from f1 to e1; the rook now works on a semi-open e-file; from there it controls e4 and e3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Re1 Qd5 Rc1 Rad8.

  8. 14...Qd5 Create pressure on e4

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d8 to d5; from d5 it attacks White's knight on e4 and White's pawn on a2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qd5.

  9. 15.a3 Advance the a-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from a2 to a3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · a3 Rad8 Rc1 h6.

  10. 15...Rad8 Rook on the semi-open d-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from a8 to d8; the rook now works on a semi-open d-file; from there it controls d5 and d6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rad8.

  11. 16.Rc1 Rook on the semi-open c-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from a1 to c1; the rook now works on a semi-open c-file; from c1 it attacks Black's knight on c6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rc1 Qb5 Rc3 e5.

  12. 16...h6 Advance the h-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from h7 to h6.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; e5 ranked higher · h6 Rc5.

  13. 17.Kh2 Reposition the king

    Board fact: White moves the king from g1 to h2; from h2 it reinforces the pawn on g2.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Kh2 e5 Rc5 Qa2.

  14. 17...Qh5 Create pressure on f3

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d5 to h5; from h5 it attacks White's knight on f3 and White's pawn on h3.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; e5 ranked higher · Qh5 Rc5.

  15. 18.Re3 Rook on the semi-open e-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from e1 to e3; the rook now works on a semi-open e-file; from there it controls e4, c3 and d3.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Re3.

  16. 18...Rd5 Rook on the semi-open d-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from d8 to d5; the rook now works on a semi-open d-file; from d5 it attacks White's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Nxd4 ranked higher · Rd5 Ng3.

  17. 19.Ng3 Create pressure on h5

    Board fact: White moves the knight from e4 to g3; from g3 it attacks Black's queen on h5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ng3 Qf7 Qb3 Nxd4.

  18. 19...Qf7 Reposition the queen

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from h5 to f7; from there it controls e6, f4 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qf7 Qb3 Nxd4 Nxd4.

  19. 20.Rb3 Create pressure on b7

    Board fact: White moves the rook from e3 to b3; from b3 it attacks Black's pawn on b7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rb3 Nxd4.

  20. 20...Nxd4 Exchange on d4

    Board fact: Black's knight takes the pawn on d4; from d4 it attacks White's rook on b3 and White's knight on f3; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxd4 Rxb7 Nxg2 Rcxc7.

  21. 21.Nxd4 Recapture on d4

    Board fact: White's knight recaptures the knight on d4; from d4 it attacks Black's pawn on e6; white is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxd4 c5 Rf3 Qd7.

  22. 21...c5 Create pressure on d4

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from c7 to c5; from c5 it attacks White's knight on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c5 Rf3 Qd7 Nxe6.

  23. 22.Rxc5 Exchange on c5

    Board fact: White's rook takes the pawn on c5; the rook now occupies the open c-file; from c5 it attacks Black's rook on d5; white is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Rf3 ranked higher · Rxc5 Rxc5 Nge2 Nxe2.

  24. 22...Rxc5 Recapture on c5

    Board fact: Black's rook recaptures the rook on c5; the rook now occupies the open c-file; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxc5 Qf3 Qd7 Rb4.

  25. 23.Qf3 Create pressure on f4

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d1 to f3; from f3 it attacks Black's knight on f4 and Black's pawn on b7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qf3 Qd7 Nde2 Nxe2.

  26. 23...Rc7 Rook on the open c-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from c5 to c7; the rook now occupies the open c-file; from there it controls c3, c4 and c5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Rc7 Qe4 Qe8 Re3.

  27. 24.Ne4 Improve the knight

    Board fact: White moves the knight from g3 to e4; from there it controls c3, c5 and d6.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Ne4 Rd7 Qe3 b6.

  28. 24...e5 Create pressure on d4

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from e6 to e5; from e5 it attacks White's knight on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · e5 Nb5.

  29. 25.Nb5 Create pressure on c7

    Board fact: White moves the knight from d4 to b5; from b5 it attacks Black's rook on c7 and Black's pawn on a7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nb5 Rd7 Nxa7 Rdd8.

  30. 25...Rd7 Rook on the open d-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from c7 to d7; the rook now occupies the open d-file; from there it controls d4, d5 and d3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rd7 Nbd6 Qd5 Nxb7.

  31. 26.Nbd6 Create pressure on f7

    Board fact: White moves the knight from b5 to d6; from d6 it attacks Black's queen on f7 and Black's pawn on b7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nbd6 Qd5 Rxb7 Rxd6.

  32. 26...Qg6 Create pressure on d6

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from f7 to g6; from g6 it attacks White's knight on d6 and White's knight on e4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qg6 Nxb7 Rd4 Nbc5.

  33. 27.Nxb7 Exchange on b7

    Board fact: White's knight takes the pawn on b7; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxb7 Ne6 Qe3 Rd5.

  34. 27...Nd3 Create pressure on b2

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from f4 to d3; from d3 it attacks White's pawn on b2 and White's pawn on f2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nd3 Qe3 Nf4 Qf3.

  35. 28.Qe3 Create pressure on d3

    Board fact: White moves the queen from f3 to e3; from e3 it attacks Black's knight on d3 and Black's pawn on a7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qe3 Nf4 Qf3 Ne6.

  36. 28...Nf4 Create pressure on g2

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from d3 to f4; from f4 it attacks White's pawn on g2 and White's pawn on h3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf4 Qf3 Ne6 Qe3.

  37. 29.g3 Create pressure on f4

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from g2 to g3; from g3 it attacks Black's knight on f4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · g3 Ne6.

  38. 29...Rd1 Rook on the open d-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from d7 to d1; the rook now occupies the open d-file; from there it controls d4, d5 and d3.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Rd1 Nbc5 Nxh3 Rb7.

  39. 30.Nbc5 Improve the knight

    Board fact: White moves the knight from b7 to c5; from there it controls e4, d3 and e6.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Nbc5 Nxh3 Rb4 Qf7.

  40. 30...Nxh3 Exchange on h3

    Board fact: Black's knight takes the pawn on h3; from h3 it attacks White's pawn on f2; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxh3.

  41. 31.Qe2 Create pressure on d1

    Board fact: White moves the queen from e3 to e2; from e2 it attacks Black's rook on d1.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Rb4 ranked higher · Qe2 Nxf2 Kg2 Nxe4.

  42. 31...Nxf2 Exchange on f2

    Board fact: Black's knight takes the pawn on f2; from f2 it attacks White's knight on e4; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxf2 Kg2 Nxe4 Nxe4.

  43. 32.Kg2 Create pressure on f2

    Board fact: White moves the king from h2 to g2; from g2 it attacks Black's knight on f2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kg2 Nxe4 Qxd1 Nxc5.

  44. 32...Rc1 Rook on the open c-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from d1 to c1; the rook now occupies the open c-file; from c1 it attacks White's knight on c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rc1 Rc3 Nxe4 Nxe4.

  45. 33.Rc3 Rook on the open c-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from b3 to c3; the rook now occupies the open c-file; from c3 it attacks Black's rook on c1.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rc3 Nxe4 Nxe4 Rxc3.

  46. 33...Rxc3 Exchange on c3

    Board fact: Black's rook takes the rook on c3; the rook now occupies the open c-file; from c3 it attacks White's knight on c5 and White's pawn on a3; black is ahead by 8 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxc3 bxc3 Nxe4 Nxe4.

  47. 34.bxc3 Recapture on c3

    Board fact: White's pawn recaptures the rook on c3; the pawn is now passed; the move changes the central pawn contact; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · bxc3 Nxe4 Nxe4 Rd8.

  48. 34...Nxe4 Exchange on e4

    Board fact: Black's knight takes the knight on e4; from e4 it attacks White's knight on c5 and White's pawn on c3; black is ahead by 6 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxe4 Nxe4 Rd8 Qa2+.

  49. 35.Nxe4 Recapture on e4

    Board fact: White's knight recaptures the knight on e4; from e4 it reinforces the pawn on c3; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxe4 Rd8 Qc4+ Kh8.

  50. 35...Rf4 Rook on the open f-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from f8 to f4; the rook now occupies the open f-file; from f4 it attacks White's knight on e4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Rf4 Qc4+ Kh8 Qc8+.

  51. 36.Nf2 Reroute the knight

    Board fact: White moves the knight from e4 to f2; from there it controls e4 and d3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf2 Qc6+ Kh2 Rf8.

  52. 36...Qc6+ A forcing check

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from g6 to c6; the move checks White's king; from c6 it attacks White's pawn on c3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qc6+ Kh2 Qc4 Qc2.

  53. 37.Kg1 Answering the check

    Board fact: White answers the check by moving the king from g2 to g1; from g1 it reinforces the knight on f2.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Kg1 Rc4 Qxe5 Rxc3.

  54. 37...Qf3 Create pressure on e2

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from c6 to f3; from f3 it attacks White's queen on e2 and White's knight on f2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qf3 Qa2+ Rf7 Nh1.

  55. 38.Qa2+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the queen from e2 to a2; the move checks Black's king; from there it controls d5, c4 and e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qa2+ Rf7 Nh1 e4.

  56. 38...Rf7 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the rook from f4 to f7; the rook now occupies the open f-file; from there it controls f3, f4 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rf7 Nh1 e4 Qc2.

PGN

[Event "London m9"] [Site "?"] [Date "1851.??.??"] [White "Loewenthal, Johann Jacob"] [Black "Anderssen, Adolf"] [Result "0-1"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. c3 Nf6 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. O-O O-O 11. h3 Nf4 12. Ne4 Be6 13. Bxe6 fxe6 14. Re1 Qd5 15. a3 Rad8 16. Rc1 h6 17. Kh2 Qh5 18. Re3 Rd5 19. Ng3 Qf7 20. Rb3 Nxd4 21. Nxd4 c5 22. Rxc5 Rxc5 23. Qf3 Rc7 24. Ne4 e5 25. Nb5 Rd7 26. Nbd6 Qg6 27. Nxb7 Nd3 28. Qe3 Nf4 29. g3 Rd1 30. Nbc5 Nxh3 31. Qe2 Nxf2 32. Kg2 Rc1 33. Rc3 Rxc3 34. bxc3 Nxe4 35. Nxe4 Rf4 36. Nf2 Qc6+ 37. Kg1 Qf3 38. Qa2+ Rf7 0-1

Sources and checking

Score source: Chess Database, version 1 by Ana Schaigorodsky (2016), licensed under CC BY 4.0. LibreChess selected the exact score identified by sha256:2546c307bd7c347994f4f6f4ded3b6395ee379e34e9d3dc237be526dcdf717d2 and pins it in the selection manifest.
Exact Figshare tags:
White="Loewenthal, Johann Jacob"; Black="Anderssen, Adolf"; Event="London m9"; Date="1851.??.??"; Result="0-1". LibreChess parsed the main line with chess.js and stores normalised SAN. Source comments, side variations and termination detail were not retained.

LibreChess checks every SAN move with chess.js and compares the result and move sequence with a stored reference. The engine comparison was calculated offline from the fixed settings above; it is not a source for historical claims. No termination is inferred where the imported score does not preserve one.

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