Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen
(born Jul-06-1818, died Mar-13-1879) Germany, Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen was born in Breslau on July 6th, 1818. He was one of the strongest players of his day and was even crowned unofficial World Champion after his victory in the 1851 London Tournament http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/v1l.... In 1858 he lost this honor in a match with Paul Morphy. One year later, however, Morphy was to retire from international chess, and Anderssen was able to regain his reputation as the world's leading player, drawing with Ignatz Von Kolisch in Paris 1860 (+5 -5 =1) (http://www.365chess.com/tournaments...) and defeating Kolisch (+4 -3 =2) in London 1861. Especially he won the London International of 1862 (http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/w2l...) where he and the 2nd placed Louis Paulsen then tied a decisive match (+3 -3 =2) and Anderssen could claim the title. In 1866 he narrowly lost a match with Wilhelm Steinitz (scoring six wins to his rival's eight, with no draws). In 1870 he scored his final great success by winning the Baden-Baden Tournament (http://www.endgame.nl/bad1870.htm) ahead of Steinitz and Joseph Henry Blackburne.
He is regarded as the quintessential Romantic, and his sacrificial brilliancies such as The Immortal Game (Anderssen vs Kieseritzky, 1851) and The Evergreen Game (Anderssen vs Dufresne, 1852) have stood the test of time.
He died of a heart attack at the age of 60. During World War II, bombing raids on his hometown damaged his grave.
He is regarded as the quintessential Romantic, and his sacrificial brilliancies such as The Immortal Game (Anderssen vs Kieseritzky, 1851) and The Evergreen Game (Anderssen vs Dufresne, 1852) have stood the test of time.
He died of a heart attack at the age of 60. During World War II, bombing raids on his hometown damaged his grave.