Immortal Draw


The Immortal Draw is a chess game played in 1872 in Vienna by Carl Hamppe and Philipp Meitner. This game is the main claim to fame of both Hamppe and Meitner, and has been reprinted widely. The variation of the Vienna Game it uses was named the Hamppe–Meitner Variation in honour of the two players. The game was played in the 19th-century Romantic style, in which rapid and attack were considered the most effective way to win, where many gambits and were offered, and where was often held in contempt. These games, with their rapid attacks and counterattacks, are often entertaining to review even if some of the moves would no longer be considered best by today's standards.
In the game, Black sacrifices huge amounts of material to drive the white king from its and attempt to force checkmate, but White spectacularly manages to force a draw by perpetual check.

Annotated game

White: Carl Hamppe Black: Philipp Meitner Opening: Vienna Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3
2... Bc5
3. Na4
3... Bxf2+
4. Kxf2
4... Qh4+ 5. Ke3
5... Qf4+ 6. Kd3 d5 7. Kc3!
7... Qxe4 8. Kb3
8... Na6
9. a3?
9... Qxa4+!!
10. Kxa4 Nc5+ 11. Kb4
11... a5+ 12. Kxc5
12... Ne7!
13. Bb5+ Kd8 14. Bc6!!
14... b6+
15. Kb5 Nxc6 16. Kxc6
16... Bb7+! 17. Kb5!
17... Ba6+ 18. Kc6
18... Bb7+