Adolf Anderssen (1818–1879) was a German chess master widely regarded as the strongest player in the world during the mid-19th century. Born in Breslau, Prussia (now Wrocław, Poland), he gained international fame by winning the first major international chess tournament in London in 1851. Anderssen was celebrated for his brilliant attacking style and imaginative sacrifices, exemplified in his famous “Immortal Game” (1851) and “Evergreen Game” (1852). Though he later lost official matches to Paul Morphy and Wilhelm Steinitz, Anderssen remained a dominant tournament competitor and a key figure in the Romantic era of chess.
Jean Dufresne (1829–1893) was a German chess master and writer best known for his participation in the famous “Evergreen Game” against Adolf Anderssen in 1852. Although defeated in that brilliant encounter, Dufresne was a strong attacking player in his own right and an important figure in Berlin’s chess scene. Beyond competition, he made lasting contributions as an author and editor, helping popularize chess through instructional works and journalism. He co-authored influential chess manuals and wrote on chess theory and practice, playing a key role in spreading the game’s appeal in 19th-century Germany.