Game of the Week 11/1/98

Morphy vs. Duke of Brunswick & Count Isouard

This week's game is an oldy, but goody. It is one of the more famous games in chess literature, even though it is not much of a match. It comes from the first American World Champion, Paul Morphy. Although, Morphy never claimed this title, many chess histories begin the title lineage with him since he defeated all his adversaries in overwhelming style and is considered to be, perhaps, the greatest natural talent the game has ever known. Morphy was the first great player to embrace the defensive part of the game along with the romantic (attacking) part. Making him too much of a match for his contemporaries, which might be part of the reason he came and went so quickly. In this week's game, Morphy does not face any real opposition, but it is a game in which he demonstrates much of his élan. This game is famous because Morphy took on two titled opponents and was played in Paris during an operatic performance of Rossini's Barber of Seville in 1858.

White: Morphy    Black: Duke & Count

1. e4  e5   2. Nf3  d6   3. d4  Bg4?    4. dxe5  Bxf3   5. Qxf3  dxe5

6. Bc4  Nf6   7. Qb3  Qe7   8. Nc3   c6?   9. Bg5  b5?   10. Nxb5!  cxb5

11. Bxb5+  Nbd7   12. 0-0-0  Rd8  Morphy exerts pressure along the center

file and has a devating pin on his overmatched opponents.

13. Rxd7!  Rxd7   14. Rd1  Qe6   15. Bxd7+!!  Nxd7  (15. Bxf6 would have

won easily for Morphy, but he had grander ideas.)

16. Qb8+!  Nxb8   17. Rd8++ Mate 1-0  The final result, notice how Black's

King's Bishop and Rook never make a move.

If you find any errors or have any suggestions, including personal games, please feel free to contact me at:

Harrison Chess@GameBox.net

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