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ANNOTATED GAME
A night at the opera.
Paul Morphy (N/A) vs. Duke Karl / Count Isouard (N/A)
Annotated by: tomwhufc (1200)
Chess opening: Philidor's defence (C41)
Paul Morphy (N/A) vs. Duke Karl / Count Isouard (N/A)
Annotated by: tomwhufc (1200)
Chess opening: Philidor's defence (C41)
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1. e4 |
This offhand game is one of the most instructive examples of how to develop rapidly and attack. It is what is called a 'consultation game' where one player( in this case Paul Morphy) plays against two opponents, who were allowed to confer with each other to decide which move to make. Apparently the Duke was criticised in the newspaper of the time for playing a game of chess at the opera. The main opening for the majority of GMs | ||||
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1... e5 |
Black meets White's centralization of a pawn with one of his own | ||||
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2. Nf3 |
A common move attacking the e5-pawn and d4-square. | ||||
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2... d6 |
Philidor's Defense. This move was recommended as a defense by the leading French chess player, Andre Danican Philidor (1726-95). Holding the pawn this way is definately solid., but black renounces the chance to play ...d5 in one go, however anchoring the e4 can't be wrong. Nimzowitch commented that "In the open game 1.e4 e5, either d3 or d4 now or later is always a correct move." This seems to be valid today. | ||||
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3. d4 |
This is a good move - White prepares to develop the Queen's Bishop, takes another square in the centre, and puts Black's claim to the centre under pressure. | ||||
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3... Bg4 |
?! This is a weak move. However it does hold some logic. The white knight and pawn are attacking blacks pawn on e5.black's pawn is defended only by the d6 pawn.Instead of bringing another defender into play e.g 3...Nd7 or Nf6; which by the way is much better , black chooses to pin the knight. The drawback to this is that white has a good tactic at his disposal that forces black to trade the bishop for the knight. | ||||
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4. dxe5 |
This move indeed causes Black a problem, because the simple 4...dxe5 5. Qxd8 Kxd8 6. Nxe5 loses a Pawn. | ||||
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4... Bxf3 |
This is the tactic. It stops 4. ... dxe5, 5. Qxd8 Kxd8, 6. Nxe5 winning a pawn and disrupting the safety of blacks king is now stuck in the middle of the board without castling rights. | ||||
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5. Qxf3 dxe5 |
Material balance has now been restored, however Morphy has one piece development:the queen and can now develop another. Morphy has a lead in development and the advantage of the two bishops. | ||||
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6. Bc4 |
! Developing a piece with a major threat | ||||
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6... Nf6 |
The decisive mistake. Better was 6...Qd7. True, Black had an unpleasant choice with 6...Qf6 7.Qb3 b6?! 8.Nc3 Ne7? 9.Nb5 Na6 10.Qa4 Nc5 11.Nd6 ! Kd8 12.Qe8 mate. Also, it is clear in this position that white has a substantial lead in development. White has two pieces developed and black has only one...and it is white's move! | ||||
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7. Qb3 |
Usually it is not a good idea to move the same piece twice...but this is a fork...the pawn on f7 and the pawn on b7. All the small advice you hear, control of the center, don't move the same piece twice, etc. goes out the window when you see an easy way to win material! | ||||
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7... Qe7 |
This move is positionaly weak because it blocks in the f8 Bishop and dooms the black king to staying in the center. It does prevent both pawns from being taken | ||||
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8. Nc3 |
Morphy concentrates on development of his pieces preferring to mass his forces for a quick checkmate and get back to the opera. After 8.Qxb7?! winning a pawn, Black has 8...Qb4 ! forces the trade of queens. | ||||
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8... c6 |
Morphy could have one a pwan with Qxb7, but after 8.. Qxb4 he would've been forced to trade queens. morphy correctly decides that continueing his developemnt( mainly because his advantage lies in that element) is more important than winning a pawn. Black takes a moment to guard the b7 pawn8.c6, which is a necessary precaustion, but this move sure as hell doesn't help his development. | ||||
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9. Bg5 |
White pins the knight to the queen | ||||
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9... b5 |
?Another pointless pawn move!Black tries to expand his space on the queen-side while forsaking piece development. This time Morphy think it is time for a classy sacrifice. | ||||
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10. Nxb5 |
Morphy chooses not to retreat the bishop, which would allow Black to gain time for development. | ||||
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10... cxb5 11. Bxb5+ |
White recaptures with check. | ||||
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11... Nbd7 12. O-O-O |
White castles and develops his queen's rook on the open d-file. The combination of the bishop's pin on the knight and the open file for the rook will lead to Black's defeat | ||||
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