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ANNOTATED GAME
Another Morphy Classic!
Louis Paulsen (?) vs. Paul Morphy (?)
Annotated by: tomwhufc (1200)
Chess opening: Four knights (C48), Bardeleben variation
Louis Paulsen (?) vs. Paul Morphy (?)
Annotated by: tomwhufc (1200)
Chess opening: Four knights (C48), Bardeleben variation
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1. e4 |
This is considered the main opening for the majority of GMs as White stakes out his claim to the centre. | ||||
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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... Nc6 |
The best way to protect the e5-pawn | ||||
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3. Nc3 |
White opts to develop both knights before his bishops | ||||
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3... Nf6 |
The Four Knights Opening theory has changed a lot in the hundred years or so since the Four Knights was considered something of a "main line." | ||||
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4. Bb5 |
This is the Spanish Four Knights while 4.Bc4 is the Italian Four Knights and 4.d4 is the Scotch Four Knights. | ||||
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4... Bc5 5. O-O |
White castles to get his King into safety. | ||||
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5... O-O |
Black does likewise. | ||||
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6. Nxe5 |
White plays the center "fork trick" to unbalance the position, e.g.6...Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5. | ||||
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6... Re8 |
But Morphy continues with his philosophy that development is paramount Rather than permit the "fork trick" 6...Nxe5 7.d4, Black sacrifices a Pawn for rapid development. | ||||
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7. Nxc6 |
!?Paulsen doesn't want to retreat to f3 thus giving the material back, this would have been much safer. This proves to be a big mistake. | ||||
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7... dxc6 |
Morphy recaptures with a threat and also half-opens the d-file. | ||||
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8. Bc4 |
The bishop should move all the way to e2 immediately, this just waists time. | ||||
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8... b5 |
Here Morphy picks up a tempo by forcing the bishop to move again. | ||||
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9. Be2 |
The seemingly more logical 9.Bb3 fails to 9...Bg4 10.Qe1 [or 10.Ne2 Rxe4 winning the pinned Knight] 10...b4, and if 11.Na4 Rxe4 traps the White Queen. | ||||
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9... Nxe4 |
Morphy regains his pawn. with a better position than it would have been if it had been recaptured on move seven. | ||||
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10. Nxe4 |
White exchanges. | ||||
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10... Rxe4 11. Bf3 |
Skewer! | ||||
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11... Re6 |
Black has a very weak pawn structure, it is true, but thanks to the "ugly" ...b5, he forced the White Bishop to a less effective square, which allows Morphy to post his Rook at e6, where it is well-placed for a lift to the King side. Perhaps Paulsen should have played 12.Bg4 followed by 13.Bxc8? But look at what else Morphy has: his Queenside pieces will develop quickly no matter what White does (although 12.c3 was a terrible lemon). The Queen will go to h4, the Bishop to d7, and the QR will double up on the King file. All of his pieces will stand ready for any action in the center or King side. | ||||
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