The Game
White: Paul Morphy Black: Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard Opening: ECO C41
Paris 1858
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6
- This is the Philidor Defence. It is a solid opening, but slightly passive, and it ignores the important d4-square.
3. d4 Bg4?
- Though 3...Bg4 is considered an inferior move today, this was standard theory at the time. Today 3...exd4 or 3...Nf6 are usual. 3...f5 is a more aggressive alternative.
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4. dxe5 Bxf3
- If 4...dxe5, then 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Nxe5 and White wins a pawn and Black has lost the ability to castle. Black, however, did have the option of 4...Nd7 5.exd6 Bxd6, when he's down a pawn but has some compensation in the form of better development.
5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Bc4 Nf6
- This seemingly sound developing move runs into a surprising refutation. After White's next move, both f7 and b7 will be under attack. Better would have been to directly protect the f7-pawn with the queen, making White's next move less potent.
7. Qb3 Qe7 (see diagram)
- Black's only good move. White was threatening mate in two moves, for example 7...Nc6 8.Bxf7+ Ke7 9.Qe6#. 7...Qd7 loses the rook to 8.Qxb7 followed by 9.Qxa8 (since 8...Qc6? would lose the queen to 9.Bb5). Notice that Qe7 saves the rook with this combination: 8.Qxb7 Qb4+ forcing a queen exchange and saving the rook. Black is forced to move the queen to e7 which blocks the f8-bishop and more importantly impedes kingside castling.
8. Nc3
- White prefers fast development to material. He declines to win a pawn with 8.Qxb7 Qb4+ 9.Qxb4, or to win two with 8.Bxf7+ Kd8 (or 8...Qxf7 9.Qxb7 and now Black cannot avoid loss of the rook) 9.Qxb7, preferring to mass his forces for a quick checkmate and get back to the opera.
8... c6
- The best move, allowing black to defend his pawn without further weakening the light-squares, which have been weakened by black trading off his light-square bishop.
9. Bg5 b5?
- Though ostensibly this drives the bishop away and steals the initiative, it allows Morphy a sensational sacrifice to keep the initiative.
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10. Nxb5!
- Morphy chooses not to retreat the bishop, which would allow Black to gain time for development. Black's move 9...b5 loses but it is difficult to find anything better; for example 9...Na6 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Bxa6 bxa6 12.Qa4 Qb7 and Black's position is in shambles.
10... cxb5?
- Black could have played 10...Qb4+ forcing the exchange of queens (11.Qxb4 Bxb4+ 12.Nc3), although White would retain a clearly won game being a pawn up.
11. Bxb5+ Nbd7 12. 0-0-0
- The combination of the pins on the knights and the open file for White's rook will lead to Black's defeat.
12... Rd8 (see diagram) 13. Rxd7 Rxd7
- Removing another defender.
14. Rd1
- Compare the activity of the white pieces with the idleness of the black pieces. At this point, Black's rook is not able to be saved, since it is pinned to the king and attacked by the rook, and though the knight defends it, the knight is pinned to the queen.
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| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
14... Qe6
- Qe6 is a futile attempt to unpin the knight (allowing it to defend the rook) and offer a queen trade, to take some pressure out of the white attack. Even if Morphy did not play his next crushing move, he could have always traded his bishop for the knight, followed by winning the rook.
15. Bxd7+ Nxd7
- If 15...Qxd7, then 16.Qb8+ Ke7 17.Qxe5+ Kd8 18.Bxf6+ gxf6 19.Qxf6+ Kc8 20.Rxd7 Kxd7 21.Qxh8 and White is clearly winning. Moving the king leads to mate: 15...Ke7 16.Qb4+ Qd6 (16...Kd8 17.Qb8+ Ke7 18.Qe8#) 17.Qxd6+ Kd8 18.Qb8+ Ke7 19.Qe8# or 15...Kd8 16.Qb8+ Ke7 17.Qe8#
16. Qb8+!
- Morphy finishes with a stylish queen sacrifice.
16... Nxb8 17. Rd8#
Read more about this topic: Morphy Versus The Duke Of Brunswick And Count Isouard
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