Friday, June 12, 2015

The Last Emperor

Paul Charles Morphy – Thomas Wilson Barnes
London, July 1858
Philidor Defence C41

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Be7 5. c3 d3? Correct was 5. ... Nf6 (6. cxd4 Nxe4). 6. Qb3 Be6 7. Bxe6 fxe6 8. Qxb7. Géza Maróczy prefers 8. Nd4 – a perfectly good move. 8. ... Nd7 9. Qb5 Ngf6 10. Ng5 Rb8 11. Qa4. Maróczy suggests 11. Qc4!?, but after 11. ... Ne5! 12. Qxe6 Nfd7! Black brilliantly  escapes from all his difficulties since 13. f4? is met by 13. ... Nc5! turning tables. 11. ... 0-0 12. Nxe6 Nc5 13. Nxc5 dxc5 14. Qc4+ Kh8 15. 0-0 Ng4 16. f4 d2? If 16. ... Rxb2 there follows 17. h3! (not 17. Bxb2? Ne3 18. Qe6 Nxf1 and Black is fine) with advantage to White (Maróczy’s analysis). Black’s best continuation is probably 16. ... Qd6 17. h3 Ne5! when after 18. Qd5 (not 18. fxe5? Rxf1+ 19. Kxf1 Rf8+ 20. Kg1 Qxe5 with an irresistible attack) White stands better. 17. Bxd2 Rxb2 18. h3 Rxd2 19. Nxd2 Ne3 20. Qe2 Nxf1 21. Rxf1 Qd7 22. Nc4 Qb5 23. e5 Bh4 24. f5 Be7 25. Qg4 Qd7


26. Rd1! Morphy shows his crystal-clear understanding of chess! 26. ... Qxf5 27. Qxf5 Rxf5 28. Rd7 Bf8. Or 28. ... Bh4 29. g3! and White wins. 29. e6 1 : 0.

Paul Charles Morphy

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