Board Roller

Paul Charles Morphy – Adolf Anderssen
Match game 7; Paris, December 25, 1858
Scandinavian Defence B01

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5. “Perhaps a better move than playing the Queen home again; but the defence of 1. ... d5 is objectionable, however conducted”, Howard Staunton writes in his book “Chess Praxis”, London, Bell & Daldy, 1871, p. 494. 4. d4 e5 5. dxe5 Qxe5+ 6. Be2 Bb4. “In Mr. Lange’s observation on the present game, he remarks, ‘Black strives with masterly energy to relieve himself from the disadvantage entailed by the opening he has chosen’, which, considering the very ordinary moves really made, savours a little too much of the hyperbolical tone adopted by Mr. Morphy’s adulators in England”, Staunton said (ibidem). 7. Nf3! A positional Pawn sacrifice just to speed up his development. After 7. Bd2 Bg4 Black has no problem at all. 7. ... Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Qxc3+ 9. Bd2 Qc5 10. Rb1 Nc6 11. 0-0 Nf6 12. Bf4. Playing to regain the Pawn. Géza Maróczy recommended 12. Rb5 Qd6 13. Re1 0-0 14. Qc1 which is also very strong. 12. ... 0-0 13. Bxc7 Nd4! 14. Qxd4 Qxc7 15. Bd3! Bg4? “He should have played 15. ... h6; this turns out a lost move”, Staunton said (op. cit., p. 495). Maróczy gives instead 15. ... b6 followed by ... Bc8-b7, which appears even more convincing. 16. Ng5! Intending Ng5-e4. 16. ... Rfd8? “Black had better saving chances after 16. ... Bh5!? 17. Ne4! Nxe4 18. Qxe4 Bg6 19. Qxb7 Qxb7 20. Rxb7 Bxd3 21. cxd3 Rfd8 22. Rd1 Rab8 because there are always chances in a Rook endgame”, Grandmaster Valeri Beim writes in his book “Paul Morphy Una Prospettiva Moderna”, Roma, Prisma Editori, 2008, p. 189. 17. Qb4 Bc8. “A fatal necessity”, Staunton said (ibidem). 18. Rfe1 a5. Not 18. ... h6 because of 19. Re7 Rd7? (or 19. ... Bd7 20. Nxf7 Nd5 21. Nxh6+ gxh6 22. Bh7+ Kf8 23. Re8+! and mate in two moves) because of 20. Bh7+ Kh8 (or 20. ... Kf8 21. Rxf7++ and mate next move) 21. Re8+ Nxe8 22. Qf8 mate.

19. Qe7! Morphy usually chose the strongest move in the position! 19. ... Qxe7 20. Rxe7 Nd5. Equally after 20. ... Rd7 21. Rxd7 Bxd7 22. Rxb7 h6 23. Nh7! Black’s cause is hopeless. 21. Bxh7+ Kh8 22. Rxf7 Nc3 23. Re1 Nxa2 24. Rf4! Ra6 25. Bd3! 1 : 0. An impressive display of strength Morphy made look easy.