The Sun and the Moon

Adolf Anderssen – Paul Charles Morphy
Match game 10; Paris, December 27, 1858
Anderssen Opening A00

1. a3 e5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e3 Be6 6. Nf3 Bd6 7. Be2 0-0 8. 0-0. Anderssen varies from 8. d4 such as occurred in the 6th and 8th games. 8. ... Nxc3 9. bxc3 f5 10. d4 e4 11. Nd2 Rf6 12. f4 Rh6 13. g3 Nd7 14. Nc4. Anderssen undoubtedly refined his strategy: the Bishop pair is worth trusting even in such positions! 14. ... Bxc4. Grandmaster Valeri Beim rightly criticizes this move as it gives White’s light-squared Bishop too much scope. His recommendation, 14. ... Nb6 (in order to answer 15. Ne5 by 15. ... c5), seems more than reasonable. 15. Bxc4+ Kh8 16. Ra2! Qe7 17. a4 Nf6 18. Qb3 c6 19. Be6. A mere loss of time, even though, given the closed character of the position, it is not so serious. 19. ... Re8! 20. Bc4. Not 20. Bxf5?? g6 and the White Bishop is trapped. 20. ... Ng4 21. Rg2 Rb8 22. Be2 Nf6 23. c4 b6 24. Bb2 Qf7 25. Qc2 Be7 26. Bc3 Rg8 27. a5 Bd6 28. axb6 axb6 29. Ra1 g5? Wilhelm Steinitz called it a bad strategical error, and, objectively speaking, it’s hard to disagree with him. It is surely a sign of impatience; since it was the second game of the day I think Morphy, after brilliantly winning the previous one, wanted to ride the tiger relying upon the demoralization of his opponent. 30. fxg5 Rxg5 31. Ra8+. Géza Maróczy gives 31. c5! bxc5 32. dxc5 Bf8 33. Ra8 which really seems horrible for Black. Enjoy! 31. ... Rg8 32. Qa4 Rxa8 33. Qxa8+ Qe8 34. Qxe8+. 34. Qb7 (Steinitz) was also very strong and possibly even stronger. 34. ... Nxe8 35. c5 Bc7 36. Bc4 Kg7 37. cxb6? But, as too often happened in the match, Anderssen lets slip away his chance! 37. d5+ followed by d5-d6 would certainly have forced matters toward a sad conclusion for Morphy. 37. ... Bxb6 38. Rb2 Bc7 39. Rb7 Kf6 40. Bb4 Rg6 41. Bf8 h5! 42. Kf2

42. ... h4!! The only one move! 43. gxh4 Rg4 44. h5 Rh4 45. h6 Rxh2+ 46. Kg1 Rh3 47. Bf1 Rg3+ 48. Kf2 Rg4 49. Bc4 Rh4 50. Bg8 Bd6 51. Bxd6 Nxd6 52. Rd7 Ne8! 53. h7! 53. Bf7? Rxh6 54. Bxe8 Rh8 leads nowhere. 53. ... Kg5 54. Re7 Nd6 55. Re6 Nc4 56. Rxc6 Nd2 57. Ke2 Rh2+ 58. Kd1 Nf3? Morphy, too, quite incredibly misses his saving chance: after 58. ... f4! 59. exf4+ Kxf4 White, in spite of his extra Pawn, doesn't seem able to make progress; for instance: 60. Kc2 Nf3+ 61. Kc3 Ng5 62. Rc2 e3 63. Re7 Ne4+ 64. Kd3 Rd2+ 65. Kc4 Rh2 66. Rf7+ Kg3 67. Rg7+ Rh2 68. Rf7+ Kg3 69. Re7 Kf4= (Beim’s analysis). 59. Rc7 Kg6 60. d5 f4 61. exf4 e3 62. Re7 e2+ 63. Rxe2 Rh1+ 64. Kc2 Nd4+ 65. Kd2 Nxe2 66. Kxe2 Kg7. Or 66. ... Kf5 67. d6 Kf6 68. Kf3 winning easily. 67. Ke3 Re1+ 68. Kd4 Rf1 69. Ke5 Re1+ 70. Kf5 Rd1 71. Be6 Rd4 72. Ke5 Rd1 73. f5 Rh1 74. f6+ Kxh7 75. Kd6 Ra1 76. Ke7 Ra7+ 77. Bd7 1 : 0. And finally Anderssen won for the second and last time in the match!