Paul Morphy vs Adolf Anderssen (1858)

-- Stockfish 19

-- Engine disabled.

1. e4 e6

2. d4 g6

3. Bd3 Bg7

4. Be3 c5

5. c3 cxd4

6. cxd4 Nc6

7. Ne2 Nge7

8. O-O O-O

9. Nbc3 d5

10. e5 f6

11. f4 fxe5

12. fxe5 a6

13. Qd2 Nb4

14. Bg5 Nxd3

15. Qxd3 Bd7

16. Qh3 Qe8

17. Ng3 Rc8

18. Rxf8+ Qxf8

19. Rf1 Qe8

20. Qh4 Nf5

21. Nxf5 gxf5

22. Rf3 Bb5

23. Rg3 Rc7

24. Bf6 f4

25. Qxf4 Qf8

26. Nxb5 axb5

27. Qh6 Kh8

28. Rxg7 Rxg7

29. Kf2 Kg8

30. Qxg7+ Qxg7

31. Bxg7 Kxg7

32. g4 b4

33. h4 b5

34. Ke3 b3

35. a3

1-0

20…Nf5 Very injudicious, since it affords White an opportunity of bringing his K's Kt. and Q's Bishop into active play immediately.
35.a3 If he had taken the Pawn, Black would have moved P. to Q. Kt's 5th, and possibly have made a drawn battle. The German report of the above contest, written by Mr. Lange, the friend and coadjutor of Mr. Anderssen, has some interesting remarks at the conclusion. Among other things, in reply to the statement of a person calling himself “Mr. Morphy's Secretary”! who, in a contemptible publication recently issued, has attributed to Mr. Anderssen the most fulsome laudation of the victor, it is observed:—“The Match with the American began on Monday, December 20, and was continued without intermission. In addition to the set games, the combatants enjoyed a few off-hand encounters, to which Anderssen attached no importance whatever. They were played merely as pastime, while the arrangements for the Match were completing. Subsequently, great emphasis was laid upon these games by French and English writers; and the most innocent expressions of Anderssen were seized hold of and distorted into a meaning quite opposed to the intention of the speaker. For example, at dinner, before playing the final game, Mr. Anderssen chanced to say, in a jocular and good-humoured spirit, ‘I am glad, at all events, to have two sheep in safety;’ and this was tortured into, ‘It is a rare fortune for any player to win one or two games of Morphy.’ Again, he happened to make some ordinary observation on the great correctness of Morphy's play, to the effect that he seldom or never made an error, and straightway he was reported to have declared that, ‘Morphy makes not only the best, but the very best move. No living player has a chance in play against him; it is uncertainty struggling against certainty.’” Mr. Lange then goes on to say, “We shall add here a few expressions of Anderssen's, which we can guarantee to be authentic. He was asked if the American was superior in coolness and self-possession, and if his play in general struck him as better than his own. The first part of the question was not strictly answered, for he merely replied to it:—‘I cannot say I think so; in my own opinion I was perfectly collected, but I still overlooked the most obvious move.’ The second part of the enquiry was answered unreservedly: ‘I never, even in my dreams, believed Morphy my superior in play; but it is impossible to keep one's excellence in a glass case, like a jewel, and take it out whenever it is required; on the contrary, it can be conserved only by constant practice and with good players.’ He was asked if there were any disturbing influences of an external kind which militated against him, and how the spectators behaved. He did not hesitate to say that unaccustomed noises in the hotel where he resided, occasioned him sleepless nights, which by no means contributed to strengthen him for the exhausting labours of the match. As to the lookers-on, those nearest the table, as the proper witnesses and honorary seconds, behaved irreproachably; amongst the other spectators, however, there were unmistakable, and sometimes very annoying exhibitions of sympathy for his opponent; signs of impatience were chiefly shown when the German took time for reflection; especially conspicuous in this respect was a certain bald-headed Italian, who usually contrived to place himself close to the American. To such influences may be attributed the turn in the sixth game of the match at move twenty-eight. He was asked if he would again contend with Morphy, and how the latter behaved to him. His answer was, that Morphy had distinctly promised to pay a visit to Germany in March; in which case, if he could spend a fortnight in Breslau, there was every probability of a return match being played. Of Morphy's behaviour, it was invariably polite, but more so after his victory, when he manifested his satisfaction by many little attentions. Finally, Mr. Anderssen was asked by the same querist how the American had spoken of his play. To this he replied:—‘It was impossible for Morphy to express an opinion on this subject, as I did not go to Paris to get a certificate of ability. Those who surrounded the American, however, seemed to think that they flattered me most when they said, how high an opinion he had of my play, and that he considered me the strongest of all opponents he had met till now. But to be reckoned stronger than a LOWENTHAL, I consider next door to nothing.’” And Black resigned the game and match.

[Event "Match Morphy-Anderssen +7-2=2"]
[Site "Paris"]
[Date "1858.12.28"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Morphy, Paul"]
[Black "Anderssen, Adolf"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 g6 3. Bd3 Bg7 4. Be3 c5 5. c3 cxd4 6. cxd4 Nc6 7. Ne2 Nge7 8.
O-O O-O 9. Nbc3 d5 10. e5 f6 11. f4 fxe5 12. fxe5 a6 13. Qd2 Nb4 14. Bg5 Nxd3
15. Qxd3 Bd7 16. Qh3 Qe8 17. Ng3 Rc8 18. Rxf8+ Qxf8 19. Rf1 Qe8 20. Qh4 Nf5 21.
Nxf5 gxf5 22. Rf3 Bb5 23. Rg3 Rc7 24. Bf6 f4 25. Qxf4 Qf8 26. Nxb5 axb5 27. Qh6
Kh8 28. Rxg7 Rxg7 29. Kf2 Kg8 30. Qxg7+ Qxg7 31. Bxg7 Kxg7 32. g4 b4 33. h4 b5
34. Ke3 b3 35. a3 1-0