J. Löwenthal, Morphy's Games of Chess (1860)
Game 102 of 203
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Site
Paris
Date
1858.12.22
Round
4
White
Black
Result
0-1
The fourth game, a Ruy Lopez with Anderssen White. Anderssen conducted a terrible attack, but Morphy defended patiently and, in an ending of opposite-coloured Bishops that looked drawn, turned the game in his own favour.
- 5.d3 A line of play, as we have previously stated, that we can in nowise recommend.
- 7.Bc2 B. to Q. Kt's 3rd is the better move.
- 7…d5 Obtaining a fine open game.
- 18…Bd5 Kt. to Q. R's 4th would have led to some interesting positions, but the move in the text is probably safer.
- 19…Qd6 Mr. Morphy has favoured us with a variation proving that Black would have gained nothing by the capture of the Knight.
- 20.Qc2 Threatening to win a piece. The position is exceedingly complicated and well worthy of attention.
- 22…Qxe5 If Black, instead, had taken the Q's Kt., his adversary might have played Kt. to Q. B's 6th, and won a piece.
- 24…Kf8 Herr Anderssen's terrible attack is now over, and the position is reduced to an end game of a simple character. As the adverse Bishops range on diagonals of a different colour, the promised result would seem to be a drawn game, and Mr. Morphy merits high praise, not only for his patient defence against an attack so skilfully conducted, but for his skill in, after all, terminating the game in his own favour.