Philip W. Sergeant, Morphy’s Games of Chess (1916)
Game 72 of 136
Opening Explorer
Explorer is loading.
Event
Morphy-Harrwitz Match
Site
Paris
Date
1858.09.29
Round
7
White
Harrwitz, Daniel
Black
Result
1/2-1/2
Game 47 in Philip W. Sergeant’s Morphy’s Games of Chess (1916), printed pages 100–101. Commentary from this edition; named earlier annotators remain credited in the notes. Seventh game of the 1858 Harrwitz match. The source says the time was not recorded.
- 2.c4 Harrwitz clearly had no doubts as to the superiority of this over 2 P—K4, which is nowadays considered the better move of the two.
- 8.Bxf6 Avoiding the variation which he got in the 5th game by castling at once.
- 11.f4 The same weak move which he made in the 5th game. 11 P—K4 was far better here.
- 14.Rae1 Forcing White either to play as he does or to compromise his K side still more by P—Kt3.
- 21…Qf7 Anticipating 22 P—KKt4, which White indeed might still have played. At first sight the move looks good. Black could not then continue 22..Q×P, on account of 23 Q—B2. But he might play 22..P—KKt4, with a tremendous attack.
- 25.Re2 J.L. suggests 25..P—KKt4; 26 P×P, Kt—K4ch; 27 K—Kt1, Kt×P (Kt6); 28 R—K1, Q—Kt2, with a strong game. The same variation is possible next move also.
- 31.Re1 If B×R, Black mates in 6 with Q—R8ch, etc.
- 39…Qb2 By his 38th move Black threatened Kt—K5. Now he threatens R—R8ch, followed by Kt—K5ch.
- 41…Rf1+ A mistake which throws away a victory. Of course if 42 R×R, Kt—K5ch wins. But by 42 K×Kt White escapes (see next note). Black had a forced win by 41..R×R; 42 Q×R, Kt—K5ch; 43 K—Kt1, Kt—B6; 44 Q—Q3, P—Kt6; 45 Q×P, Q—B8ch; 46 Q—B1, Kt—K7ch.
- 43…Qf6+ J.L. plausibly suggests that what Morphy overlooked on his 41st move was that after 43..K—Kt2; 44 R×R, Q—R7ch; 45 K—Kt5, Q—R3ch, he would no longer have the Rook to guard his KBP.