Henry Bird vs Paul Morphy (1858) — Annotated

-- Stockfish 19

-- Engine disabled.

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 d6

3. d4 f5

4. Nc3 fxe4

5. Nxe4 d5

6. Ng3 e4

7. Ne5 Nf6

8. Bg5 Bd6

9. Nh5 O-O

10. Qd2 Qe8

11. g4 Nxg4

12. Nxg4 Qxh5

13. Ne5 Nc6

14. Be2 Qh3

15. Nxc6 bxc6

16. Be3 Rb8

17. O-O-O Rxf2

18. Bxf2 Qa3

19. c3 Qxa2

20. b4 Qa1+

21. Kc2 Qa4+

22. Kb2 Bxb4

23. cxb4 Rxb4+

24. Qxb4 Qxb4+

25. Kc2 e3

26. Bxe3 Bf5+

27. Rd3 Qc4+

28. Kd2 Qa2+

29. Kd1 Qb1+

0-1

5.Nxe4 Certainly dangerous and much inferior to PxQP. Compare Columns 20 and 21.
5…d5 White could have here instituted Zukertort's winning attack by 6 KtxP. Compare Col. 20.
8…Bd6 We much prefer the more defensive 8....B—K2.
10.Qd2 Much safer was Q—K2 or Kt—B3.
10…Qe8 Lowenthal justly condemns this move as a blunder. The loss of a P could not be avoided excepting by giving up two pieces for a R, but the latter course presented more prospects of obtaining an equivalent in material with a good position e. g., 11 KtxKt ch., 11 PxKt; 12 BxP, 12 RxB; 13 Q—Kt5 ch., 13 R—Kt3; 14 KtxR, 14 P or QxKt; 15 QxP ch. with two Pawns and a R for two minor pieces and a good game.
11.g4 KtxKt would have forced the position that actually occurred, whereas the play in the text subjected Black to unnecessary complications
12.Nxg4 Lowenthal suggests here 12 KtxKtP which we believe was his best course and might have led to the following continuation 12....KxKt; 13 KtxKt, 13 BxKt; 14 KR—Kt sq., 14 QB—KB4; 15 B—R6 ch., 15 K—B3; 16 Q—Kt5 ch., 16 K—K3; 17 BxR, &c.
13…Nc6 We should have preferred 13....P—QB4; for if 14 PxP, 14 BxKt; 15 QxP ch., 15 Q—B2, threatening QxP ch., and wins.
16…Rb8 P—QB3 first would have been a good precautionary measure.
17.O-O-O Black is a Pawn ahead with an excellent game, for in the long run the adverse KBP ought to fall too. But the impetuous ingenuity of Morphy who was merely a youth during his brilliant Chess career apparently could not resist the temptation of risking a brilliant sacrifice for an attack which no doubt it required great skill and foresight to repel.
18…Qa3 This seems the natural move but White loses at once all chance of victory as Black can force a draw at least. Much better was undoubtedly 19 Q—Kt5, for if 19....P—K6; 20 Q—Q8 ch., 20 K—B2; 21 QxP ch., 21 B—Q2; 22 B—R5 ch. (it is necessary to get this B away from his present post as he blocks the exit of the White K, and if QxR, White answers QxRB), 22....P—Kt3; 23 QxB ch., 23 K—Kt sq. (if 23....K—B sq.; 24 QxB ch., followed by B—Kt3 should win); 24 Q—K6 ch., 24 K—Kt2; 25 Q—K5 ch., 25 K—Kt sq.; 26 QxKP and wins, not however Q—K8 ch., on account of 26....RxQ; 27 PxQ, 27 BxP ch.; 28 K—Kt sq., 28 R—Kt sq. ch. with at least a draw and good winning prospects. It is also obvious that if 19....QxKtP ch., 20 K—Q2, 20 B—Kt5 ch.; 21 K—K3, 21 Q—B6 ch.; 22 B—Q3 and ought to win.
22…Bxb4 Lowenthal rightly points out here that White could have drawn by K—B sq. at this point.
24…Qxb4+ Again White could draw by K—R2 as suggested by Lowenthal.
25.Kc2 A beautiful masterstroke which forces the game in a few moves.

[Event "Casuals Morphy-Bird +10-1=1"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "1858.08.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bird, Henry Edward"]
[Black "Morphy, Paul"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5 4. Nc3 fxe4 5. Nxe4 d5 6. Ng3 e4 7. Ne5 Nf6 8. Bg5 Bd6 9. Nh5
O-O 10. Qd2 Qe8 11. g4 Nxg4 12. Nxg4 Qxh5 13. Ne5 Nc6 14. Be2 Qh3 15. Nxc6 bxc6 16. Be3
Rb8 17. O-O-O Rxf2 18. Bxf2 Qa3 19. c3 Qxa2 20. b4 Qa1+ 21. Kc2 Qa4+ 22. Kb2 Bxb4 23. cxb4
Rxb4+ 24. Qxb4 Qxb4+ 25. Kc2 e3 26. Bxe3 Bf5+ 27. Rd3 Qc4+ 28. Kd2 Qa2+ 29. Kd1 Qb1+ 0-1