1.
e4
c5
2.
Nf3
e6
3.
d4
cxd4
4.
Nxd4
Bc5
5.
Be3
Qb6
6.
Nb5
Nf6
7.
Bxc5
Qxc5
8.
Nd6+
Ke7
9.
Nxc8+
Rxc8
10.
Bd3
Nc6
11.
O-O
h5
12.
Nd2
h4
13.
h3
g5
14.
a3
Rg8
15.
b4
Qb6
16.
Nc4
Qc7
17.
f3
Ne5
18.
Nxe5
Qxe5
19.
Qd2
Rg7
20.
Rad1
Rd8
21.
Qf2
b6
22.
f4
gxf4
23.
Qxf4
Qg5
24.
Rf2
Qxf4
25.
Rxf4
Rdg8
26.
Rd2
Rh8
27.
e5
Nd5
28.
Rd4
f6
29.
exf6+
Nxf6
30.
Rc4
Kd8
31.
a4
Nd5
32.
Be4
Nc7
33.
Bf3
d5
34.
Rc6
Rd7
35.
Bg4
Rh6
36.
Re2
Ke7
37.
Kh2
Kf7
38.
g3
hxg3+
39.
Kxg3
Re7
40.
h4
Ne8
41.
h5
Nf6
42.
Rcxe6
Rxe6
43.
Bxe6+
Kg7
44.
Bg4
Nxh5+
45.
Bxh5
Rxh5
46.
Re7+
Kf6
47.
Rxa7
Ke5
48.
Ra6
Rg5+
49.
Kf3
Rf5+
50.
Ke2
b5
51.
axb5
Rf4
52.
c3
d4
53.
c4
Rh4
54.
c5
Rh2+
55.
Kd3
Rh3+
56.
Kc2
Rh2+
57.
Kb3
Rh3+
58.
Ka4
Kd5
59.
Rd6+
Kc4
60.
c6
Rh1
61.
Rxd4+
Kxd4
62.
c7
Rh8
63.
b6
Kc4
64.
b7
1-0
Opening Explorer
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Site
New York
Date
1857.11.06
Round
4(5)
White
Black
Result
1-0
Game V of the even-terms Morphy–Paulsen match (First American Chess Congress, New York 1857) — a Sicilian Opening, Morphy (White) winning. Notes from the 'Book of the First American Chess Congress,' with the Editor's additions.
- 6…Nf6 If he had played 6. K. B. takes Q's B., White would have obtained a good game by 7. K. Kt. to Q's 6th (ch.).
- 13…g5 Black's proper course undoubtedly is to commence an attack on the castled King.
- 17…Ne5 Instead of this, which strengthens White's game, we should have preferred playing Kt. to K. Kt's 4th, or P. to Q. Kt's 4th.
- 19.Qd2 We should have preferred 19. Kt. to R's 4th.
- 24…Qxf4 Black would have done badly now, it appears, to double his Rooks on the K. Kt's file; for suppose— 24. Q. R. to K. Kt's sq. 25. Q. takes Q. 25. R. takes Q. 26. Q. R. to K. B's sq. 26. K. R. to K. Kt's 3rd 27. P. to K's 5th 27. Kt. to R's 4th 28. R. takes P. (ch.) &c. Instead of exchanging Queens, however, we should have preferred playing 24. P. to K's 4th, with the view of getting the Pawns on Black's squares, after which the Kt. would have been more valuable than White's Bishop.
- 26.Rd2 Much better than 26. K. R. to B's 2nd, since this forces him to defend his K. R's P. disadvantageously.
- 28.Rd4 His best move.
- 30.Rc4 If 30. B. to Q. Kt's 5th, Black would simply advance 30. P. to Q's 4th.
- 37.Kh2 Black's centre Pawns are so strongly guarded that it was not possible, with the forces now in action, to make any impression upon his position. It was necessary, therefore, to make the K. and K. R's P. operative.
- 43…Kg7 He would have avoided the loss of a P. by playing his K. to B's sq.
- 50…b5 This Pawn cannot be rescued. If— 50. R. to B's 3rd 51. P. to R's 5th 51. P. takes P. 52. R. takes R. 52. K. takes R. 53. P. takes P., and wins easily.
- 53.c4 Much better, of course, than taking the Pawn.
- 60…Rh1 The advance of the Pawn would amount to nothing.
- 62.c7 By the accompanying diagram the reader will see that the march of the Pawns cannot be arrested.
[Event "USA-01 Congress Grand Tournament"] [Site "New York"] [Date "1857.11.06"] [Round "4(5)"] [White "Morphy, Paul"] [Black "Paulsen, Louis"] [Result "1-0"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qb6 6. Nb5 Nf6 7. Bxc5 Qxc5 8. Nd6+ Ke7 9. Nxc8+ Rxc8 10. Bd3 Nc6 11. O-O h5 12. Nd2 h4 13. h3 g5 14. a3 Rg8 15. b4 Qb6 16. Nc4 Qc7 17. f3 Ne5 18. Nxe5 Qxe5 19. Qd2 Rg7 20. Rad1 Rd8 21. Qf2 b6 22. f4 gxf4 23. Qxf4 Qg5 24. Rf2 Qxf4 25. Rxf4 Rdg8 26. Rd2 Rh8 27. e5 Nd5 28. Rd4 f6 29. exf6+ Nxf6 30. Rc4 Kd8 31. a4 Nd5 32. Be4 Nc7 33. Bf3 d5 34. Rc6 Rd7 35. Bg4 Rh6 36. Re2 Ke7 37. Kh2 Kf7 38. g3 hxg3+ 39. Kxg3 Re7 40. h4 Ne8 41. h5 Nf6 42. Rcxe6 Rxe6 43. Bxe6+ Kg7 44. Bg4 Nxh5+ 45. Bxh5 Rxh5 46. Re7+ Kf6 47. Rxa7 Ke5 48. Ra6 Rg5+ 49. Kf3 Rf5+ 50. Ke2 b5 51. axb5 Rf4 52. c3 d4 53. c4 Rh4 54. c5 Rh2+ 55. Kd3 Rh3+ 56. Kc2 Rh2+ 57. Kb3 Rh3+ 58. Ka4 Kd5 59. Rd6+ Kc4 60. c6 Rh1 61. Rxd4+ Kxd4 62. c7 Rh8 63. b6 Kc4 64. b7 1-0