Game III of the even-terms Congress series — a Giuoco Piano, Thompson (White) against Morphy, New York 1857, the whole admirably played by Mr. Morphy. Notes from the 'Book of the First American Chess Congress,' with the Editor's additions.
5.d3Lewis is undecided whether this or 5. P. to Q's 4th be the better move; the 'Handbuch' says that the centre Pawns obtained by 5. P. to Q's 4th cannot be maintained.
7.Bb3This seems to lose time; he ought rather to have exchanged Bishops.
8.exd5The move of 8. Q. to K's 2nd deserves consideration. We think it would have been stronger than taking the Q's P.
8…Bxd5K. Kt. takes Q's P. would have been equally good.
20…Qf4The whole of this game is admirably played by Mr. Morphy.
22.Rd3This is not a good move; Black, however, has already the better game, let White play as he may. This loses a Pawn; in any case, however, the position was much in Black's favour.
23…Rxd3B. to K. Kt's 6th might also have been played at this point, but the move in the text is perhaps somewhat stronger.
26.Qd4+If instead of this White had played Q. to Q's 7th, with the view of stopping the advance of Black's K. Kt's P., and also for the purpose of winning the Pawns on the Queen's side, he would have lost the game immediately.
J. Löwenthal, Morphy's Games of Chess (1860) · Public domain · source