Paul Morphy Games - OzChess

**Herbert** · 12-20-2008, 01:16 PM

I am studying some of the games of Paul Morphy at the moment and really liked this one.

**Herbert** · 12-20-2008, 01:20 PM

The reason black resigned is because of this forced variation leading to checkmate.

36.Bxe6 Re7 37.R8g6+ Kh7 38.Bg8+ Kh8 39.Rh6+ Rh7 40.Rxh7

**Herbert** · 12-20-2008, 01:21 PM

I hope to put up other Paul Morphy games and then give some commentary, but if anyone sees something I miss please feel free to join the thread and point it out.

**Counterplay** · 12-20-2008, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Herbert

I hope to put up other Paul Morphy games and then give some commentary, but if anyone sees something I miss please feel free to join the thread and point it out.

Good choice of game Herb. I particularly like how the knight goes to b3 attacking the bishop which then retreats to b6. You often see that in the carokann but on the kingside instead of the queenside.

**Caligulette** · 12-20-2008, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by Herbert

I am studying some of the games of Paul Morphy at the moment and really liked this one.

I like this whole concept. Studying the games from the turn of the century right up to Alekhine is a great idea because these games tend to be played at a strong master level, understandable to the average club player. Contrats that to the games played by super GMs where even IMs admit they have no idea what the super Gms are doing sometimes.

**Herbert** · 12-21-2008, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by Brutus

Good choice of game Herb. I particularly like how the knight goes to b3 attacking the bishop which then retreats to b6. You often see that in the carokann but on the kingside instead of the queenside.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by Caligulette

I like this whole concept. Studying the games from the turn of the century right up to Alekhine is a great idea because these games tend to be played at a strong master level, understandable to the average club player. Contrats that to the games played by super GMs where even IMs admit they have no idea what the super Gms are doing sometimes.

Thank you, maybe I will do Alekhine's games after I have done a few of Morphy's.

**Herbert** · 12-21-2008, 12:01 PM

Today I am putting up a nice Paul Morphy game where he uses the Evans gambit. Take a look at it, and I will focus on where I think black went wrong in this game.

**Herbert** · 12-21-2008, 12:05 PM

Black's first mistake is 10... Bb6 because the bishop wasn't under attack and therefore there was no need to move it. 10... Nge7 would have been better because it would have prepared the way for black to castle out of danger.

**Herbert** · 12-21-2008, 12:07 PM

15... Kf8 is not a very good move, better would have been 15... Be6

**Herbert** · 12-21-2008, 12:09 PM

19... b6 did nothing, taking white's bishop on g5 would have been much better. Black needed to try to diffuse and neutralize white's attack and he should do this by exchanging pieces off.

**Herbert** · 12-21-2008, 12:10 PM

25... h6 is a very poor move, there is nothing wrong with 25... Ne7 followed by bringing the knight to f5. In fact, this is what black should have done I think.

**Herbert** · 12-21-2008, 12:12 PM

28... Kf5 is black's last mistake. He needed to go back to the seventh rank to avoid the forced mate.

**Herbert** · 12-21-2008, 12:13 PM

Last observation, if black plays 30... Kg3 then 31. Rd3+ Kf2 32. Rf3 mates black, so it was correct for black to resign here.

**Cephus** · 12-21-2008, 12:46 PM

Kipping played poorly throughout, so there isn't too much to be gleaned from this game.

**Just2Good** · 12-21-2008, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by Cephus

Kipping played poorly throughout, so there isn't too much to be gleaned from this game.

I must disagree. While I will concur that Morphy's opponent in the game Herbert posted was weak, there is still something to be learned from watching a master demolish an amateur.

12-20-2008, 01:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
Counterplay Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 76	Originally Posted by Herbert I hope to put up other Paul Morphy games and then give some commentary, but if anyone sees something I miss please feel free to join the thread and point it out. Good choice of game Herb. I particularly like how the knight goes to b3 attacking the bishop which then retreats to b6. You often see that in the carokann but on the kingside instead of the queenside.

12-20-2008, 02:00 PM	#5 (permalink)
Caligulette Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 26	Originally Posted by Herbert I am studying some of the games of Paul Morphy at the moment and really liked this one. I like this whole concept. Studying the games from the turn of the century right up to Alekhine is a great idea because these games tend to be played at a strong master level, understandable to the average club player. Contrats that to the games played by super GMs where even IMs admit they have no idea what the super Gms are doing sometimes.

12-21-2008, 12:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
Herbert Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Geelong Posts: 58	Originally Posted by Brutus Good choice of game Herb. I particularly like how the knight goes to b3 attacking the bishop which then retreats to b6. You often see that in the carokann but on the kingside instead of the queenside. Thank you. Originally Posted by Caligulette I like this whole concept. Studying the games from the turn of the century right up to Alekhine is a great idea because these games tend to be played at a strong master level, understandable to the average club player. Contrats that to the games played by super GMs where even IMs admit they have no idea what the super Gms are doing sometimes. Thank you, maybe I will do Alekhine's games after I have done a few of Morphy's.

12-21-2008, 08:43 PM	#15 (permalink)
Just2Good Tin Cup Champ 2004 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cairns Posts: 6,233 ICC Handle: Advantage FICS Handle: Advantage	Originally Posted by Cephus Kipping played poorly throughout, so there isn't too much to be gleaned from this game. I must disagree. While I will concur that Morphy's opponent in the game Herbert posted was weak, there is still something to be learned from watching a master demolish an amateur. __________________ . "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." ~ Isaiah Berlin ~

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

12-20-2008, 01:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
Herbert Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Geelong Posts: 58	The reason black resigned is because of this forced variation leading to checkmate. 36.Bxe6 Re7 37.R8g6+ Kh7 38.Bg8+ Kh8 39.Rh6+ Rh7 40.Rxh7

12-20-2008, 01:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
Herbert Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Geelong Posts: 58	I hope to put up other Paul Morphy games and then give some commentary, but if anyone sees something I miss please feel free to join the thread and point it out.

12-21-2008, 12:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
Herbert Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Geelong Posts: 58	Black's first mistake is 10... Bb6 because the bishop wasn't under attack and therefore there was no need to move it. 10... Nge7 would have been better because it would have prepared the way for black to castle out of danger.

12-21-2008, 12:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
Herbert Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Geelong Posts: 58	15... Kf8 is not a very good move, better would have been 15... Be6

12-21-2008, 12:09 PM	#10 (permalink)
Herbert Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Geelong Posts: 58	19... b6 did nothing, taking white's bishop on g5 would have been much better. Black needed to try to diffuse and neutralize white's attack and he should do this by exchanging pieces off.

12-21-2008, 12:10 PM	#11 (permalink)
Herbert Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Geelong Posts: 58	25... h6 is a very poor move, there is nothing wrong with 25... Ne7 followed by bringing the knight to f5. In fact, this is what black should have done I think.

12-21-2008, 12:12 PM	#12 (permalink)
Herbert Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Geelong Posts: 58	28... Kf5 is black's last mistake. He needed to go back to the seventh rank to avoid the forced mate.

12-21-2008, 12:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
Herbert Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Geelong Posts: 58	Last observation, if black plays 30... Kg3 then 31. Rd3+ Kf2 32. Rf3 mates black, so it was correct for black to resign here.

12-21-2008, 12:46 PM	#14 (permalink)
Cephus Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New Caprica Posts: 102	Kipping played poorly throughout, so there isn't too much to be gleaned from this game.