Chess World.net presents: The Classic Opera Game! - Morphy vs the Allies

Chess World.net presents: The Classic Opera Game! - Morphy vs the Allies


[Event "Paris"]
[Site "Paris"]
[Date "1858.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Paul Morphy"]
[Black "Duke Karl / Count Isouard"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C41"]
[PlyCount "33"]
[EventDate "1858.??.??"]

{Morphy versus the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard From Wikipedia, the
free encyclopedia The chess game played in 1858 at an opera house in Paris
between the American chess master Paul Morphy and two strong amateurs, the
German noble Duke Karl of Brunswick and the French aristocrat Count Isouard,
is among the most famous chess games. Duke Karl and Count Isouard consulted
together, playing as partners against Morphy. The game is often used by chess
instructors to demonstrate the importance of rapid development of one's pieces,
and other lessons. The Duke frequently invited Morphy to the Italian Opera
House in Paris, where the former kept a private box which was, according to
Morphy's associate Frederick Edge, so close to the stage that one "might kiss
the prima donna without any trouble", and which always contained a chess set,
the Duke being a keen player as well as an opera lover. Morphy was extremely
fond of music and opera and was eager to see Norma, which played on his first
visit. Unfortunately, his host had seen Norma countless times, and Morphy
found himself forced to play chess, even seated with his back to the stage.
As the game progressed, the two allies conferred loudly enough with each other,
debating their moves against the American genius, that it attracted the
attention of the opera performers. Madame Penco, who had the role of the
Druidic priestess in Norma, kept looking into the Duke's box, to see what all
the fuss was about, even as she was performing the opera. Then the performers
who were the Druids, marched about, "chanting fire and bloodshed against the
Roman host, who, they appeared to think, were in the Duke's box", Edge
recounted. It is doubtful if the distracted opera singers had a good enough
view of what was going on. Comically, Morphy created this brilliant game while
spending his time trying to overcome his blocked view of the opera, while the
performers tried to catch glimpses of what was going on in the Duke's box.} 1.
e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 {This is a weak move already.--Fischer} (3... exd4 4.
Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 6. Bc4 O-O 7. Bf4 Nbd7 8. O-O Ne5 9. Bb3 Bd7) (3... Nd7 4.
dxe5 Nxe5 5. Nxe5 dxe5 6. Qxd8+ Kxd8 7. Be3 Nf6) 4. dxe5 Bxf3 (4... Nc6 5. exd6
Bxd6 6. Be2 Qd7 7. O-O O-O-O) (4... Nd7 5. exd6 Bxd6) (4... a6 5. exd6 Bxd6) 5.
Qxf3 dxe5 6. Bc4 Nf6 (6... Qf6 7. Qh3 Nc6 8. Nc3 Bd6) (6... Qd7 7. O-O Nf6) (
6... Qe7 7. Bg5 Nf6) 7. Qb3 Qe7 (7... Nxe4 8. Bxf7+ Ke7 9. Qe6#) 8. Nc3 (8.
Bxf7+ Qxf7 9. Qxb7 Bc5 10. Qc8+ (10. Qxa8 O-O 11. O-O Nbd7 12. Qb7 Ng4 13. Qb3
Nxf2 14. Qxf7+ Rxf7 15. g3 Nxe4+ 16. Kg2) 10... Ke7 11. Qxh8) (8. Qxb7 Qb4+ 9.
Qxb4 Bxb4+) 8... c6 (8... Qb4 9. Bxf7+) 9. Bg5 {Black is in what's like a
zugzwang position here. He can't develop the [Queen's] knight because the pawn
is hanging, the bishop is blocked because of the Queen.--Fischer} b5 (9... Qc7
10. O-O-O b5 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Nd5 Bh6+ 13. Kb1 cxd5 14. Bxb5+ Kf8 15. Qxd5 a6
16. Qxa8 axb5 17. Rd3) 10. Nxb5 (10. Bxf6 bxc4 11. Bxe7 cxb3 12. Bxf8 Rxf8 13.
axb3) (10. Be2 Nbd7 11. a3 Nc5 12. Qa2 Qe6 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Qb1 f5) 10... cxb5
(10... Qb4+ 11. Qxb4 (11. Nc3 Qxb3 12. axb3) 11... Bxb4+ 12. c3 (12. Nc3 Bxc3+
13. bxc3 Nxe4) 12... cxb5 13. Bxb5+ Nbd7 14. cxb4 Rb8 15. Bc6 Rxb4 16. Bxf6
gxf6 17. Rd1) 11. Bxb5+ Nbd7 (11... Kd8 12. O-O-O+ Kc7 13. Rd3 Qb4 14. Qxf7+
Qe7 15. Rc3+ Kb7 16. Qc4) 12. O-O-O (12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. O-O-O) (12. O-O Qb4)
12... Rd8 (12... Qb4 13. Bxf6 Qxb3 14. Bxd7#) (12... Rb8 13. Rxd7 Nxd7 14. Bxe7
) 13. Rxd7 Rxd7 14. Rd1 Qe6 15. Bxd7+ Nxd7 (15... Qxd7 16. Qb8+ Ke7 17. Qxe5+
Kd8 18. Bxf6+ gxf6 19. Qxf6+ Kc7 20. Rxd7+ Kxd7 21. Qxh8) 16. Qb8+ Nxb8 17.
Rd8# 1-0

"Norma" Opera links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT7XdUxm3bI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZrao_GX4nk

Category:

Education

Tags:

• chess
• letsplaychess.com
• chessworld.net
• morphy
• allies
• classic

[leratluci]

@MrLlk14 lol funny me too :)

[MrLlk14]

This was the first chess game I memorised

[jmwvirgil]

@8:45 What about f6?

[Pawnbandit]

Check out Talent Is Over-rated - What really separates world class performers from everyone else.- by Geoff Colvin. In that book there is heavy emphasis on chess although it is not a chess book. I think you might like it.

[Franchan10]

has there been a game where a person played all computer moves without cheating?

[imosescu]

the game's ok, but that's what I kinda play, not as much GM level, at least for the opposition of Morphy's... nevertheless, it's interesting to learn how to play against the Philidor with Bg4?. Have a nice day and keep up the good games, maybe some more from Kasparov...

[SolemnHeretic]

1 person has missed the Opera

[thechessstick]

Excellent video KC. One never tires of Morphy's games. Look like you may have a chess troll what with the dislike.

[scottie55901]

interesting that even back then, Morphy was able to find THE strongest moves! Many players overlook some of these early games, but the beauty of the games of these times were the exploiting of mistakes. I know that from a theroretical point of view, they may not be very accurate, but they are the foundation of tactical combination and mating patterns that exsist to this day. Nice "rehash" of the video! Thanks for posting

[CerroGames]

One of my favorite back-stories to any chess game. Thanks KC.