Paul Morphy's Greatest Games

There are many good chess books on Paul Morphy. I am reading through Valeri Biem's book currently and some other good books are recommended here: https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/paul-morphy

I have been creating PGNs of the games that could not find online and learning more about his life story.

One way of many ways to frame it is to divide it into three chapters of his chess life: The games of a child prodigy, his domination over other US chess masters as a young adult, and his legendary tour of Europe.

I will begin with some of his games played aged 10 to 13 years old.

Which of Morphy's games are "greatest" are of course subjective and controversial.

There are a total of 459 Morphy games in the chessgames.com database and there are 377 of those games here: https://www.chess.com/games/paul-morphy

Obviously I won't be covering them all, but if there are any important games that I have missed feel free to add them to this thread.

By the way, if you are a fan of Paul Morphy and have a premium membership, check out the lesson https://www.chess.com/lessons/play-like-paul-morphy

Morphy's childhood games

Been reading a bit of the book Paul Morphy - A Modern Perspective by GM Valeri Beim.

All of the following is partly based on that book and partly on other sources.

Paul Morphy has a fascinating life story that you can read here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-chess-champions-dominanceand-madness-4307709/ 

Part One of Biem's book covers the games that he played in the USA.

The first few games were played when he was a child (Morphy was born in 1837).

By the age of 13 he was already one of the strongest players in America, or at least in New Orleans. He traveled to New York as a young adult, aged 20.

McConnell J - Morphy P. - New Orleans, 1849 (Win in 23 moves)

King's Gambit: Falkbeer Countergambit. Charousek Gambit Morphy Defense

The two mistakes here were made in the opening, moves 6...Nf6 and 7...b5

This can be explained by his uncle Ernest Morphy: “The child had never opened a work on chess. In the openings he makes the right moves as if by inspiration, and it is astonishing to note the precision of his calculations in the middle and end game. When seated before the chessboard, his face betrays no agitation even in the most critical positions; in such cases he generally whistles an air through his teeth and patiently seeks for the combination to get him out of trouble.” 

Morphy still has a slight advantage as Black after move 7 was increases throughout the short game.

GM Biem says Morphy's opponent played this game very weakly but cites Botvinnik's The Most Important Elements of Chess Talent

• Rapidity of quick calculation
• memory
• the method of using the first two components

The above game demonstrates the first of these. Morphy is known to have had an exceptional memory. He amazed local lawyers with his photographic knowledge of the law codes of the state of Louisiana, word for word.

McConnell J - Morphy P. - New Orleans, 1850 (or 1852) (Win in 25 moves)

Italian Game: Evans Gambit Accepted. Slow Variation

https://www.chess.com/openings/Giuoco-Piano-Game-Evans-Accepted-Slow-Variation-6...Nf6-7.d4-O-O

chess.com analysis: https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/pgn/2nWGWtR3ae

Morphy vs Lowenthal

Morphy P. - Lowenthal, J. -  New Orleans (2), 05/25/1850 (Win in 49 moves)

Sicilian Defense, McDonnell Attack

https://www.chess.com/openings/Sicilian-Defense-McDonnell-Attack-2...e6-3.Nf3

chess.com analysis: https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/pgn/5e9my1vHxz

Morphy P. - Lowenthal, J. -  New Orleans (1), 05/22/1850

I loved the first game against @James McConnell =)

Thanks for this, @KevinOSh.

Gracias

At the 1st American Chess Congress 1857, one of the players who Paul Morphy defeated was James Thompson.

James Thompson was one of the strongest chess players in New York in his day. He formed the New York Chess Club in 1839.

The following is an Italian Game (Main Line Giuoco Pianissimo)

https://www.chess.com/openings/Giuoco-Piano-Game-Main-Line-Giuoco-Pianissimo-Variation

On move 11, Valeri Biem recommends White captures on b3 with the Queen.

14.Ne5! is a good move, giving White counterplay, but Thompson makes a mistake with 16.Bxf6? because it trades off his only active piece and allows Morphy to develop.

22.Rd3? is another mistake. Biem recommends playing b3 instead, and Stockfish says 22.Qc1 is even better.

Morphy had a strong preference for bishops over knights in the endgames. With 28...Re1!? he trades off the rooks and goes into the endgame with an extra pawn.

In later years when Morphy faced Thompson again, He gave Thompson knight odds against him and still won most of those games!

Morphy won the first two games against Lichtenhein, but found the third game tougher and it ended in a draw.

https://www.chess.com/openings/Queens-Gambit-Declined-Three-Knights-Semi-Tarrasch-Defense-5.e3-Nc6-6.a3

I think white could have won in this one =)

Neither player ever had much of an advantage. How could White have won the game? 

oh wait, sorry didn't see both have same number of pawns, to win it had to be extreme luck, yeah =)

cute Falkbeer:

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1075588

"His harmonius positional understanding and deep intuition would have made Morphy a dangerous opponent even for any player of our own times."

- Gary Kasparov, My Greatest Predecessors

Paul Morphy travelled to Europe in 1858.  Taken as a whole, it is this stage of his life where he played his very best chess. However it wasn't all plain sailing for Morphy.

Morphy wanted to play against the World Champion Howard Staunton, but was not permitted to do so.

He played several games against Theodore Barnes, winning most of them but losing one of them. Biem says this "was not the end of the strange and unexpected lapses in Morphy's game."

He played some offhand games against the highly regarded Samuel Boden (who remains well known for his two bishops checkmate).

In the first game Morphy lost after 41 moves. The second game ended in a draw. The third and fourth games were won by Morphy. In his book Biem concludes "Morphy's opponents succeeded in locating his weak spots, and striking at them effectively. Had it not been for Morphy's obvious superiority in the calculation of variations, the scores of both matches might have ended up roughly even."

These tougher games taught Morphy more about how to play good positional chess.

Morphy then played against G.Medley and Henry Bird. One of the games against Bird is covered in the book, where Morphy wins as Black in 29 moves.

Morphy partnered up with Barnes to play a couple of consultation matches against Staunton and Owen, winning them both.

Then Morphy played against a much improved Lowenthal, who had spent the last few years practicing against the top European chess masters.

Biems book Is great. It changed the way I looked at Morphy and his games. 10/10 would recommend.

Interesting; I may check that out.