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Alexander Meek vs Paul Morphy
1st American Chess Congress, New York (1857), New York, NY USA, rd 2, Oct-15
Scotch Game: Göring Gambit (C44)  ·  0-1

8
7
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5
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3
2
a
1
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h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
and Mr. Morphy mates in three moves.0-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
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Kibitzer's Corner
Mar-22-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  An Englishman: Good Evening: I don't know if Black is winning throughout this extremely complicated game, which features an extremely rare form of sacrifice, especially coming from Morphy--the defensive sacrifice. 16...Qxb2 drops the Exchange to blunt White's attack.

Having done that, Morphy turns his attention to the weak light squares around White' King. 19.gxh6 could have been met with another defensive sac, 19...Nf4!?; 20.h7+!?,Kh8. But 20.Qg5,g7-g6 might be an improvement; certainly I can't see Black's compensation.

So what am I overlooking?

Mar-22-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gypsy: < So what am I overlooking? > I'll be a sounding board. Here is my read of the game:

After the <7.h3>, <8.Bc4-b5>, and <9.Ng5>, Black has already gained so much time that he had to have the better hand. Over the next few moves White pressed on with his unfounded and ill coordinated attack while Black established in the center. Black would not have been in danger had he simply exchanged the bishops on c5. But giving up the X for 2P and initiative was a great move -- White overextended forces were not coordinated to defend anything. Once Black seized the initiative, White position imploded quickly.

Mar-22-05  RookFile: All you hear about is what a great
attacker Morphy was. He was also a terrific defender of open positions.
Feb-28-06  blingice: This is one of very few Morphy games that I have seen where he is up in material and wins.
Jun-08-07  t3hPolak: Impressive attack.
Apr-28-08  heuristic: This is game #3 of the second round of the American Chess Congress.

This game is a truncated duplicate of A Meek vs Morphy, 1857 with the last move missing and the wrong event/site. It does have the correct rnd! (the other game does not)

Apr-28-08  heuristic: This is game #3 of the second round of the American Chess Congress.

The game score has the wrong round number.

Another game A Meek vs Morphy, 1857 is a duplicate. (although the last move is missing)

Apr-28-08  heuristic: <19.gxh6 could have been met with another defensive sac, 19...Nf4!?>

If played one move earlier, it's not a defensive sac but a offensive assault! Instead of 18...Rxf8, 18...Nf4! 19.Qh4 Nxh3+ 20.Kh1 hxg5 21.Qg3 Qxg3 22.fxg3 Kxf8 and the game is over....

Feb-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: Also 19...Qb4 20.Bd3 Nf4 21.Qf3 Rd8 was much better than 19...Qb2, which is far less clear after 20.Rb1! Qa3 21.gxh6.
Nov-23-14  Ke2: the exchange sac looks a lot like Marache - Morphy with the 2 knights
Aug-28-16  talhal20: Morphy move 15..Qb4 was crucial as the from then on game started slipping for white.

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