Paul Morphy vs Duke Karl / Count Isouard (1858) A Night at the Opera

Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players ·

Kibitzing

Paul Morphy vs Duke Karl / Count Isouard
"A Night at the Opera" (game of the day Dec-02-2007)
Paris (1858), Paris FRA
Philidor Defense: General (C41) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Given 470 times; par: 33 [what's this?]

explore this opening	find similar games	455 more games of Morphy
sac: 10.Nxb5	PGN: download \| view \| print	Help: general \| java-troubleshooting

TIP: You can get computer analysis by clicking the "ENGINE" button below the game.

For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.

PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE OF THIS GAME IS AVAILABLE. [CLICK HERE]

< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 30 OF 30 · Later Kibitzing>
Feb-02-23		Joshka: Would 6...Bb4+ offer any better resistance?

Feb-02-23		beatgiant: <Joshka> 6...Bb4+ 7. c3, attacking the bishop and still threatening Qxf7#, so Black loses a piece.

Feb-05-23		generror: It has often been said that Morphy's opponent made it relatively easy for him to shine, and I do agree -- he was on another level than even the best. This Duke and this Count, however, make it really easy. It's a nice little miniature where everything goes Morphy's way. Just get out your pieces and your opponent is doing the rest. It looks effortless because it is effortless. But I guess that's what makes it so beautiful and elegant. Or to answer <Joshka>: Everything would offer any resistance :)

Feb-05-23		generror: <Granny O Doul>, chess.com's engine-produced game report isn't very smart. This is far from being a "close game", White has a won position (defined by me as being evaluated as equivalent to a piece up, i.e. +3, or more) from <6...Nf6?!> on, after <10...cxb5?>, he's up two pieces, and after <13...Rxd7?!>, up a queen. This is one of the un-closest games I've seen.

May-21-23		LIFE Master AJ: I looked ... on about page 5 is a link that I gave for my analysis. (It no longer works.) It is from like 2005 and my pages on GeoCities were closed over 10 years ago. Here is my analysis of this game: http://www.ajschess.com/lifemastera....

May-22-23		stone free or die: <<AJ> I looked ... on about page 5 is a link that I gave for my analysis. (It no longer works.)> You can still find it on the Wayback: https://web.archive.org/web/2001103... <It is from like 2005 and my pages on GeoCities were closed over 10 years ago.> The wayback version is from Oct. 2001.

Jun-06-23		Joshka: How about 7...Qd4!?? can this save black??

Jun-06-23		Diademas: 8.Qxb7 with the rook on a8 next to go.

Jun-06-23		Troller: <Diademas> Then 8..Qxc4 9.Qxa8 Bb4+ is probably good enough if a bit messy. 8..Qxe4+ 9.Qxe4 Nxe4 10.Bd5 is very clear. I am pretty sure that Morphy would have gone 7..Qd4 8.Be3 though, e.g. 8..Qxe4 9.Nc3 is in the style of the game and must be winning.

Jul-01-23		DouglasGomes: What is the "artist's way" after 9.. Na6 ?

Aug-05-23		MaczynskiPratten: <generror>; It's only really easy with hindsight. Black throughout is playing sensible-looking moves, not gross errors. But Morphy exploits them neatly, keeping the pressure on throughout. It's hard to see any better alternative to Black's moves after 3..Bg4, without an engine at any rate. That's why this game is so instructive. Certainly agree with you that the chess.com game report is naive and crass; White has an edge from move 3 and gradually exploits it. Presumably their so-called "blunder" is b5, but only because of the sacrifice, and how else does Black develop?

Aug-06-23		MaczynskiPratten: Or maybe one should say that there are better alternatives to several of Black's moves, but they look plausible at the time unless you look 2-3 moves ahead. Maybe one wonders how hard the pair were concentrating on the game (see the Duke's good game in a comment above), just as Kieseritsky was a much better player than "The Immortal" would suggest as it was an offhand game. Several of Morphy's moves seem to have taken them by surprise; 4 exd5, 7 Qb3, 8 Nc3, 10 Nxb5, and of course 16 Qb8+. But his play throughout is simply so dynamic and logical, exploiting and extending his advantage.

Aug-06-23		MaczynskiPratten: <DouglasGomes>; Must admit I can't see an artistic alternative to Bxa6, settling for wrecking Black's pawn structure, otherwise Nc5 looks useful for Black. The c6 pawn does a useful job in preventing Nd5.

Oct-09-23		rmdalodado: Chessbase.com gives the date of this game as November 2, 1858. Is the actual date of this game not yet really fully established as it is still dateless in this game info?

Oct-09-23		MissScarlett: See C.N. 6582.

Oct-18-23		Troller: <Jul-01-23 DouglasGomes: What is the "artist's way" after 9.. Na6 ?> I am thinking 10.Nd5 but the engine gives the line 10..exd5 11.Bb5+ Kd8 12.Bxa6 bxa6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qxd5+ Kc7 and now of course 15.Qxa8 Bb4+ does not work. So instead 15.0-0-0 Qc6 16.Qxf7+ Kb6 17.Qb3+ and a draw. 10.Bxa6 bxa6 11.0-0-0 should be winning of course but not very artistic...

Mar-07-24		Schwartz: We didn't like 2...d6 as d4 then is powerful. Elephant gambit loses a pawn with prepared play and 2...c6 is difficult to follow, for example 3...f5 is better in a Ruy Lopez. Any of the Nimzowitsch with ...Nf6 [ 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. d5 Ne7 4. Nf3 Nf6 ] French, Tiger Modern and Sicilian are more solid than double King's pawn. 3...Bg4 was interesting, limiting pressure to e-pawn whereupon Count Isourd prepared Nf6 queen trade/displacement, with pressure of f7/b7 to Morphy's direct play. An interesting remaneuver to the King's side is 9. Bg5 Qc7 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. a4 Bg7/Bh6 12. Ra3 Na6 13. Ne2 Nc5 14. Qh3 Ne6 click for larger view I would play this interesting defense. After Morphy's Knight sacrifice Duke Karl didn't have time to reposition around his e6 square.

Jun-11-24		Joshka: Would 7...Be7 hold white off a bit? I have an online opponent who plays this against me in this line, I still beat him due to other blunders he makes, but I lose my Bishop, so I probably should be losing in this line? any thoughts?

Jun-11-24		keypusher: <Joshka: Would 7...Be7 hold white off a bit? I have an online opponent who plays this against me in this line, I still beat him due to other blunders he makes, but I lose my Bishop, so I probably should be losing in this line? any thoughts?> Just 8.Bxf7+ Kf8 9.Qxb7. Though black will probably last longer than the Duke and the Count.

Sep-26-24		SonOfPetrosian: My favourite game. Morphy was genius and #1.

Nov-26-24		LIFE Master AJ: To recommend 9...Na6? as better than 9...b5!? Is a joke. 9....b5 might be thevonly chance. If White tamely retreats ... Black gets a decent game.

Mar-19-25		FM David H. Levin: Shouldn't this be labeled "casual game" or similar?

Mar-19-25		FM David H. Levin: <<Schwartz>: [...snip...] An interesting remaneuver to the King's side is 9. Bg5 Qc7 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. a4 Bg7/Bh6 12. Ra3 Na6 13. Ne2 Nc5 14. Qh3 Ne6> Did you intend a different sequence. 15. Bxe6 seems to win a pawn without compensation.

Mar-19-25		gezafan: This may be the most famous game of all time!

Mar-19-25		FM David H. Levin: <Troller: <Jul-01-23 DouglasGomes: What is the "artist's way" after 9.. Na6 ?> [...snip...] 10.Bxa6 bxa6 11.0-0-0 should be winning of course but not very artistic...> After 9...Na6 10.Bxa6 bxa6 11.O-O-O, 11...Qb4 relieves some of the pressure. Although Black would nonetheless be saddled with four pawn islands after an upcoming Bxf6 gxf6, retaining the queens might give White more opportunity to exploit Black's broken pawns. This suggests [9...Na6 10.Bxa6 bxa6] 11.Qa4 Qb7 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nd5 click for larger view 13...Bg7 14.O-O-O <If now 14...O-O, then 15.Qxc6 would win a pawn.> 14...Rc8 15.Kb1, preparing Nd5-e3-f5 without allowing a pin by ...Bh6.

Jump to page # (enter # from 1 to 30)
search thread:
< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 30 OF 30 · Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
Nothing in violation of United States law.
No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
No trolling.
The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.

NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.