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Charles Henry Stanley vs Paul Morphy
Casual game (1857), New York, NY USA
Italian Game: Classical Variation. Giuoco Pianissimo (C53)  ·  0-1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply)7.Nbd2 was played in P Jaracz vs Kiril D Georgiev, 2005 (1-0)better is 7...h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Nh5 10.Nbd2 Nxg3 11.fxg3 a6 = -0.17 (23 ply)= +0.42 (21 ply)better is 8...h6 9.Bh4 Na5 10.a4 g5 11.Bg3 a6 12.b4 Nxc4 13.Nxc4 = 0.00 (21 ply) ⩲ +0.52 (23 ply)better is 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.b4 a5 13.b5 Ne7 14.Nc4 Ng6 15.Bg3 a4 ⩲ +0.72 (24 ply)better is 11...a5 12.Nhf3 Qe7 13.Bg3 Qe8 14.Kh1 Kg8 15.Bb5 Qb8 = 0.00 (22 ply) ⩲ +0.53 (21 ply) 12...a5 13.Kh1 Kg7 14.a4 Qe8 15.Nhf3 Nd7 16.Re1 Nf6 17.Rf1 = 0.00 (23 ply) 13.h4 g4 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Nc4 Qe7 16.a4 a6 17.Qb3 Na5 ⩲ +0.87 (23 ply)= -0.10 (24 ply)better is 14.Bh2 Rg8 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Kh1 Qf8 17.a4 Qh6 18.b4 a5 = 0.00 (21 ply) ⩱ -0.62 (24 ply) 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Bg5 Rg8 20.h4 Ke8 21.Nc4 Kd7 22.a4 a6 = 0.00 (24 ply) 18...Nxe4 19.Nxe4 Rxh4 20.Nf6 Rf4 21.Bxe6 Qxf6 22.Qxf6 -+ -2.77 (28 ply) ∓ -1.55 (28 ply)better is 24.Bg3 Nc6 25.h4 Raf8 26.Rad1 Nf4+ 27.Bxf4 Rxf4 28.Kg3 ∓ -1.64 (28 ply) ∓ -2.16 (24 ply) 25.Bd2 d5 26.Rae1 dxe4 27.Rxe4 Rad8 28.d4 c5 29.Rh1 cxd4 ∓ -1.82 (23 ply)-+ -7.31 (27 ply)-+ mate-in-6 after 27.Kg1 Rh3 28.Nd4 exd4 29.a4 Rah8 30.f3 dxc3+0-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35435 more games annotated by Stockfish]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jul-02-05  Jgamazo: Morphy plays both sides of the Guioco Piano. I think he played this against his toughest opponents; Charles Henry Stanley was the first US Chess Champ.

5.d3 I prefer 5.d4 to take the initiative.

6.h3 prevents a knight getting to g4 to attack the f pawn, but 6.0-0 was better.

7.Bg5 If your not going to take the knight why play this move? 7.b4 Bb6 8.a4 a6 9.a5 Ba7 10.0-0 Carving out some queenside space was better.

8.Nbd2 White brings his knight over to the kingside for a possible attack.

8. ... Be6!? Morphy starts a plan to open the f file for his rook and Queen. if 9.Bxe6 fxe6 10.0-0 h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6.

10.Bh4 White doesn't like that plan, but he could still take the bishop and play this next.

10. ... Kh8 the plan changes, this prepares g5 and Rg8. 10. ... Qe7 was also good.

11.Nh2? This plan to get his knights on the kingside is premature and ignores Morphy's next move. Better was 11.Bb5 Ne7 forcing the knight to block the Queen. 12.Bxf6 gxf6 and forcing a pawn capture to keep the f file closed and keeps the queen out of the kingside.

11. ... g5 How did White miss this?12.Bg3 Forced

12. ... h5 going after the bishop, but 12. ... Qd7 attacking the h pawn might be better.

13.Nhf3 forced or lose a bishop. This is why 11.Nh2 was bad.

13. ... h4 leaves the g pawn hanging. 13. ... g4 is slightly better.

14.Nxh4? Better is 14.Bh2 or why play 13.Nhf3 the move before.

15. ... Kg7 plan change again, 15. ... Rg8 is good too.

16.Qf3 heading to g3 to attack the black king.

16. ... Rh8 more pressure on the h pawn.

18.Qg5 threatens to take the knight and queen but... 18. ... Nd7 evens the trade.

20.Qxd8+ Also good was 20.Nf3, but black is still in command.

23.Kg2 objectively best, but black is still better, so why not try 23.Bxd8 Rxd8 24.a4 complicating. From now on White can not improve his game unless Black blunders.

24.Bg5? or 24.Bg3 Nc6 25.h4 Raf8 26.Ng5 Rf6.

25.h4 or 25.Bd2 d5 26.rae1 Rad8 27.d4 exd4 28.cxd4 e5 29.dxe5 dxe4 30.Rxe6 Nfxe5.

26.hxg5 or 26.Nxg5 Rxh4 27.Nxe6+ Kf6 28.f4 exf4 29.Nd4 Rxg4+ 30.Kf2 Ne5 31.Rad1 Bxd4+.

27.Kg3 Why not resign? No help was 27.Kg1 Rh3 28.Rfd1 Rah8 29.Kf1 Rxf3 30.Ke1 Rxf2 31.d4 Re2+ 32.Kf1 Rh1#


Nov-08-10  prithviraj: Charles Henry Stanley was playing like viswanathan anand
May-22-12  wordfunph: ...and Paul Morphy playing like Boris Gelfand.
Dec-12-12  PhilFeeley: the complete quote from this year's Holiday Present Hunt:

"Who that was present that evening does not remember Paul Morphy's first appearance at the New York Chess Club? The secretary, Mr. Frederick Perrin, valorously offered to be his first antagonist, and presented about the same resistance as a musquito to an avalanche. Then who should enter the room but the warrior Stanley, tomahawk in one hand and the scalps of Schulten and Rousseau in the other. Loud cries were made for "Stanley! Stanley!" and Mr. Perrin resigned his seat to the new comer, in deference to so general a request. Thus commenced a contest, or rather a succession of contests, in which Mr. Stanley was indeed astonished. "Mate" followed upon "mate," until he arose from his chair in bewildered defeat."

I guess they didn't record all the games.

Sep-08-18  jabinjikanza: Super morphy
Sep-09-18  Dr Winston OBoogie: Super Morphy indeed! Like a boa constructor he just crushed people slowly, I saw the losing move but I thought white looked good up until here


click for larger view

I was wrong because black was 2 points up according to the engine.

May as well just tip your king instead of deliberately playing kg3 here


click for larger view

Sep-18-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper> of November 14th 1857, probably the game's first publication, has the move order <3...Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d6>, not <3...Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6>, as here.

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