Staunton plays a delayed Goering Gambit (Goering at the time this game was played was 10 years old.)

von Jaenisch plays some tepid defensive moves to Staunton's probing.

I'll add a ! to what I think he should have played. He sees ghosts and defends without a hint of going for counter-play. Then he blunders badly missing Staunton's Knight sac.

9...Qc8? (9...Qd7!)

12...Nd8? (12....0-0! he will drop a pawn but he is a pawn up, the game will pan out even.)

13...a6? (his 9th move comes back torment him. 13...Qd7! get the Queen off the c-file.)

Now we come to the one bit where the Staunton and Morphy would change paths.

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Staunton played 14.Na4 with the threat of 15.Nb6. (a shot even I would blush at and look about for something better.)

Morphy I'm sure would have played 15.e5 dxe5 and then 16.Nce4.

I'm also pretty sure the Staunton of the early and mid 1840's would have played 15.e4.

He aged badly at the game possibly due to the fact he only took up the game seriously when he was 26. He was now 41. It's obvious from learning the game at such a late age his star was not going to shine for long. (though he would have told you otherwise!)

He had started to suffer his well documented heart problems and this match was played (25th August 1851) after London (1851) where his confidence had taken a severe battering.

After Staunton misplaces his Knight he tries to fan the embers of his attack with some hopeful moves looking for a mistake and a one move blunder duly appeared.

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