Paul Morphy · Paris, 1858 · 1–0
Follow Morphy's 17-move win against the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard. Watch how he brings his pieces into the attack, opens lines, and sacrifices material to reach the king.
Step through with Next and Prev, or select a move from the score. Notes explain the key positions.
Starting position Loading chess game
[Event "A Night at the Opera"]
[Site "Paris FRA"]
[Date "1858.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Paul Morphy"]
[Black "Duke Karl / Count Isouard"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe5
6. Bc4 Nf6 7. Qb3 Qe7 8. Nc3 c6 9. Bg5 b5 10. Nxb5 cxb5
11. Bxb5+ Nbd7 12. O-O-O Rd8 13. Rxd7 Rxd7 14. Rd1 Qe6
15. Bxd7+ Nxd7 16. Qb8+ Nxb8 17. Rd8# 1-0
Bring the pieces into play
Watch White's pieces enter the game while Black's king stays in the center.
Morphy turns that lead in development into a direct attack.
4. dxe5
White captures on e5, clearing the d-file of White's pawn. After Black
exchanges the bishop for the knight on f3, White recaptures with the queen.
7. Qb3
The queen attacks b7 and f7. Black replies with
Qe7, placing the queen
in front of the bishop on f8.
10. Nxb5
Morphy sacrifices a knight to open a line toward the king. After
cxb5,
the bishop takes on b5 with check, forcing Black to respond.
12. O-O-O
Castling brings the king to safety and the rook to d1. The rook now
attacks down the open d-file.
15. Bxd7+
The bishop captures the rook with check. After
Nxd7, Morphy offers
his queen on b8 to draw the knight away from d8.
17. Rd8#
The rook delivers checkmate on d8, protected by the bishop on g5.
Those two pieces finish the attack after the queen sacrifice.
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