Paul Morphy

The personalities of Paul Morphy and Bobby Fischer were as different as the times they lived, but in many ways the meteoric rise of Paul Morphy in the late 1850s was eeriely similar to the world champion Bobby Fischer in the 1970s. Both were child prodigies. Both were Americans. And, both dropped out of chess early in their lives at the height of their power and success to the disappointment of their many fans.

Morphy's dominance of the game of chess was legendary. He was known to face up to 8 opponents at a time without sight of the board (blindfold chess). He crushed Lowenthal, Harrwitz, and Anderssen in a series of individual matches. If the world champion title had existed in that day, then he would have been its holder.

In this game we see the 20 year old Morphy defeat the German master Louis Paulsen to win the first American Chess Congress held in New York in 1857. It should be noted that Paulsen was a very good chess player, and is credited with having invented the Dragon Variation of the Sicilian Defense; a very popular system even to this day.

White: Paulsen, Louis/unknown
Black: Morphy, Paul/unknown
Event: First American Congress
Date: 1857.??.??
Opening: C48: Four Knights: 4 Bb5, replies other than 4...Bb4
Result: 0-1

Green move-links below show comments on the right.

Black (Morphy, Paul) Won

Download the above game in PGN format here. (For a Netscape browser running on a PC, right-click the link and Save Link As. Other browsers have similar function.)

Return to Index

Send in your best game.

[Resources] [Info] [Book Store]
[Huntsville Chess Club]