- This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
The Opera Game was a famous chess game played in 1858 between the American chess master Paul Morphy and two strong amateurs, the German noble Duke Karl of Brunswick and the French aristocrat Count Isouard, who consulted, playing together as partners against Morphy.
The game is often used by chess teachers to demonstrate the importance of rapidly developing one's pieces, as well as other lessons.
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The moves
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6
This is the Philidor defence. It is a solid opening, but slightly passive, and it ignores the important d4 square.
3. d4 Bg4?
Though 3... Bg4 is considered an inferior move today, this was standard theory at the time. Now 3...exd4 or 3...Nf6 are usual. 3...f5 is a more aggressive alternative.
4. dxe5 Bxf3
If ... dxe5, then 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Nxe5 and White wins a pawn and Black has lost the ability to castle. Black, however, did have the option of 4...Nd7 5.exd6 Bxd6, when he's down a pawn, but has some compensation in the form of better development.
Black: Duke of Brunswick/Count Isouard
Opening: Philidor Defense, C41
Site/Date: Paris, France, 1858.
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5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Bc4 Nf6
This seemingly sound developing move runs into a surprising refutation. After White's next move, both f7 and b7 will be under attack. Better would have been to directly protect the f7 pawn (with the queen) instead of just blocking it from the white queen, which would have made White's next move less potent.
7. Qb3 Qe7 (diagram)
Black's only good move. White was threatening checkmate in two moves, for example 7. ... Nc6 8. Bxf7+ Ke7 9. Qe6#. 7. ... Qd7 loses the rook to 8. Qxb7 followed by 9. Qxa8. Notice that Qe7 saves the rook with this combination: 8. Qxb7 Qb4+ forcing the queen exchange saving the rook. Black is forced to move the queen to e7 which blocks the f8 bishop and more importantly impedes kingside castling.
8. Nc3
White prefers fast development to material. He declines to win a pawn with 8. Qxb7 Qb4+ (the only way to avoid loss of the rook) 9. Qxb4, or to win two with 8. Bxf7+ Kd8 (or 8. ... Qxf7 9. Qxb7 and now Black cannot avoid loss of the rook) 9. Qxb7, preferring to mass his forces for a quick checkmate and get back to the opera.
8. ... c6 9. Bg5 b5?
Though ostensibly this drives the bishop away and steals the initiative, it allows Morphy a sensational sacrifice to keep the initiative.
10. Nxb5!
Morphy chooses not to retreat the bishop, which would allow Black to gain time for development. Black's move 9. ... b5 loses but it is difficult to find anything better; for example 9 ... Na6 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Bxa6 bxa6 12.Qa4 Qb7 and Black's position is in shambles.
10. ... cxb5?
Black could have played 10...Qb4+, which would have forced Morphy to exchange queens, although White would retain a clearly won game
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11. Bxb5+ Nbd7 12. 0-0-0
The combination of the bishop's pin on the knight and the open file for the rook will lead to Black's defeat.
12. ... Rd8 (diagram) 13. Rxd7 Rxd7
Removing another defender.
14. Rd1
Compare the activity of the white pieces with the idleness of the black pieces. At this point, Black's rook is not able to be saved, since it is pinned to the king and attacked by the rook, and though the knight is defending it, it is pinned to the queen, so Morphy can gain material advantage now.
14. ... Qe6
Qe6 is a futile attempt to unpin the knight (allowing it to defend the rook) and offer a queen trade, to take some pressure out of the white attack. Even if Morphy did not play his next, crushing move, he could always have traded his bishop for the knight and then taken the rook.
15. Bxd7+ Nxd7
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If ... Qxd7, then 16. Qb8+ Ke7 17. Qxe5+ Kd8 18. Bxf6+ gxf6 19. Qxf6+ Kc8 20. Rxd7 Kxd7 21. Qxh8 and White is clearly winning. Moving the king leads to mate: 15... Ke7 16. Qb4+ Qd6 (16... Kd8 17. Qb8+ Ke7 18. Qe8#) 17. Qxe6+ Kd8 18. Qb8+ Ke7 19.Qe8# or 15... Kd8 16. Qb8+ Ke7 17. Qe8#
16. Qb8+!
Morphy finishes with a stylish queen sacrifice.
16. ... Nxb8 17. Rd8#
See also
References
- The Exploits & Triumphs in Europe of Paul Morphy the Chess Champion by Frederick Milne Edge, with a new introduction by David Lawson. Dover 1973; 203 pages. ISBN 0-486-22882-7
- Learn Chess In A Weekend by Ken Whyld, (1994) Pg. 87. ISBN 0-7513-0292-9
External links
- Watch the Opera game on a java chessboard
- The game in PGN format (see Portable Game Notation)
- Edward Winter, Morphy v the Duke and Count
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