The story behind the game
In Paris in 1858, Paul Morphy played a consultation game against the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard. In just seventeen moves, an ordinary-looking opening became an unforgettable lesson in development. Follow how open lines and active pieces make material a secondary concern.
Take these ideas to your next game
- Develop with a threat when you can; make the opponent spend time responding.
- A lead in development matters most when you open lines toward the king.
- Before sacrificing, count the pieces that can actually join the attack.
- Look for forcing checks before collecting material.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
Develop first. The pressure will still be there. Morphy plays 8.Nc3, bringing the queenside knight into the centre and adding support to e4. The queen on b3 eyes b7, but collecting a pawn would not bring another piece into the game. Compare Black’s undeveloped knight and bishop with White’s activity. A lead in development is a temporary resource: prepare to open lines before the opponent catches up.
Use your lead in activity before it disappears. The historical 10.Nxb5 offers the knight to the c6 pawn. After …cxb5, Bxb5+ brings a bishop into the attack with check. The point is not that a knight is unimportant: Black’s king is still in the centre, and opening the diagonal lets White gain time. Before committing, follow the forced checks and count which defenders can actually move.
Trade material for an open line that your remaining rook can use. After 12…Rd8, Morphy chooses 13.Rxd7. Black’s rook recaptures on d7, then the other white rook comes to d1. The attack survives the exchange because White keeps a rook on the open file and the bishops remain active. Follow the sequence rather than counting only the first capture: the piece arriving after the sacrifice is as important as the piece given up.
A forcing check can make a queen worth less than a single open square. Morphy’s 16.Qb8+ invites …Nxb8. The knight leaves d7, and 17.Rd8 is checkmate. White’s rook controls the eighth rank while the bishop on g5 covers d8’s approach through its diagonal. The general lesson is deflection: force a defender away from the square or line it must guard. The sacrifice is justified by a concrete mate, not by the beauty of the offer.
Result: 1-0. The final position is checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 8: Invite the last minor piece
Can you improve White’s development instead of chasing a pawn? In the game: Nc3. Develop first. The pressure will still be there. Morphy plays 8.Nc3, bringing the queenside knight into the centre and adding support to e4. The queen on b3 eyes b7, but collecting a pawn would not bring another piece into the game. Compare Black’s undeveloped knight and bishop with White’s activity. A lead in development is a temporary resource: prepare to open lines before the opponent catches up.
Engine-supported alternatives
Qxb7 Qb4+ Qxb4 Bxb4+ Bd2 a5 Nc3 Ke7 a3 Bc5 f3 Nbd7 · +2.56 · depth 19
Nc3 · +2.46 · depth 19
O-O c6 Rd1 b5 Be2 Qc7 a4 bxa4 Rxa4 Nbd7 Qg3 g6 · +1.50 · depth 18
Move 10: Open the position
Black has just played …b5. How can White open lines toward the king? In the game: Nxb5. Use your lead in activity before it disappears. The historical 10.Nxb5 offers the knight to the c6 pawn. After …cxb5, Bxb5+ brings a bishop into the attack with check. The point is not that a knight is unimportant: Black’s king is still in the centre, and opening the diagonal lets White gain time. Before committing, follow the forced checks and count which defenders can actually move.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nxb5 Qb4+ Qxb4 Bxb4+ c3 cxb5 Bxb5+ Ke7 cxb4 a6 Ba4 a5 · +3.10 · depth 21
Bxf6 Qxf6 Nxb5 cxb5 Bxb5+ Nc6 Qd5 Rc8 O-O-O Qe6 Rd3 Be7 · +0.98 · depth 21
Be2 Nbd7 O-O Qe6 Be3 Qxb3 axb3 a5 f3 Kd8 Na2 Bc5 · +0.34 · depth 21
Move 13: Bring both rooks into the story
How can White remove the block on the d-file and keep the attack moving? In the game: Rxd7. Trade material for an open line that your remaining rook can use. After 12…Rd8, Morphy chooses 13.Rxd7. Black’s rook recaptures on d7, then the other white rook comes to d1. The attack survives the exchange because White keeps a rook on the open file and the bishops remain active. Follow the sequence rather than counting only the first capture: the piece arriving after the sacrifice is as important as the piece given up.
Engine-supported alternatives
Rxd7 Nxd7 Bxe7 Bxe7 Bxd7+ Rxd7 Qb5 Bd6 Rd1 Ke7 Qc6 Rhd8 · +5.34 · depth 21
Rd5 h6 Bxf6 Qxf6 Rhd1 Be7 Bxd7+ Kf8 Kb1 g6 Qg3 Qb6 · +4.18 · depth 20
Rd3 Qc5 Rhd1 Be7 Bxf6 gxf6 Bxd7+ Kf8 Rf3 Rg8 g3 a6 · +3.73 · depth 20
Move 16: A final forcing idea
Find a forcing move that draws the last defender away from d8. In the game: Qb8+. A forcing check can make a queen worth less than a single open square. Morphy’s 16.Qb8+ invites …Nxb8. The knight leaves d7, and 17.Rd8 is checkmate. White’s rook controls the eighth rank while the bishop on g5 covers d8’s approach through its diagonal. The general lesson is deflection: force a defender away from the square or line it must guard. The sacrifice is justified by a concrete mate, not by the beauty of the offer.
Engine-supported alternatives
Qb8+ Nxb8 Rd8# · Mate 2 White · depth 20
Qb7 f6 Qc8+ Ke7 Be3 g6 Qc7 Ke8 Kb1 h5 Qc8+ Ke7 · +3.38 · depth 20
Qc3 f6 Qc8+ Ke7 Be3 g6 Qc7 Ke8 Bxa7 Rg8 a4 Bb4 · +3.03 · depth 19
Every piece has a part to play.
In Paris in 1858, Paul Morphy played a consultation game against the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard. In just seventeen moves, an ordinary-looking opening became an unforgettable lesson in development. Follow how open lines and active pieces make material a secondary concern.
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 14–245. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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