The story behind the game
Morphy’s kingside pawns open lines while Lichtenhein’s pieces try to contain the pressure. A bishop check and a knight jump keep Black occupied, then the e-pawn advance clears a rook’s route. Follow the opening and closing of lines: the attack depends on coordination rather than a single sacrifice.
Take these ideas to your next game
- A pawn exchange can reveal a bishop’s diagonal.
- A knight jump can attack a useful defender.
- Clear a file before choosing a rook entry square.
- Calculate the king’s replies before trading an attacking rook.
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.
Bd4+ uses the diagonal opened by the central pawn exchange. The bishop begins on e3, and Black’s move exf4 has cleared e5. White checks before improving the knight. Track the blockers on the diagonal rather than assuming a bishop check was available one move earlier.
Nf5 brings the knight into the attack with a concrete threat. Black activates a rook on e8, and White checks from h6 next. The knight manoeuvre works together with the bishop’s diagonal. Compare Black’s captures and king moves before deciding whether to take material immediately.
Qc4 is the strongest saved candidate. Morphy played e5, exchanging the central bishops before the rook entered d7. The saved comparison prefers bringing the queen to c4 first. The historical pawn break still illustrates how lines can open, but it is not the credited answer at this position.
Rd7 creates a direct threat from the seventh rank. Black uses the queen to defend, and White brings the queen to c4 before exchanging a rook on e7. The other rook then checks along the e-file. Calculate the king’s replies before treating the first rook entry as the end of the attack.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 19: Use the opened diagonal
Which bishop move checks the king on h8? In the game: Bd4+. Bd4+ uses the diagonal opened by the central pawn exchange. The bishop begins on e3, and Black’s move exf4 has cleared e5. White checks before improving the knight. Track the blockers on the diagonal rather than assuming a bishop check was available one move earlier.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bd2 Be5 · -1.48 · depth 17
Bd4+ Kg8 O-O-O Re8 Qf3 Qd7 Bc3 a5 Qf2 Bb4 Qxf4 Bxc3 · -1.70 · depth 16
Bf2 Be5 O-O-O Re8 Qf1 Kg8 Be1 a5 Nf5 a4 · -2.31 · depth 16
Move 20: Jump toward the defender
Which knight move attacks the bishop on d6? In the game: Nf5. Nf5 brings the knight into the attack with a concrete threat. Black activates a rook on e8, and White checks from h6 next. The knight manoeuvre works together with the bishop’s diagonal. Compare Black’s captures and king moves before deciding whether to take material immediately.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nf5 Re8 Nh6+ Kf8 O-O-O Nxg5 Nxf7 Kxf7 Rxg5 Rxe4 Rf5+ gxf5 · -1.48 · depth 18
Nf3 Re8 h4 Bf8 O-O-O a5 Bc3 a4 bxa4 Rxa4 b3 Ra2 · -1.58 · depth 18
O-O-O Re8 · -1.68 · depth 18
Move 24: Bring the queen toward f7
Which queen move reaches c4 and targets the pawn on f7? In the game: e5. Qc4 is the strongest saved candidate. Morphy played e5, exchanging the central bishops before the rook entered d7. The saved comparison prefers bringing the queen to c4 first. The historical pawn break still illustrates how lines can open, but it is not the credited answer at this position.
Engine-supported alternatives
Qc4 Qe6 Qc3 Red8 Bc5 Bxc5 Qxc5+ Ke8 Qc3 f6 Qxc7 Qe7 · +1.29 · depth 19
e5 Bxe5 Bxe5 Qxe5 Rd7 Nxg5 Rxg5 Qf6 Qd2 Re7 Rd8+ Re8 · +0.00 · depth 19
h4 Qxe4 Qd2 Qc6 c4 f3 Qc3 Re2 Kb1 Ke8 Rgf1 Rd8 · -0.79 · depth 18
Move 26: Enter on the seventh rank
Which rook move reaches d7 and attacks the pawn on f7? In the game: Rd7. Rd7 creates a direct threat from the seventh rank. Black uses the queen to defend, and White brings the queen to c4 before exchanging a rook on e7. The other rook then checks along the e-file. Calculate the king’s replies before treating the first rook entry as the end of the attack.
Engine-supported alternatives
Rd7 Nxg5 Rxg5 Qf6 Qd1 Rad8 Rgd5 Rxd7 Rxd7 f3 Rxf7+ Qxf7 · +0.00 · depth 19
Qc4 Re7 Rge1 Qxe1 Rxe1 Rxe1+ Kd2 Re7 Qd4 Ke8 Qh8+ Nf8 · -2.26 · depth 19
Qg2 Rad8 · -3.23 · depth 19
Every piece has a part to play.
Morphy’s kingside pawns open lines while Lichtenhein’s pieces try to contain the pressure. A bishop check and a knight jump keep Black occupied, then the e-pawn advance clears a rook’s route. Follow the opening and closing of lines: the attack depends on coordination rather than a single sacrifice.
Look a little deeper
Play on the board or type your move. Strong engine-supported alternatives receive credit.
Future moves stay hidden until you continue.
Try a different path.
Select a key moment to explore legal continuations supported by saved Stockfish analysis.
Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 13–33. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
Download complete engine evidence