20. Kt. to Q's 6th. 20. Q. to Kt's 3rd. 21. Q. R. to K's sq. 21. P. to Kt's 3rd. It is seldom indeed that Mr. Morphy commits so palpable a blunder as this is. 22. Q. to R's 3rd. 22. Kt. to B's 4th. 24. R. to Q's sq. This also is an error, and gives White an opportunity of drawing the game. The correct play is Q. to K's 3rd. P. takes P. is the correct move, and by so playing the attack may be maintained. At this point P. to K. B's 4th would have been a good move. 8. P. to B's 3rd. 9. B. to Q's 5th. 10. Q's Kt. takes P. 11. Kt. to Kt's 5th. 12. P. to B's 4th. 7. B. to Kt's 5th. 8. B. to Q's 2nd. 11. B. to Q's sq. Mr. Morphy has a most happy knack of extricating himself from a difficulty, this we believe was the only move to avert the danger with which he was threatened. 13. Kt. to Q. B's 3rd. If 13. P. tɔ K's 5th, the following moves would probably have ensued : Taking the Kt's P. with Queen would only have lost time, as Black would have answered with R. to Q. B's sq. If White had then retreated the Bishop, Black by checking with Bishop, and following that move with R. to B's 2nd, would have been enabled to develope his game. 16. Q. Kt. to K's 4th. 17. K. to R's sq. 18. B. to B's 7th (ch.) 19. Kt. takes Kt. 15. P. takes P. 18. Kt. takes B. 19. Kt. to Q's 4th. Black dare not attempt to save the Rook by R. to K. B's sq., on account of Q. Kt. to Q's 6th (ch.), which would have caused the loss of the Queen. If Q. to Kt's 3rd, Black would have derived an advantage from K. R. to B's sq. 25. B. takes Kt. K. R. to Kt's sq. would have produced the desired result more speedily. We append two diagrams shewing the position here, and after Black's 30th move of B. to R's 6th : 28. Q. takes B. (ch.) 29. B. to B's 4th. 30. Kt. takes P. 31. P. takes B. 32. K. to Kt's sq. 33. R. takes Kt. WHITE. 26. K. to B's sq. 27. K. to Kt's sq. 28. K. to R's sq. 29. Q. takes B's P. 30. B. to R's 6th. 31. Q. to K's 5th (ch.) 32. Kt. takes B. 33. K. R. to Kt's sq. (ch.) And wins the game and the match. BOOK II. BLINDFOLD GAMES. BLINDFOLD GAMES AT BIRMINGHAM. THE following Games were played (without sight of the chessboard or pieces) by Mr. Morphy at Birmingham, on the 27th August, 1858, during the Anniversary Meeting of the British Chess Association in that town. On this occasion the American champion had eight opponents: Lord Lyttleton; the Rev. Mr. Salmon; Mr. J. Kipping, (Hon. Secretary to the Manchester Chess Club); Mr. Avery, (President of the Birmingham Chess Club); Mr. Carr, (Hon. Secretary to the Leamington Chess Club); Dr. Freeman, (Hon. Secretary to the Birmingham Chess Club); Mr. Rhodes, of the Leeds Club; and Mr. W. R. Wills, (Hon. Secretary of the British Chess Association). It is almost unnecessary to say that Mr. Morphy's extraordinary feat excited the wonder and admiration of the brilliant gathering at this time assembled from all parts of the kingdom; and it is also equally unnecessary to dilate upon the peculiar genius he manifested. It may here suffice to state that Mr. Morphy gained six out of the eight games; Mr. Kipping won his game; and another was drawn by Mr. Avery. BOARD No. 1.-ALLGAIER GAMBIT. Mr. Morphy and Lord Lyttleton. WHITE. (Mr. M.) 1. P. to K's 4th. 3. Kt. to K. B's 3rd. 5. Kt. to K's 5th. BLACK. (Lord L.) 1. P. to K's 4th. 2. P. takes P. 3. P. to K. Kt's 4th. 4. P. to Kt's 5th. 5. P. to Q's 3rd. A favourite defence of Kieseritzky's, but one which, according to Jaenisch, renders the maintenance of the Gambit Pawn an impossibility. This is a deviation from the ordinary line of defence, which is Q. to K. Kt's 4th, with the following usual continuation: We give a diagram, from which it will be seen how simply and expeditiously Mr. Morphy finished off the game : |