of 23. Kt. to K's 5th is the only one to win, and was overlooked by White in mentally examining the position. White now threatens to mate by 24. B. to Kt's 6th; if Black play 23. Q. to B's 3rd or Q. to B's sq., he is evidently mated in two moves; and if There was no other course open to Black, for if he had Castled or played Q. to K's 2nd, or Q. to Q's 2nd, White could in every case, have effectively replied with B. to R's 3rd. * If 25. Kt. to B's 6th (ch.) 24. K. to K's 2nd. 13. B. takes B. 14. B. to R's 3rd. 13. P. takes B. Played with Mr. Morphy's usual accuracy and judgment; taking the Pawn with Queen checking would have been decidedly inferior play, as Black would have interposed his Queen, and the advanced Queen's Pawn might afterwards have proved embarrassing. 14. Q. to Q's 2nd. A good move; preparing the way for Castling. 15. Kt. to B's 3rd. Black played correctly here; had he taken Pawn with Knight, White would have returned the compliment, and obtained a much better position. 16. Kt. takes P. 17. Q. to B's 4th. 16. Q. to K's sq. A very good move, for while it brings the Queen into a more attacking position, it at the same time defends White's Queen's Pawn, and threatens that of his adversary. 18. Q. R. to Q's sq. 19. Kt. to B's 3rd. 17. P. to Q's 7th. 18. Q. to R's 4th. Such accuracy as this move displays whilst playing blindfold, is truly marvellous; many fine players would here, we believe, have moved Kt. to Q. B's 6th, which appears threatening, and, if the Knight were captured, would prove potent enough; but Morphy no doubt foresaw Black's reply of Kt. to Kt's 5th, which would quite have turned the tables. This seems the correct move, on a cursory examination of the position, but Mr. Medley has pointed out to us that he ought rather to have played B. takes P. (ch.), and we quite concur with him in the opinion. Suppose— 23. K. to R's sq. (best). 26. K. R. to Kt's 2nd. 22. B. takes P. (ch.) 23. B. takes P. 24. R. takes Kt. 25. Q. to B's 6th (ch.) With a fine game. Black could not have played Kt. to K's 7th on his 22nd move, e.g.— 22. Kt. to K's 7th (ch.) 23. Q. takes Q. 24. Kt. takes B's P. 25. P. takes B. Winning the Knight. A diagram is given of the position, previous to this 22nd move of Black: Best, for if the Rook had been taken, White would have lost his Queen on the move. 24. P. takes Q. 25. K. to Kt's 2nd. 26. R. takes R. 27. K. to R's 3rd. 23. Q. takes Q. 27. B. to Q's sq. And the game was abandoned as a draw. BOARD No. 7.-KING'S KNIGHT'S GAMBIT. Mr. Morphy and Mr. Jones. WHITE. (Mr. M.) 1. P. to K's 4th. 3. Kt. to K. B's 3rd. BLACK. (Mr. J.) 1. P. to K's 4th. 2. P. takes P. 3. P. to K. Kt's 4th. It evidently makes very little difference to Mr. Morphy whether he plays with the board and men before him or without them. He almost invariably adopts the best move, no matter how difficult, various, or tempting may be the lines of play open to him. 16. Q. to R's 5th (ch.) 15. P. takes B. 16. K. to Q's 2nd. The interposition of the Queen would have been fatal, since White in reply would have moved P. to Q's 7th (ch.), &c. We give a diagram showing the situation of the pieces previously to White's checking on his 16th move: 7. Q. to K's 2nd. 8. Kt. takes K's P. 13. P. to Q. R's 4th. 17. P. to B's 4th. 23. P. to K. B's 4th. 6. P. to K's 5th. 7. Q. to K's 2nd. 8. Kt. takes Kt. 9. Q. to Kt's 5th (ch.) 10. Kt. takes B. 11. Q. to Kt's 3rd. 12. B. to Q's 2nd. 13. P. to Q. B's 3rd. 14. B. to Q's 3rd. 15. Q. to B's 2nd. 16. P. to B's 3rd. 17. P. to Q. B's 4th. 18. B. to K. Kt's 5th. 19. B. takes P. (ch.) 20. B. to B's 5th. 21. B. takes B. 22. K. to Q's 2nd. 23. P. to Q. Kt's 3rd. Q. R. to K's sq. is the correct move. 24. P. to K's 5th. 24. P. to B's 4th. |