This, though it threatens mate in a few moves, loses time, as the King is obliged to retreat again after Black's reply. P. to B's 6th. instead, is the correct play.

And Black resigned.

1

BOOK IV.

SIMULTANEOUS GAMES

On one occasion, during Mr. Morphy's stay in London, he undertook, at the request of Mr. Löwenthal, to put his Chess powers to the singular and trying test of playing five games simultaneously.against five of the best players in the metropolis,—not blindfold, but having his opponents arranged at their several boards before him. This extraordinary quintuple contest took place accordingly at the St. James's Chess Club, on the evening of the 26th of April, 1859; the players chosen to contend against the American being as follows:M. A. de Rivière, Mr. Boden, Mr. Barnes, Mr. Bird, and Mr. Löwenthal.

Owing to the length of time which some of these games lasted, and the difficulty of giving full attention to every board whilst moving to and fro, there very naturally occurred, in one or two of the parties certain instances of slight inadvertence and inaccuracy on the part of the American champion, and the same may be observed here and there in the play of his antagonists. Nevertheless, on the whole, these five games are exceedingly interesting and instructive, and we can only wonder that the play of Mr. Morphy, in such disadvantageous circumstances, should exhibit so much force and precision.

The St. James's Club-room presented, on the evening of this occasion, a brilliant assemblage of almost all the principal chess-amateurs of London, and the last of the battles was not concluded until a very late hour.

R

The result of these spirited jousts was that Mr. Morphy won two of the games, against Mr. Bird and M. de Rivière; drew two more, with Mr. Boden and Mr. Löwenthal; and lost in only one instance, with Mr. Barnes.

BOARD No. 1.-Two KNIGHTS' DEFENCE.
M. de Rivière and Mr. Morphy.

WHITE. (M. de R.)

1. P. to K's 4th.

2. Kt. to K. B's 3rd.

3. B. to B's 4th.

BLACK. (Mr. M.)

1. P. to K's 4th.
2. Kt. to Q. B's 3rd.

3. Kt. to K. B's 3rd.

As Mr. Morphy much prefers attacking to defending, he chooses this mode of play in order to obtain the Cozio Counter attack.

4. Kt. to Kt's 5th.

5. P. takes P.

6. P. to Q's 3rd.

4. P. to Q's 4th.

5. Kt. to Q. R's 4th.

This move has the recommendation of being much less hazardous than the checking with K's B. and subsequently moving Q. to K. B's 3rd, as recommended in the books.

7. Kt. to K. B's 3rd..

8.. Q. to K's 2nd..

6. P. to K. R's 3rd,

7. P. to K's 5th.

8. Kt, takes B.

Analysis has convinced us that this move, at the present juncture, only strengthens White's game..

9. P. takes Kt.

10. P. to K. R's 3rd..
11. Kt. to R's 2nd.
12. Kt. to Q. B's 3rd..
13. B. to K's 3rd.

14. Q. to Q's 2nd:

9. B. to Q. B's 4th.
10. Castles.

11. Kt. to R's 2nd.
12. P. to K. B's 4th.
13. B. to Q. Kt's 5th.

Had White moved B. to Q's 4th, Black could have played P. to Q. B's 4th, and then R to K's sq., gaining time, and threatening to double the Pawns on White's Queen's side very disadvantageousl

15. P. to K. Kt's 3rd..

16. P. to R's 3rd. 17. Kt. to K's 2nd.

14. B. to Q's 2nd.

15.. Q. to K's 2nd.

16. B. to Q's 3rd.

17. P. to Q, Kt's 4th..

18. P. takes P.

19. Kt. to Q's 4th.

20. Kt. to K's 6th.

21. Q. to Q's 4th.

18. B. takes P.

19. B. to Q. B's 5th.
20. K. R. to K's sq.

21. B. to Q. R's 3rd.

Had Black captured Q's P. with B., White would have taken K. Kt's P. with Kt., maintaining his Pawn and having a better game.

22. P. to Q. B's 4th.

22. P. to B's 4th.

Playing this Pawn one square appears to present some advantages; but the consequences of White's immediately advancing his P. to Q. B's 5th were so various and complex, that we do not wonder at Black's preferring a less perplexed line of play.

23. Q. to B's 3rd.

sq

24. Kt. to B's 4th.
25. R. to Q. Kt's
26. Kt. to K's 2nd.
27. P. to K. R's 4th.
28. P. takes P.
29. Q. to Q. B's sq.
30. B. takes Kt's P..

23. B. to Q. B's sq.

24. R. to Q. Kt's sq.

25. P. to Kt's 4th.
26. Kt. to B's sq.

27. Kt. to Kt's 3rd.
28. P. takes P.
29. Kt. to K's 4th.

Very well played, threatening, if Black capture Q. and then Kt., to take the Q. and B. in return, remaining with an attack on Black's Q's R.