BOOK VII. MISCELLANEOUS GAMES. THE six games following are among the most remarkable parties on record. They were played between Mr. Morphy and Mr. J. Thomson, of New York, the former giving the large odds of the Queen's Knight, although Mr. Thompson is actually one of the best players in America. Knowing, as we do, what Mr. Thomson's Chess force is, we have no hesitation in stating that Mr. Morphy's winning a match of that gentleman, in the ratio of 5 to 3, at the odds of the Knight, constitutes the most surprising of all the achievements of the American champion, and is undoubtedly one of the greatest feats of Chess skill ever performed. Indeed, that Mr. Morphy had harder work in this match than in any previous one, is evident from the score above-mentioned, in which the balance in favour of the victor is in a far smaller proportion than in any other of Mr. Morphy's victories. It only remains for us to add that students in Chess will find these arduous contests peculiarly instructive, and that we are indebted for them, and for the notes, mostly to the American "Chess Monthly." Of these six rich morsels of Chess strategy, some came off in the match above alluded to, and others took place after the set trial in question was over. This, otherwise exceptionable move, we believe to be the best reply to 1. P. to Q. B's 4th, or 1. P. to K's 3rd, when giving the odds of the Kt. or R. 3. Kt. to K. B's 3rd. 4. P. to Q. B's 3rd. 5. P. to K's 5th. 2. P. to K's 3rd. 3. Kt. to Q. B's 3rd. 4. P. to Q's 4th. 5. P. to Q's 5th. A very good move, preventing the advance of P. to Q's 4th, and oonsequently impeding the development 6. B. to Q. Kt's 5th. 7. Q. to K's 2nd. 8. B. to Q's 3rd. 9. P. to Q. Kt's 3rd. 10. P. to B's 5th. 11. Kt. takes Kt. 12. Q. to K. R's 5th (ch.) 13. P. takes Q's P. 14. Q. to K's 2nd. 15. Castles (K. R.) of White's game. 6. B. to Q's 2nd. 7. Q. to Kt's 3rd. 8. P. to B's 3rd. 9. B. to K's 2nd. 10. Kt. takes P. 11. P. takes Kt. 12. K. to Q's sq. 13. Kt. to K. B's 3rd. 14. K. P. takes Q's P. 15. P. to K's 4th. Well conceived; whether White take or not, Black obtains a fine situation. In fact, the whole of this game is played with great skill and care by Mr. Thompson. Black clearly understands the mode in which such a contest as this should be conducted, where every exchange strengthens his own game and weakens his adversary's. 19. Q. to K. R's 3rd. 20. Q. takes B. 21. P. to Q. Kt's 4th. 22. Q. takes B's P. 23. K. to R's sq. 24. P. to Kt's 3rd. 25. Q. to Q's 5th. 26. Q. takes Q. (ch.) 27. B. to Q. Kt's 2nd. 28. B. takes B. 29. Q. R. to K's sq. 30. K. to Kt's 2nd. 31. R. takes R. 32. P. to K. R's 3rd. 33. R. to K's 3rd. 34. K. to B's 3rd. 19. B. takes B. 20. K. to Q's 2nd. 21. P. to Q. B's 5th. 22. P. to Q's 6th (dis. ch.) 25. Q. to Q. B's 3rd. 29. Kt. to B's 7th (ch.) 34. Kt. to Q's 4th. Very well played; if White capture the P. with R., Black takes the Q. Kt's P. with Kt., at once compelling an exchange of Rooks. The whole of this end-game is excellently managed by Black. 35. R. to K's 4th. 36. R. to K. R's 4th. 37. K. to K's 3rd. 38. R. takes P. 39. K. to B's 2nd. 40. R. takes P. (ch.) 41. R. to Kt's 6th. 42. K. to K's 3rd. 43. K. to Q's 2nd. 44. P. to K. Kt's 4th. 45. P. to K. Kt's 5th. 46. K. to K's 3rd. 35. Kt. to B's 6th. 36. Kt. to Q. Kt's 8th. 37. Kt. to R's 6th. 38. Kt. to B's 5th (ch.) 39. Kt. takes P. 40. K. to B's 3rd. 41. Kt. to K's 5th (ch.) 42. Kt. to K. B's 3rd. 43. K. to Kt's 4th. 44. K. to B's 5th. 45. Kt. to K's 5th (ch) 46. R. to Q's 2nd. And Black wins. GAME II.-IRREGULAR OPENING. Between the same players. [Remove White's Q's Kt.] WHITE. (Mr. M.) BLACK. (Mr. T. 1. P. to K. B's 4th. The receiver of the odds having declared his intention, from the commencement of the match, to persist throughout in playing either the Sicilian or the French Opening, White, in order to throw him upon his own resources, resorts to the move in the text. Well played, with the object of shutting off the adverse Q's B. 11. B. to Kt's 2nd. 12. K. R. to K's 13. P. to B's 4th. sq. 11. Q. to B's 2nd. This Pawn is advanced both in order to prevent Kt. to Kt's 4th, followed by Kt. to B's 6th on the part of the adversary, and to tempt Black to open, by P. to Q. Kt's 4th, a premature attack on the Queen's side; an attack which White foresees he will be able directly to turn against his opponent. 14. K. to Kt's sq. 13. P. to Q. Kt's 4th. 17. K. Kt. to R's 2nd. 19. K. to Q's 2nd. An examination of the position will satisfy the reader that this was Black's only move. It is quite clear that had he captured the B. with Kt., White would have won immediately by 21. Q. to K. Kt's 7th (ch.), &c. 21. R. takes Kt. 22. R. takes Kt. 23. P. to B's 5th. 24. P. takes P. (ch.) 25. B. takes P. 26. Q. to B's 2nd. 21. Kt. takes R. 22. B. to R's 6th. 24. P. takes P. 25. Q. to R's 7th. This play, evidently unforseen by the opponent, not only frustrates Black's design, but is, at the same time, a strong attacking move. 26. Q. to Kt's sq. It is plain that he could not have captured the Rook without loss of his Queen, but 26. B. to Q's 3rd strikes us as greatly preferable to the move actually played. We again commend the position to the careful examination of the student. 27. Q. to Q's 4th (ch.) 27. B. to Q's 3rd. 27. K. to K's 2nd would have prolonged the contest, but in that case White would equally have won by 28. B. to K's 5th. |