video

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Meyer

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Morpy vs Ayers

Sunday, April 8, 2012

[Event "Mobile"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1855.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Morphy"]
[Black "Ayers"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "51"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 d6 7.Qb3
{7.dxe5 dxe 5 8.Qxd8+ Nxd8 9.Nxe5 Be6 Black has returned the pawn but enjoys a comfortable game.}
Qe7
{The wrong square for the queen, though it seems logical. The e7-square is needed for a knight. 7...Qd7 8.dxe5 Bb6 9.e6 fxe6 10.Ng5 Na5 11. Bxe6 Nxb3 12.Bxd7+ Bxd7 13.axb3 Nf6}
8.d5 Nd4
{This looks like a clever move, since the knight cannot be captured by the pawn because of the pin. But now the game gets quite exciting as Morphy lets his king get chased around the board.}
9.Bb5+ c6 10.Nxd4 exd4
{10...cxb5 11.Qxb5+ Bd7 12.Qxa5 exd4 13. O-O Qxe4 14.c4 Ne7 15.Re1 Qg6 16.Qc7 b6 17.Ba3}
11.dxc6 Qxe4+ 12.Kd1 Bg4+ 13.f3 Bxf3+ 14.gxf3 Qxf3+ 15.Kc2 Qe4+
{Black does not have time to capture the rook because of the discovered check. 15...Qxh1 16.cxb7+ Kf8 17. bxa8Q+ Qxa8 18.Ba3 White has an extra piece.}
16.Kb2 Bxc3+ 17.Nxc3 dxc3+ 18.Qxc3 O-O-O
{Black seems to have castled to safety and has a pile of extra pawns. But Morphy will use the open files to attack.}
19.Re1 Qd5 20.cxb7+ Kxb7
{20...Kb8 The king would have been safer using the White pawn as a shield.}
21.Rb1
{A brilliant quiet move. White sets up future threats on the open b-file.}
Nf6
{Now White unleashes a tremendous combination involving the open file and a discovered check.}
22.Bc6+ Qxc6 23.Ka1+ Kc7 24.Qa5+ Kc8 25.Qxa7
{Now the open c-file will bring the game to a rapid close.}
Nd7 26.Bd2 1-0

Anderssen vs Dufresne

[Event "Berlin"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1852.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anderssen"]
[Black "Dufresne"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "47"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4
{White is playing the Evans Gambit. Sacrificing a pawn, White wins time for the realization of the moves c3 and d4 and also obtains the lead in development.}
Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O d3
{7...Nge7 Aiming for rapid development and preparing counterplay in the center is a better way to play.}
8.Qb3 Qf6 9.e5 Qg6 10.Re1 Nge7 11.Ba3
{Black's main problem in this position is his backward development on the queenside.}
b5
{Black gives back one of the pawns with the hope of getting his queenside pieces into the game.}
12.Qxb5 Rb8 13.Qa4 Bb6 14.Nbd2 Bb7
{Although Black has developed his queenside pieces the most important piece is still in the center. In our collection of games you will find many examples of punishment being meted out when the king remains too long in the center.}
15.Ne4 Qf5 16.Bxd3 Qh5 17.Nf6+
{With Black's king stuck in the center White sacrifices the knight to open up the e-file.}
gxf6 18.exf6 Rg8 19.Rad1
{This leads to one of the most beautiful combination ever played. However, 19. Be4 was also very strong.}
Qxf3
{It would appear that White overlooked that his g-pawn is pinned. However, this is not the case.}
20.Rxe7+ Nxe7 21.Qxd7+
{Very beautiful! First White sacked the rook and now the queen. The idea is to bring the Black king into a double check on the d-file.}
Kxd7
{21...Kf8 22.Bxe7+ Mate.}
22.Bf5+ Ke8
{22...Kc6 allows mate in one.}
23.Bd7+ Kf8 24.Bxe7#
{Indeed a very pretty way to end the game. After playing through this game you can easily see why it's a classic that has earned the nickname "The Evergreen Game".}
1-0

Anderssen vs Kieseritzky

[Event "London"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1851.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anderssen"]
[Black "Kieseritzky"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "45"]

1.e4
{Known as the "Immortal Game" this magnificent example of Adolf Anderssen's combinative powers is still considered one of the best games of all time.}
e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Qh4+ 4.Kf1 b5
{The Bryan Counter-Gam bit where Black wishes to draw the bishop away from the a2-g8 diagonal.}
5.Bxb5 Nf6 6.Nf3 Qh6
{The Black queen proves to be out of play here. Better was 6...Qh5.}
7.d3 Nh5
{7...g5 was a more natural way to defend the f-pawn.}
8.Nh4
{8.Kg1 would stop Black's threat of Ng3+ winning the exchange. However, White would now drop a piece instead.}
Qg5 9.Nf5 c6
{9...g6 10.h4 Qf6 11.Nc3 gxf5 12.Qxh5 would give White the lead in development.}
10.g4 Nf6 11.Rg1
{This piece sacrifice pursues White's agressive policy started with 8.Nh4. The important d5-square will now become available.}
cxb5 12.h4 Qg6
{The queen is a useless bystander now.}
13.h5 Qg5 14.Qf3
{Threatens to trap the Black queen with 15.Bxf4.}
Ng8
{So Black is forced to retreat to the home square.}
15.Bxf4 Qf6 16.Nc3
{Although White has only two pawns for a piece he has a winning position due to his large lead in development. Black's pieces, with the exception of the queen and the b-pawn, are all on their original squares.}
Bc5 17.Nd5
{This introduces a double rook sacrifice, where White will give up both of his rooks, even though he is already a piece down.}
Qxb2 18.Bd6
{Thus begins the "Immortal Sacrifice".}
Qxa1+
{18...Bxd6 19.Nxd6+ Kd8 20.Nxf7+ Ke8 when White would have a forced mate in two.}
19.Ke2 Bxg1
{The best defense, as noted by Steinitz, was 19...Qb2, but fortunately for posterity Kieseritzky didn't figure that out. 19...Qxg1 would again allow White a forced mate.}
20.e5
{By blocking the queen off the protection of his g-pawn. White is threatening to mate in two with 21.Nxg7+ Kd8 22.Bc7 mate.}
Na6
{Black covers the c7 square from White's dark squared bishop. However, just when you think Black might defend, Anderssen explodes the position with yet another brilliant line.}
21.Nxg7+ Kd8 22.Qf6+
{By sacrificing the queen White has mate next move.}
Nxf6
{The only move.}
23.Be7#
{A forced mate by three minor pieces while Black still has most of his pieces on the board. Truly a magnificent game...The Immortal Game.}
1-0

McConnell vs Morphy

[Event "New Orleans"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1850.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "McConnell"]
[Black "Morphy"]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "28"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5
{The French Defense has the reputation of giving Black a solid yet cramped game. Morphy favored open positions so it comes as no surprise that this is the only example of his defending the French Defense.}
3.e5
{The Advance Variation of the French Defense. White's idea is to play against Black's light squared bishop which is locked out of the game by his own pawns.}
c5
{Black follows the general rule that one should attack a pawn chain at it's base.}
4.c3
{The strengthening of White's pawn chain is the logical response to Black's last move.}
Nc6 5.f4
{This move is a mistake as White does not need to broaden his pawn chain especially at the expense of his development. Better was 5.Nf3. 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Be2 Bd7 7.a3 c4}
Qb6 6.Nf3 Bd7 7.a3
{Although in a closed position one doesn't have to develop as quickly as in an open position. White has crossed the line in only developing one piece in position moves. 7.Bd3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 We see the importance of Black's 6...Bd7, otherwise White would have a discovered check with}
Nh6 8.b4 cxd4 9.cxd4 Rc8
{Black stands much better due to his large lead in development.}
10.Bb2 Nf5 11.Qd3 Bxb4+
{This sacrifice is made possible because of Black's lead in development.}
12.axb4 Nxb4 13.Qd2 Rc2
{Very pretty especially since most players would jump at the chance to win White's rook by 13...Nc2+.}
14.Qd1 Ne3
{White resigned because his queen has been trapped.}
0-1

Morphy vs Morphy E

[Event "New Orleans"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1849.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Morphy"]
[Black "Morphy,E"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "39"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 d6 5.O-O Nf6
{Black should play either 5...Bb6 or 5...Qe7, since now his own e-pawn is weak.}
6.d4 exd4
{Now Black suffers from a nasty cramp. 6...Bb6 was a better, but still unhappy line.}
7.cxd4 Bb6 8.h3
{Keeping Black cramped. Now 8... Nxe4 is dangerous after 9 d5 or 9 Re1 d5 10 Bxd5 Qxd5 11 Nc3.}
h6
{Black fears 8...O-O, but now he's dangerously behind in development.}
9.Nc3 O-O 10.Be3 Re8
{Weakening f7, though it shouldn't be terminal.}
11.d5 Bxe3
{But this is a serious mistake. White can now open the a2-g8 diagonal and the tactics will be awful for Black.}
12.dxc6 Bb6 13.e5
{White encourages Black to give up pawn control of e5 so he can later use his knight against f7. Black doesn't want to move his knight, since White will have threats like Qd5, hitting both f7 and b7, but that was the best chance.}
dxe5 14.Qb3 Re7 15.Bxf7+ Rxf7
{Black now loses because of the pin on the rook, but he probably didn't like the idea of moving the king because of 16 Nh4.}
16.Nxe5 Qe8 17.cxb7
{Now Black has no chance of breaking the pin on his rook.}
Bxb7 18.Rae1 Ba6 19.Ng6 Qd8 20.Re7 1-0

Bruehl vs Philidor

[Event "London"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1783.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Count Bruehl"]
[Black "Philidor"]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "104"]

1.e4
{The interesting part of this game begins at move 40.}
e5 2.Bc4 c6 3.Qe2 d6 4.c3 f5 5.d3 Nf6 6.exf5 Bxf5 7.d4 e4 8.Bg5 d5 9.Bb3
Bd6 10.Nd2 Nbd7 11.h3 h6 12.Be3 Qe7 13.f4 h5 14.c4 a6 15.cxd5 cxd5 16.Qf2
O-O 17.Ne2 b5 18.O-O Nb6 19.Ng3 g6 20.Rac1 Nc4 21.Nxf5 gxf5 22.Qg3+ Qg7
23.Qxg7+ Kxg7 24.Bxc4 bxc4 25.g3 Rab8 26.b3 Ba3 27.Rc2 cxb3 28.axb3 Rbc8
29.Rxc8 Rxc8 30.Ra1 Bb4 31.Rxa6 Rc3 32.Kf2 Rd3 33.Ra2 Bxd2 34.Rxd2 Rxb3
35.Rc2 h4 36.Rc7+ Kg6 37.gxh4 Nh5 38.Rd7 Nxf4 39.Bxf4 Rf3+ 40.Kg2 Rxf4
41.Rxd5 Rf3
{This is an example of a rook and pawn endgame, also just called a rook endgame . Even though White has more pawns, they are scattered and isolated. The doubled pawns are particularly weak, so Black actually has the advantage.}
42.Rd8 Rd3 43.d5 f4 44.d6 Rd2+ 45.Kf1 Kf7
{White's pawn has advanced down the board, but the Black king takes an active role in the defense.}
46.h5 e3 47.h6 f3
{Now Black has established mating net. The threat is Rd1 mate. White actually resigned, because the only escape from mate is to move the king away from the pawns, but then Black gets a queen:}
48.Kg1 Rg2+ 49.Kf1
{49.Kh1 e2}
e2+ 50.Ke1 Rg1+ 51.Kd2 Rd1+ 52.Kc2 e1=Q 0-1