Knights at the Opera

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1233404

On one of the chess sites, I’m busy playing a tournament and this particular player sent me the above link on chessgames, to highlight a ‘better’ move for one of the moves I’ve made. When looking at the game, I realised that our game was almost this game, in particular the first few moves. I felt sort of ‘thrilled’ by the idea of playing the start of Morphy’s famous game called: ‘Night at the Opera’. The moves in blue are the first moves of our game -I played white- and you can compare it with Morphy’s game in this entry.[maybe, if I didn’t castle, I could have had move 9 with move 7 – which was Morphy’s move – he castled move 12.] I hope you like Dolannes Melody by Jean-Claude Borelly, you can listen to it at the bottom of this post.

1. e4 e 5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Bc4 f6 7. 0-0 Ne7
8. Rd1 Qc8 9. Qb3 c6

In 1858 the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard invited the American master Paul Morphy to the Paris Opera to watch The Barber of Serville, then asked their guest to play chess with them. Morphy was more interested in watching the opera, but could not courteously refuse.

Morphy played white, while Brunswick and Isouard consulted on black. He took his opponents apart in 17 moves, enabling him to watch the rest of the show without distraction, and incidentally proving that teaming two mediocre players does not double their talents.

This game is one of the best known in chess, exemplifying as it does the advantages of quick development over the pursuit of minor advantages. The game features a queen sacrifice that leads directly to mate.

The score of the game follows:

Paul Morphy vs Duke of Brunswick & Count Isouard, Paris Opera House, 1858. Philidor’s Defense.

Paul Morphy “The Pride and Sorrow of Chess,” was an American chess player. He is considered to have been the greatest chess master of his era and an unofficial World Chess Champion. He was also one of the first chess prodigies in the modern rules of chess era.

The “Opera game” – a casual game against inexperienced opponents, but at the same time one of the clearest and most beautiful attacking games ever. Often used by chess teachers to demonstrate how to use time, develop pieces and generate threats.

While most of the audience was following the performance of The Barber of Seville, Paul Morphy was busy at the chessboard, facing noble opposition. His opponents, working together, played well enough for a while, but they allowed Morphy to set two deadly pins.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 4. d x e5 B x f3 5. Q x f3 d x e5 6. Bc4 Nf6
7. Qb3 Qe7 8. Nc3 c6 9. Bg5 b5 10. N x b5 c x b5 11. B x b5 + Nbd7
12. O-O-O Rd8 13. R x d7 R x d7 14. Rd1 Qe6 15. B x d7 + N x d7
16. Qb8 + N x b8 17. Rd8 mate

These two images found on google and edited it slightly – beautiful poster – the second image.

I spoilt myself the last few days with a few chess games and even a few tournaments, but work is calling again! The following two games were played against the same opponent – you will notice in both games, my Knights were used – in conjunction with the Queen – to checkmate my opponent. I always prefer to save my Knights – I will even sacrifice my Bishops in order to keep my Knights for the reason as in these games and also for their tricky moves.

1. e4 e5 2. d4 Bd6 3. d5 h6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 d6 8. Be3 Bg4 9. h3 Bxf3 10. gxf3 a6 11. f4 Nxe4 12. c4 f5 13. Rb1 Nc3 14. Qh5+ Ke7 15. Rxb7 Qc8 16. Rb3 Ne4 17. Qh4+ Nf6 18. Rg1 Rg8 19. f3 Kf8 20. fxe5 dxe5 21. Bc5+ Kf7 22. Bd3 Nbd7 23. Bb4 c5 24. Bxf5 cxb4 25. Bg6+ Kf8 26. Rxb4 a5 27. Rb3 Nc5 28. Re3 Qb8 29. Kf2 Ra7 30. f4 e4 31. Kg2 Qb2 32. Qf2 Qa2 33. d6 Qxc4 34. c3 Rb7 35. f5 Nd3 36. Qe2 Rb2 37. Kf1 Rxe2 38. Kxe2 Nf4+ 39. Kf2 Nd3+ 40. Ke2 Qxc3 41. Rxe4 Nxe4 42. d7 Qd2+ 43. Kf3 Ng5+ 44. Kg3 Qe3+ 45. Kg2 Ke7 46. Rb1 Qxh3+ 47. Kg1 Nf3+

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6  3. Bf4 Na6  4. Be5 Bf5  5. Bxf6 exf6  6. e3 Qd7  7. Bxa6 b6
8. Bb7 Rb8  9. Ba6 Bd6  10. a3 O-O  11. h3 h6  12. Nge2 Rfe8  13. Bd3 g6  14. Bxf5 Qxf5  15. O-O Rxe3  16. fxe3 Qe6  17. Qd2 Re8  18. Rf3 c6  19. Raf1 c5 20. Rxf6 Qd7  21. Rxf7 Qxf7  22. Rxf7 Kxf7  23. e4 dxe4  24. d5 e3  25. Qe1 a6 26. Qh4 h5  27. Qg5 Re5  28. Qh6 b5  29. Qh7+ Kf8  30. Qxg6 Be7  31. d6 Bd8 32. d7 Bc7  33. Qf6+ Kg8  34. d8=Q+ Bxd8  35. Qxd8+ Kg7  36. Qc7+ Kf6
37. Qd6+ Kf5  38. Qxa6 b4  39. axb4 cxb4  40. Nb5 Ke4  41. Nd6+ Kd5                42. b3 Re6  43. Qd3+ Ke5  44. Qd4+
Dolannes Melody by Jean-Claude Borelly

And for the record: It was Republic Day