New York 1857
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.0-0
As played by James McConnell (see: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/09/morphy-v-evans.html).
6...Nf6 7.d4 0-0 8.d5?!
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| Position after 8...d5?! |
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Closing the centre when a pawn down, and blocking White's light-square bishop into the bargain, seems a strange decision. McConnell played 8.dxe5.
8...Ne7 9.Qc2
Also good for Black is 9.Nxe5 d6 10.Nf3 Nxe4.
9...d6 10.h3 Ng6 11.Bd3 Nh5 12.Kh2 Nhf4 13.Rg1 Bb6 14.Be3 Nh4 15.Nbd2 Qf6 16.Nxh4 Qxh4 17.Nf3 Qh6!
Morphy has seen that this self-pin is not dangerous for Black.
18.Bf1
Shoring up h3.
18...f5 19.g3?
This loses a pawn, and lets Black open up the white king's position, but White was in big trouble in any case.
19...fxe4 20.Bxf4 exf4 21.Nd4 e3 22.f3 Bxd4 23.cxd4 Bf5 24.Qg2
White gets mated after 24.Qxc7? Rac8 25.Qxb7 Rc2+ 26.Rg2 fxg3+ 27.Kg1 Rxg2+ 28.Bxg2 e2 29.Qb4 Bxh3 30.Qe1 Bxg2 etc. This is a long line, but it was not necessary to see it all - Black is comfortably winning throughout.
24...fxg3+ 25.Qxg3 Rf6 26.f4 Re8 27.Re1 Re4 28.Rxe3 Qxf4 29.Bxd3 Rxd4 30.Bxf5 Rxf5
Morphy is two pawns up and about to win the d5 pawn, so Montgomery embarks on an attack, presumably hoping for a tactical blunder, but Morphy is able to exchange off into a winning rook-and-pawn ending.
31.Re7 Rd2+ 32.Kh1 Qxg3 33.Rxg3 Rf1+ 34.Rg1 Rxg1+ 35.Kxg1 Rxd5 36.Rxc7 Rd1+ 37.Kg2 Rd2+ 38.Kf3 Rxa2 39.Rxb7 Ra3+ 40.Kg4 a5 41.Rd7 a4 42.Rxd6 Ra1 0-1
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