Paris 1858
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5
As in the first Evans' Gambit between these two, Morphy goes with his new favourite of 5...Bc5.
6.0-0 d6 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 Bb6 9.Bb2!?
Rivière is the first to vary, having previously played 9.d5 in what is known as the Normal Position.
The text was played five times by Louis-Charles de La Bourdonnais against James McDonnell in 1834. Only Victor Bologan, of the four authors I am referencing*, mentions the move (Kaufman does not cover 5...Bc5 as he recommends 5...Ba5 without reaching the Normal Position).
9...Nf6
Bologan only covers the less popular 9...Na5. The text is preferred by the engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10.
10.Nbd2 0-0 11.h3?!
This looks slow. White scores 74% in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database with the mainline 11.e5, when Black usually replies 11...dxe5, but the engines give 11...Nh5!?, which seems to be a novelty. They continue 12 g3 Bg4 13.Qc2 g6, when they do not believe White has enough for the sacrificed pawn.
 |
| Black to make his 11th move |
*****
*****
*****
*****
11...d5
11...Nxe4 12.Nxe4 d5 was played in Allen Miller - Cecil Purdy, Australian Championship (Adelaide) 1946-47 (0-1 29 moves), but Morphy's choice seems stronger.
12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Ne4 Bf5 14.Ng3 Bg6 15.Ne5 Nf6!?
The engines prefer keeping a knight on d5 with 15...Na5 or 15...Nxe5 16.dxe5 c6.
16.Nxg6?!
Winning the bishop-pair, but leaving d4 very weak. The engines want to smash Black's queenside with 16.Nxc6, when they reckon Black is only slightly better.
16...hxg6 17.Ba3?!
Going for broke. The engines give 17.Qc2 Na5 (this is also the answer to 17.d5) 18.Be2 Re8 19.Bf3, when White has some play for his pawn.
17...Re8 18.Qb3 Qd7 19.Rad1 Na5
Grabbing a second pawn with 19...Nxd4 was also possible.
20.Qd3 Rad8
As usual, Morphy emphasises development over pawn captures.
21.Bb2
Rivière has to admit his active play has come to nothing, and now he loses his bishop-pair.
21...Nxc4 22.Qxc4 Qd5 23.Qa4 c6 24.Rd3
This lets Morphy activate his c pawn, but White was in any case in a bad way.
24...c5 25.Rfd1 c4 26.Re3 Bc7 27.Nf1 a5 28.Rxe8+
Winning back his pawn, but Morphy has seen Black will get a strong attack.
28...Rxe8 29.Ne3 Qd6 30.Qxc4
Black mates after 30.g3 Rxe3! 31.fxe3 Qxg3+ 32.Kf1 Qxh3+ 33.Ke2 Qg2+ 34.Ke1 Bg3#
30...Qh2+ 31.Kf1 Ne4 32.Bc1
Defending against 32...Nxf2! 33.Kxf2 Qg3+ etc.
32...Bf4 33.Qc2 Bxe3 34.Bxe3 Qh1+ 35.Ke2 Qxg2 36.Kd3 Qf3
Again Morphy does not concern himself with a stray pawn when there is promising piece-play.
37.Re1 Qf5 38.Ke2 Qh5+ 39.Kd3 Qb5+ 40.Qc4 Nxf2+ 41.Bxf2 Qf5+ 42.Kd2 Qxf2+ 43.Re2 Rxe2+ 44.Qe2 Qxd4+ 0-1
*I am comparing play with two specialist books: Open Gambits: Italian And Scotch Gambit play by George Botterill (Batsford 1986) and Evans Gambit And A System Vs. Two Knights' Defense by Tim Harding (Chess Digest, 1991); and with two respected repertoire books: The Chess Advantage In Black And White by Larry Kaufman (McKay Chess Library, 2004) and Bologan's Black Weapons In The Open Games: How To Play For A Win If White Avoids The Ruy Lopez by Victor Bologan (New In Chess, 2014).
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