PAUL Morphy faced the Petrov six times, scoring +3=2-1 (66.7%).
On the face of it, that was a poor percentage for him, but the strength of the opposition, and the nature of the games, including blindfolds and simuls, should be taken into account.
In addition, Morphy failed to convert probably-winning endings in both the draws, and the loss was a wild game that could have gone either way.
The first time against the Petrov, he played the Cozio Attack (3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Qe2), but seems to have concluded that White's edge was too small (this is in line with modern thinking about this system).
In his next two outings, he played the Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit (3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3).
Despite winning both games, he switched to the Classical Attack (3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4), which Johann Löwenthal had played against him three times in their 1858 match.
Those three games ended in a win apiece and a draw, and it is tempting to think this made an impression on Morphy.
The trouble with this theory is that the two Boden–Kieseritzky Gambits came either side of the match.
Morphy scored a win and a draw with his two Classical Attacks, but for his final outing against the Petrov, he switched back to the Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit.
This was the only game of the six that he lost, so it is anyone's guess what he would have played had the question arisen again.
What can be said from all six games is that, as against the French, Morphy strove for quick development in an open position as a prelude to an attack on the opposition king.
Showing posts with label Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit. Show all posts
Sunday, 15 September 2019
Saturday, 14 September 2019
Morphy v The Petrov (part six)
PAUL Morphy's final game against the Petrov was part of a five-board simul against strong opposition, including Johann Löwenthal and Thomas Barnes.
Morphy - Barnes
St James's Chess Club, London 1859
Petrov Defence Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4!?
This game was played just six days after their previous encounter, in which Morphy chose the Classical Attack (3.Nxe5).
3...Nxe4 4.Nf3 Nxc3
The main move, and surely the real test of the Boden–Kieseritzky.
5.dxc3 f6 6.0-0!?
More popular in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database is 6.Nh4, but David Hooper in A Complete Defence To 1 P-K4: A Study Of Petroff's Defence (Pergamon Press, 1967) says 6.Nh4 "commits rather too soon to one line of attack."
6...Qe7
In a previous game between the same players in 1858, the same position was reached from a Bishop's Opening move-order, and in that game Barnes played 6...Nc6, so the text was presumably a prepared improvement.
7.Nh4
Most popular, but "not effective," according to Hooper. He preferred 7.Re1!?, which is the choice of Stockfish10 and Komodo10.
7...d6?
Hooper gave 7...g6, which is much preferred by the engines.
8.Qh5+ Kd8
The displacement of the black king, combined with White's lead in development, make for fair compensation for the pawn-minus.
9.f4 Be6
The point of 7...d6?, but the engines prefer 9...g6 10.Nxg6 Qe8 11.Qh4 Qxg6 12.fxe5 Bf5 13.exf6 Nd7, with a small edge (Komodo10), or 9...a5 10.f5 Bd7 11.Be3 c6 12.Ng6 hxg6 13.Qxh8 gxf5, again with a small edge (Stockfish10). However, in both cases there is a lot of play left in the position.
10.Bxe6 Qxe6 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.Ng6+
12.Be3!? was played in a 1998 Spanish game.
12...Bc5+ 13.Kh1 Re8 14.Qxh7
Hooper reckons the position is equal, as does Komodo10, but Stockfish10 gives White the upper hand.
14...Qg8 15.Qh5 Nd7 16.b4 Bd6 17.Bd2?!
Lowenthal: "Intending, probably, to advance c4, but it would have been much stronger play to post this bishop at e3." The engines agree.
17...Qf7 18.Qg4 Qe6 19.Qe4 Nb6!?
Lowenthal: "A very subtle, clever move, the true motive of which White entirely overlooked."
20.Qxb7!?
Löwenthal: "Curiously enough, this move, as Black foresaw, cost White his knight." But the text is the engines' top choice, so who is trapping whom?
20...Qg4 21.a4?
This is the real culprit. Komodo10 gives 21.c4!? Qxc4 22.Be3, with a slight edge for Black (although the more-volatile Stockfish10 has Black close to winning). Stockfish10 reckons best was 21.Rfe1!? Qxg6 22.c4 Ke7 23.c5 Kf8 24.cxd6 cxd6, with slightly the better position for Black.
21...Rc8!
White's knight is still trapped, and his compensation is inadequate.
22.Rad1 Qxg6 23.Be3 Nc4 24.Qc6 Qf7
Löwenthal points out that 24...Nxe3?? loses to 25.Rxd6.
25.Bxa7 e4?
Black is much better after 25...Rh8 or 25...Qe6. The text is faulty because it allows White's d1 rook strongly into the attack.
26.Rd4?
But this is not the way to menace the black knight as Black can ignore White's threat. Correct was 26.Rd5, with the engines giving best play as 26...Re5 27.Rd4 Rh5 28.Qxc4 Rxh2+ 29.Kg1, when White seems to be better despite the precarious-looking situation of his king. In this line, if Black tries 27...Ne3!?, White has 28.Rxd6+! cxd6 29.Qxd6+, with Be3 to come.
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26...Qh5
Löwenthal: "Menacing mate, and capitally played."
27.Rf4
There is no salvation in 27.g3, eg 27...Rh8 28.Rf2 e3 29.Rg2 e2 30.Re4 Qf3+ 31.Rg2 Qf1+ 32.Rg1 e1=Q 33.Rxf1 Rxh2+! 34.Kxh2 Qxg3+ 35.Kh1 Qh2#
27...e3 28.g4 e2 29.gxh5 e1=Q+ 30.Kg2 Re2+ 31.Kh3 f5?!
Several other moves win more easily, but this is good enough.
32.Qxc4?!
More challenging was 32.Rxc4. Black then has to find 32...g5 33.hxg6 Ke7, when the white pieces cannot get at the black king.
32...Qf1+! 33.Kh4
33.Rxf1?? Rxh2#
33...Rxh2+ 34.Kg5 Qg2+??
Correct was 34...Qg1+, and if, as in the game, 35.Rg4, then 35...Qe3+ leads to mate.
35.Rg4! fxg4 36.Qf7??
White wins with 36.Rxd6+ (a recurring theme in this game, which makes it all the more surprising that Morphy missed it) cxd6 37.Qg8+ Kd7 38.Qxg7+ Ke8 (other moves allow a quick mate) 39.Qg6+ Ke7 40.Qf6+ Ke8 41.Qe6+ Kf8 42.Qxd6+ Ke8 43.Qe6+ Kd8 44.Bb6+ Rc7 45.Qd6+ Ke8 46.Qxc7 - a long line, but much of it forced.
36...Qxc6
Making a sac on d6 ineffective, and thus winning.
37.b5 Qd7 38.Rxd6 Qxd6 0-1
Even at this late stage it was still possible to go wrong, ie 38...cxd6?? 39.Bb6+ wins for White.
Morphy - Barnes
St James's Chess Club, London 1859
Petrov Defence Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4!?
This game was played just six days after their previous encounter, in which Morphy chose the Classical Attack (3.Nxe5).
3...Nxe4 4.Nf3 Nxc3
The main move, and surely the real test of the Boden–Kieseritzky.
5.dxc3 f6 6.0-0!?
More popular in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database is 6.Nh4, but David Hooper in A Complete Defence To 1 P-K4: A Study Of Petroff's Defence (Pergamon Press, 1967) says 6.Nh4 "commits rather too soon to one line of attack."
6...Qe7
In a previous game between the same players in 1858, the same position was reached from a Bishop's Opening move-order, and in that game Barnes played 6...Nc6, so the text was presumably a prepared improvement.
7.Nh4
Most popular, but "not effective," according to Hooper. He preferred 7.Re1!?, which is the choice of Stockfish10 and Komodo10.
7...d6?
Hooper gave 7...g6, which is much preferred by the engines.
8.Qh5+ Kd8
The displacement of the black king, combined with White's lead in development, make for fair compensation for the pawn-minus.
9.f4 Be6
The point of 7...d6?, but the engines prefer 9...g6 10.Nxg6 Qe8 11.Qh4 Qxg6 12.fxe5 Bf5 13.exf6 Nd7, with a small edge (Komodo10), or 9...a5 10.f5 Bd7 11.Be3 c6 12.Ng6 hxg6 13.Qxh8 gxf5, again with a small edge (Stockfish10). However, in both cases there is a lot of play left in the position.
10.Bxe6 Qxe6 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.Ng6+
12.Be3!? was played in a 1998 Spanish game.
12...Bc5+ 13.Kh1 Re8 14.Qxh7
Hooper reckons the position is equal, as does Komodo10, but Stockfish10 gives White the upper hand.
14...Qg8 15.Qh5 Nd7 16.b4 Bd6 17.Bd2?!
Lowenthal: "Intending, probably, to advance c4, but it would have been much stronger play to post this bishop at e3." The engines agree.
17...Qf7 18.Qg4 Qe6 19.Qe4 Nb6!?
Lowenthal: "A very subtle, clever move, the true motive of which White entirely overlooked."
20.Qxb7!?
Löwenthal: "Curiously enough, this move, as Black foresaw, cost White his knight." But the text is the engines' top choice, so who is trapping whom?
20...Qg4 21.a4?
This is the real culprit. Komodo10 gives 21.c4!? Qxc4 22.Be3, with a slight edge for Black (although the more-volatile Stockfish10 has Black close to winning). Stockfish10 reckons best was 21.Rfe1!? Qxg6 22.c4 Ke7 23.c5 Kf8 24.cxd6 cxd6, with slightly the better position for Black.
21...Rc8!
White's knight is still trapped, and his compensation is inadequate.
22.Rad1 Qxg6 23.Be3 Nc4 24.Qc6 Qf7
Löwenthal points out that 24...Nxe3?? loses to 25.Rxd6.
25.Bxa7 e4?
Black is much better after 25...Rh8 or 25...Qe6. The text is faulty because it allows White's d1 rook strongly into the attack.
26.Rd4?
But this is not the way to menace the black knight as Black can ignore White's threat. Correct was 26.Rd5, with the engines giving best play as 26...Re5 27.Rd4 Rh5 28.Qxc4 Rxh2+ 29.Kg1, when White seems to be better despite the precarious-looking situation of his king. In this line, if Black tries 27...Ne3!?, White has 28.Rxd6+! cxd6 29.Qxd6+, with Be3 to come.
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| Black to play and win |
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26...Qh5
Löwenthal: "Menacing mate, and capitally played."
27.Rf4
There is no salvation in 27.g3, eg 27...Rh8 28.Rf2 e3 29.Rg2 e2 30.Re4 Qf3+ 31.Rg2 Qf1+ 32.Rg1 e1=Q 33.Rxf1 Rxh2+! 34.Kxh2 Qxg3+ 35.Kh1 Qh2#
27...e3 28.g4 e2 29.gxh5 e1=Q+ 30.Kg2 Re2+ 31.Kh3 f5?!
Several other moves win more easily, but this is good enough.
32.Qxc4?!
More challenging was 32.Rxc4. Black then has to find 32...g5 33.hxg6 Ke7, when the white pieces cannot get at the black king.
32...Qf1+! 33.Kh4
33.Rxf1?? Rxh2#
33...Rxh2+ 34.Kg5 Qg2+??
Correct was 34...Qg1+, and if, as in the game, 35.Rg4, then 35...Qe3+ leads to mate.
35.Rg4! fxg4 36.Qf7??
White wins with 36.Rxd6+ (a recurring theme in this game, which makes it all the more surprising that Morphy missed it) cxd6 37.Qg8+ Kd7 38.Qxg7+ Ke8 (other moves allow a quick mate) 39.Qg6+ Ke7 40.Qf6+ Ke8 41.Qe6+ Kf8 42.Qxd6+ Ke8 43.Qe6+ Kd8 44.Bb6+ Rc7 45.Qd6+ Ke8 46.Qxc7 - a long line, but much of it forced.
36...Qxc6
Making a sac on d6 ineffective, and thus winning.
37.b5 Qd7 38.Rxd6 Qxd6 0-1
Even at this late stage it was still possible to go wrong, ie 38...cxd6?? 39.Bb6+ wins for White.
Wednesday, 11 September 2019
Morphy v The Petrov (part three)
PAUL Morphy's third encounter with the Petrov came, according to ChessBase's 2019 Mega database, against Johann Löwenthal.
The game shows Morphy using the Steinitz Attack to win in 25 moves.
But the game almost certainly never happened.
It is a move-by-move copy of Tassilo von Heydebrand und der Lasa - Carl von Jaenisch from their 1842 match.
The supposed Morphy game does not appear in Löwenthal's book Morphy's Games of Chess, which was published in 1860 - two years after the game alegedly took place.
How it comes to be in the database, I have no idea, but I have informed Frederic Friedel at ChessBase, and I have appropriately amended the statistics given in the first part of this article: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/09/morphy-v-petrov.html
Morphy's real third encounter with the Petrov came in one of eight games he played blindfold simultaneously at Paris's Café de la Régence in 1858.
Morphy - William Potier
Petrov Defence Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4!?
The same variation as played against Theodor Lichtenhein in the first American Chess Congress the previous year.
3...Nxe4 4.Nc3 Nf6!?
Lichtenhein played 4...d5!? The main move, 4...Nxc3, will be covered later in the series.
5.Nxe5 d5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.d4 c6 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.f4
Löwenthal: "Playing his favourite move at an early stage of the game."
9...Nb6
9...0-0, which was played in a 1997 Spanish game, looks more natural.
10.Qf3 h5?!
A weakening move that will hurt Black, except in the unlikely event that he somehow manages to castle long.
11.f5
Löwenthal: "Black's queen's bishop is now completely hemmed in, and time must be lost in extricating it."
11...Qc7?!
Presumably trying to prepare queenside castling, which at least is consistent with his 10th move. The engines prefer 11...Nbd7!?
12.Bf4
Developing with tempo - very much a Morphy trait.
12...Bd6 13.Rae1
Again developing with a threat.
13...Kf8
This appears to be Black's best, which shows what a rotten position he had after just a dozen moves.
14.Qg3 h4
Again the engines reckon this is Black's best, but it meets with a strong reply. Even worse for Black was 14...Bxf5? 15.Nxg6+ followed by Bxd6(+).
15.Ng6+ Kg8 16.Bxd6 hxg3 17.Bxc7 fxg6 18.fxg6 gxh2+ 19.Kh1
The smoke has cleared, and material is more-or-less level (White has the bishop-pair, but his light-square bishop is restricted), However, as so often in Morphy's games, the American has a lead in development.
19...Bg4 20.Re7 Nbd7
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21.Be5?!
This works out swimmingly in the game, but better appears to be the engines' 21.Ne4!?, eg 21...Nxe4 22.Rxe4 Nf6 23.Rxf6 gxf6 24.Rxg4, with two bishops for a rook, or 21...Re8 22.Nxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rxe8+ Nxe8 24.Rf7 (24.c4!?), with much the more-active pieces.
21...Kf8?
Black had to find 21...Rh5, when White has a number of favourable continuations, including 22.Bxh2 and 22.Bxh6, in each case with a small edge.
22.Rf7+ Kg8 23.Nxd5!
Löwenthal: "One of those beautiful combinations for which Mr Morphy is so famous, and which occur with equal frequency in his blindfold games as in those which he conducts with the board and men before him."
23...cxd5 24.Bxd5 Nb6 25.Bb3 1-0
The game shows Morphy using the Steinitz Attack to win in 25 moves.
But the game almost certainly never happened.
It is a move-by-move copy of Tassilo von Heydebrand und der Lasa - Carl von Jaenisch from their 1842 match.
The supposed Morphy game does not appear in Löwenthal's book Morphy's Games of Chess, which was published in 1860 - two years after the game alegedly took place.
How it comes to be in the database, I have no idea, but I have informed Frederic Friedel at ChessBase, and I have appropriately amended the statistics given in the first part of this article: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/09/morphy-v-petrov.html
Morphy's real third encounter with the Petrov came in one of eight games he played blindfold simultaneously at Paris's Café de la Régence in 1858.
Morphy - William Potier
Petrov Defence Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4!?
The same variation as played against Theodor Lichtenhein in the first American Chess Congress the previous year.
3...Nxe4 4.Nc3 Nf6!?
Lichtenhein played 4...d5!? The main move, 4...Nxc3, will be covered later in the series.
5.Nxe5 d5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.d4 c6 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.f4
Löwenthal: "Playing his favourite move at an early stage of the game."
9...Nb6
9...0-0, which was played in a 1997 Spanish game, looks more natural.
10.Qf3 h5?!
A weakening move that will hurt Black, except in the unlikely event that he somehow manages to castle long.
11.f5
Löwenthal: "Black's queen's bishop is now completely hemmed in, and time must be lost in extricating it."
11...Qc7?!
Presumably trying to prepare queenside castling, which at least is consistent with his 10th move. The engines prefer 11...Nbd7!?
12.Bf4
Developing with tempo - very much a Morphy trait.
12...Bd6 13.Rae1
Again developing with a threat.
13...Kf8
This appears to be Black's best, which shows what a rotten position he had after just a dozen moves.
14.Qg3 h4
Again the engines reckon this is Black's best, but it meets with a strong reply. Even worse for Black was 14...Bxf5? 15.Nxg6+ followed by Bxd6(+).
15.Ng6+ Kg8 16.Bxd6 hxg3 17.Bxc7 fxg6 18.fxg6 gxh2+ 19.Kh1
The smoke has cleared, and material is more-or-less level (White has the bishop-pair, but his light-square bishop is restricted), However, as so often in Morphy's games, the American has a lead in development.
19...Bg4 20.Re7 Nbd7
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| White to make his 21st move |
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21.Be5?!
This works out swimmingly in the game, but better appears to be the engines' 21.Ne4!?, eg 21...Nxe4 22.Rxe4 Nf6 23.Rxf6 gxf6 24.Rxg4, with two bishops for a rook, or 21...Re8 22.Nxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rxe8+ Nxe8 24.Rf7 (24.c4!?), with much the more-active pieces.
21...Kf8?
Black had to find 21...Rh5, when White has a number of favourable continuations, including 22.Bxh2 and 22.Bxh6, in each case with a small edge.
22.Rf7+ Kg8 23.Nxd5!
Löwenthal: "One of those beautiful combinations for which Mr Morphy is so famous, and which occur with equal frequency in his blindfold games as in those which he conducts with the board and men before him."
23...cxd5 24.Bxd5 Nb6 25.Bb3 1-0
Tuesday, 10 September 2019
Morphy v The Petrov (part two)
PAUL Morphy's second outing against the Petrov came in the semi-final of the first American Chess Congress, which was run in New York in 1857 as a knockout.
Despite the relative success of his opening play in his previous experience of the Petrov, against Johann Löwenthal seven years earlier (only poor endgame technique saw him held to a draw), Morphy chose a much sharper line for this game.
Morphy - Theodor Lichtenhein
Petrov Defence Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4!?
The Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit is often considered a line of the Bishop's Opening as it commonly arises from the move-order 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3!? Nigel Short is among strong modern players to have tried it from a Petrov move-order.
3...Nxe4 4.Nc3
White's most-popular choice, but the engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer 4.d3!? Their top-choice reply is 4...Nc5, when Stockfish10 continues 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.0-0 Ne6 7.Re1, with what Stockfish10 reckons is a large advantage for Black, but Komodo10 regards as dynamically equal. After 4...Nc5, Komodo10 gives 5.Bg5!? (not to be found in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database) Be7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.0-0, when both engines prefer Black.
4...d5!?
Löwenthal, in Morphy's Games Of Chess, wrote: "Mr Lichtenhein is justly considered the originator of this defence of …d5: the move is a good one and deserves the consideration of the chess analyst."
The main move, 4...Nxc3, will be covered later in this series.
5.Bxd5
This was to be Lichtenhein's choice when he twice had to face his own defence. He won both games.
5...Nf6 6.Bb3 Bd6 7.d3 0-0 8.h3 h6 9.Be3 Nc6 10.Qd2 Na5 11.g4 Nxb3 12.axb3 Bd7 13.Rg1 Nh7
This is condemned as "too passive" by an unnamed ChessBase commentator, but is liked by Stockfish10. Komodo10 prefers 13...Bc6 or 13...Re8.
14.Ne4 Kh8
"Again passive," according to the ChessBase commentator.
The engines want Black to sac a pawn with 14...a5!? 15.Rxa5 Qe7, the idea being that Black will get the open a file.
15.g5 h5 16.Nh4 g6 17.Qe2
The engines reckon White is better after opening the centre with 17.d4, or preparing such an opening with 17.0-0-0.
17...Bc6
Löwenthal: "It was injudicious of Black to abandon the diagonal commanded so effectively by the queen's bishop." On the other hand, the anonymous ChessBase commentator reckons "the black position looks still OK." The engines side with Lowenthal's verdict.
18.f4?
This was a good point to castle long, which will surely be necessary sooner rather than later.
18...exf4 19.Bd4+
The black king looks in danger but, as noted in ChessBase, the open e file is problematic for White's king.
19...Kg8 20.Nf5 Re8!
It seems Morphy missed this. White would be winning after 20...gxf5? 21.Nf6+ Kg7 22.Qxh5.
21.Nh6+
21.0-0-0 may have been a little better, but still good for Black.
21...Kf8 22.0-0-0 Bxe4?
Removing a piece menacing Black's king, but almost certainly winning was 22...Nxg5, which ChessBase describes as "easy to find and critical." Best play, as given by ChessBase and confirmed by the engines, runs 23.Nxf7 Kxf7 24.Nxg5+ Qxg5 25.Qxe8+ Rxe8 26.Rxg5 f3, "and Black has two strong pawns [and the bishop-pair] for the exchange. He will play for a win."
23.dxe4
Black is a pawn up, but White's forces are zeroing in on the black king, while Black is lagging in development.
23...Qe7?
Best seems to be 23...Re6, although the engines prefer White after 24.e5 or 24.h4.
Complicated is 23...Nxg5?!, but White seems to be better after 24.e5, eg 24...Nxh3 35.Qc4 Qd7 36.Rxg6!
24.e5?
A slip, although Black's defence is difficult to find. Correct was 24.Qc4 (threatening to win the black bishop with e5) Qe6 25.Qc3, when White again threatens to trap the black bishop, eg 25...Rad8 26.Bg7+ Ke7 27.e5. Black's best, according to the engines, is 25...Red8 26.Bc5 Bxc5 (or 26...Ke8 27.Rd5 f6 28.Qc4! Kd7 29.gxf6 Bxc5 30.f7+, with a huge position for White) 27.Qxc5+ Kg7 28.Qc3+ Nf6! 29.Rdf1 (Komodo10 prefers 29.Rde1, but Stockfish10's choice seems stronger) Kh7 30.Nxf7 Qa6 31.Nxd8 Qa1+ 32.Kd2 Nxe4+ 33.Kd3 Qxf1+ 34.Rxf1 Nxc3 35.Nxb7 Nd5 36.c4+, with much the better ending for White. These are very complicated lines, but the engines are almost completely in agreement on their analysis.
24...Bxe5
Löwenthal suggests 24...Bc5, but White's attack continues, eg 25.Qf2 Bxd4 26.Rxd4 f3! (Black cannot allow 27.Rxf4) 27.Qxf3 Nxg5 28.Qf4 Qxe5 29.h4 Qxf4+ 30.Rxf4 Re4! 31.Rff1! Rxh4 32.Rxg5 Kg7 33.Nf5+ Kf6 34.Rxg6+ fxg6 35.Nxh4+, when White has a knight for two pawns. Another long, but fairly forced, line.
25.Bxe5 Qxe5 26.Rd7 Qg7?
Black draws with 26...Nxg5 26.Rxg5 Qf6!, eg 27.Qd2 Re7 28.Rd8+ Re8 29.Rd7 etc.
27.Qc4 Re7 28.Rxe7 Kxe7 29.Re1+ 1-0
White has a mate-in-five.
Despite the relative success of his opening play in his previous experience of the Petrov, against Johann Löwenthal seven years earlier (only poor endgame technique saw him held to a draw), Morphy chose a much sharper line for this game.
Morphy - Theodor Lichtenhein
Petrov Defence Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4!?
The Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit is often considered a line of the Bishop's Opening as it commonly arises from the move-order 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3!? Nigel Short is among strong modern players to have tried it from a Petrov move-order.
3...Nxe4 4.Nc3
White's most-popular choice, but the engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer 4.d3!? Their top-choice reply is 4...Nc5, when Stockfish10 continues 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.0-0 Ne6 7.Re1, with what Stockfish10 reckons is a large advantage for Black, but Komodo10 regards as dynamically equal. After 4...Nc5, Komodo10 gives 5.Bg5!? (not to be found in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database) Be7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.0-0, when both engines prefer Black.
4...d5!?
Löwenthal, in Morphy's Games Of Chess, wrote: "Mr Lichtenhein is justly considered the originator of this defence of …d5: the move is a good one and deserves the consideration of the chess analyst."
The main move, 4...Nxc3, will be covered later in this series.
5.Bxd5
This was to be Lichtenhein's choice when he twice had to face his own defence. He won both games.
5...Nf6 6.Bb3 Bd6 7.d3 0-0 8.h3 h6 9.Be3 Nc6 10.Qd2 Na5 11.g4 Nxb3 12.axb3 Bd7 13.Rg1 Nh7
This is condemned as "too passive" by an unnamed ChessBase commentator, but is liked by Stockfish10. Komodo10 prefers 13...Bc6 or 13...Re8.
14.Ne4 Kh8
"Again passive," according to the ChessBase commentator.
The engines want Black to sac a pawn with 14...a5!? 15.Rxa5 Qe7, the idea being that Black will get the open a file.
15.g5 h5 16.Nh4 g6 17.Qe2
The engines reckon White is better after opening the centre with 17.d4, or preparing such an opening with 17.0-0-0.
17...Bc6
Löwenthal: "It was injudicious of Black to abandon the diagonal commanded so effectively by the queen's bishop." On the other hand, the anonymous ChessBase commentator reckons "the black position looks still OK." The engines side with Lowenthal's verdict.
18.f4?
This was a good point to castle long, which will surely be necessary sooner rather than later.
18...exf4 19.Bd4+
The black king looks in danger but, as noted in ChessBase, the open e file is problematic for White's king.
19...Kg8 20.Nf5 Re8!
It seems Morphy missed this. White would be winning after 20...gxf5? 21.Nf6+ Kg7 22.Qxh5.
21.Nh6+
21.0-0-0 may have been a little better, but still good for Black.
21...Kf8 22.0-0-0 Bxe4?
Removing a piece menacing Black's king, but almost certainly winning was 22...Nxg5, which ChessBase describes as "easy to find and critical." Best play, as given by ChessBase and confirmed by the engines, runs 23.Nxf7 Kxf7 24.Nxg5+ Qxg5 25.Qxe8+ Rxe8 26.Rxg5 f3, "and Black has two strong pawns [and the bishop-pair] for the exchange. He will play for a win."
23.dxe4
Black is a pawn up, but White's forces are zeroing in on the black king, while Black is lagging in development.
23...Qe7?
Best seems to be 23...Re6, although the engines prefer White after 24.e5 or 24.h4.
Complicated is 23...Nxg5?!, but White seems to be better after 24.e5, eg 24...Nxh3 35.Qc4 Qd7 36.Rxg6!
 |
| White to make his 24th move |
A slip, although Black's defence is difficult to find. Correct was 24.Qc4 (threatening to win the black bishop with e5) Qe6 25.Qc3, when White again threatens to trap the black bishop, eg 25...Rad8 26.Bg7+ Ke7 27.e5. Black's best, according to the engines, is 25...Red8 26.Bc5 Bxc5 (or 26...Ke8 27.Rd5 f6 28.Qc4! Kd7 29.gxf6 Bxc5 30.f7+, with a huge position for White) 27.Qxc5+ Kg7 28.Qc3+ Nf6! 29.Rdf1 (Komodo10 prefers 29.Rde1, but Stockfish10's choice seems stronger) Kh7 30.Nxf7 Qa6 31.Nxd8 Qa1+ 32.Kd2 Nxe4+ 33.Kd3 Qxf1+ 34.Rxf1 Nxc3 35.Nxb7 Nd5 36.c4+, with much the better ending for White. These are very complicated lines, but the engines are almost completely in agreement on their analysis.
24...Bxe5
Löwenthal suggests 24...Bc5, but White's attack continues, eg 25.Qf2 Bxd4 26.Rxd4 f3! (Black cannot allow 27.Rxf4) 27.Qxf3 Nxg5 28.Qf4 Qxe5 29.h4 Qxf4+ 30.Rxf4 Re4! 31.Rff1! Rxh4 32.Rxg5 Kg7 33.Nf5+ Kf6 34.Rxg6+ fxg6 35.Nxh4+, when White has a knight for two pawns. Another long, but fairly forced, line.
25.Bxe5 Qxe5 26.Rd7 Qg7?
Black draws with 26...Nxg5 26.Rxg5 Qf6!, eg 27.Qd2 Re7 28.Rd8+ Re8 29.Rd7 etc.
27.Qc4 Re7 28.Rxe7 Kxe7 29.Re1+ 1-0
White has a mate-in-five.
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