Paul Morphy and the Evolution of Chess Theory (Dover Chess)

574 Pages·2012·12.643 MB·English

by  Macon Shibut

Copyright © 1993, 2004 by Macon Shibut All rights reserved.

Bibliographical Note
This Dover edition, first published in 2004, is an unabridged republication of
the work originally published in 1993 by Caissa Editions, Yorklyn, Delaware.
An addendum to this book, printed by the original publisher, has been
included in this edition. A list of errata has been specially prepared for this
edition by the author.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Shibut, Macon.
Paul Morphy and the evolution of chess theory / Macon Shibut. p. cm.
Includes indexes.
9780486149875
1. Morphy, Paul Charles, 1837-1884. 2. Chess—Collections of games. I.
Title.

GV1439.M7S45 2004
2003070112

Manufactured in the United States of America
Dover Publications, Inc., 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, N.Y 11501
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Introduction
PART I - Analysis
1 - Paul Morphy and the Play of Our Time
2 - Adolph Anderssen and the Standard of Pre-Morphy Chess
3 - Wilhelm Steinitz, Father of the “Modern School”
4 - Thomas Barnes
5 - Blunders and Omissions
6 - Odds
7 - Selected Morphy Endgames
8 - Selected Morphy Openings
PART II - Complete Games
9 - Tournament and Match Games
10 - Other Games
PART III - Perspective
11 - Paul Morphy and the Play of His Time
12 - Alexander Alekhine and Eugene Znosko-Borovsky Debate the
Chess style of Paul Morphy
Errata
Addendum
Postscript from the Original Publisher
Index of Morphy Games
Index of Openings
Index of Games Not Involving Morphy
Matthew Brady photo, New York, 1859
Introduction
“Paul Morphy needs little introduction.” This opening sentence from the
Batsford reprint of Lowenthal’s classic Morphy’s Games of Chess fairly
reflects a popular modem attitude. Morphy was, after all, the most famous
chess player ever. Certainly the outline of his story is familiar to all chess
players: The Pride and Sorrow of Chess; the great natural player who came
from nowhere to conquer his countrymen and later to vanquish the greatest
masters of Europe. Too soon afterwards he withdrew from competition,
failed as a lawyer, failed in private life generally suffered delusions, died
young. But we celebrate the queen sacrifice by which Morphy pried open
Louis Paulsen’s king position. We remember how he sacrificed practically
everything to mate the Duke of Brunswick, between acts at a Paris opera.
What more is there to know?

Indeed I thought I needed no introduction to Paul Morphy. But when I
finally got around to a more comprehensive study of his play, I was surprised
to discover how many of the games that I had not been shown previously
were, in their own manner, more interesting than the usual anthology pieces.
Morphy’s brilliancies, for all their beauty and instructional value, lack
something in the way of drama and struggle. They’re just a bit too elegant,
too fine. It’s hard to imagine them as games actually played in the
atmosphere of hope and fear that animates over-the-board chess. On the other
hand, if the “unknown” Morphy games lack that glittering final combination
needed to ensure their immortality, it’s all the more fascinating to see
Morphy’s familiar combinative vision straining against the rich uncertainty of
practical play.

I offer this book as a guide through Paul Morphy’s chess - not the “greatest
games” tourist route, but also the back streets where real struggles were
decided. (Which is not to say we won’t glimpse some historical landmarks
too!) Part I reflects upon some popular preconceptions and prejudices
concerning “the pride and sorrow of chess,” where they came from, and the
very different impressions that can arise from examining Paul Morphy’s
games first hand. Part II presents every available Morphy game, collected
together in an English language volume for the first time. (Throughout the
book, braces {} indicate a reference to a game score from Part II.) Finally, for
added historical perspective, Part III makes available some thoughts on Paul
Morphy by two of chess’s greatest champions, Wilhelm Steinitz and
Alexander Alekhine.

I am indebted to Dale Brandreth for access to this latter material and the
various illustrations, all of which appear with his permission. More generally,
I am indebted to many analysts and authors whose work I consulted. Most are
acknowledged in the text when I quote a particular variation or evaluation.
Three sources deserve special mention here, each of them having been
essential to the creation of Paul Morphy and the Evolution of Chess Theory.
If this volume is found to contribute materially to the body of Morphy
literature, that will be largely thanks to the foundation they provided:
Morphy’s Games of Chess. By J. J.
Lowenthal. London, 1860.
Paul Morphy. By Geza Maroczy.
Leipzig,1909.
Morphy’s Games of Chess. By Philip
W. Sergeant. 3rd ed., London, 1919.
My trusty Olms reprint of Maroczy’s book is the source for the bulk of
Part II’s game scores. However, I also incorporated many corrections and
additions that have surfaced during the eighty-plus years since Maroczy first
published. I found these mainly in books by Philip Sergeant, David Lawson,
and some scattered magazine articles by Andrew Soltis (in which he too
acknowledges Lawson as a source).

Macon Shibut
December, 1992