"Vegas, who will henceforth be called bunker boy"
-WilliamWC3
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| The Tightest Chess Game Ever | | | Author: | | | IP: | c209662-XXXX | | Date: | 10/13/00 05:10 | | Game Type: | Other | | Labels: | none | | Report Rating: , # of Ratings: 1, Max: 6, Min: 6
Lifetime Rating for -citizenkane-: 6.5000 |  | Paul Morphy
vs.
Duke Karl of Braunschweig
and
Count Isouard
or The Tightest Chess Game Ever
1852, Paris (at the Opera)
I have been inspired by one Rumplestilskin, and my BR is almsot a carbon-copy of his, except my pics got f****d up. Bah!
As white: The greatest chess player of the 1850s, the Wilt Chamberlin of chess... The Great Paul Morphy!
“Paul who?”
Versus two rich fu’s, who are competent players but not much more than that. Bah!
Anywhoo, I could list looong variations, incomprehensible diagrams and paragraphs of algebraic chess notation, but that would confuse all you chess illiterates out there =P no offense or anything. I'll try to keep it straightforward.
I have included the moves in algebraic notation. This can be a boon to those trying to follow along. If you can't find where one of the players moved, a glance at the notation will tell you.
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A quickie guide to algebraic notation
(nothing) = Pawn move
N = Knight move
B = Bishop move
R = Rook move
Q = Queen move
K = King move
a-h = The rank moved to. A is on White's back rank, H on Black-s back rank.
1-8 = The "file" (column) being moved to. 1 is on the far left, 8 on the far right. Simple enough.
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The Players
As white, Paul Morphy, who has a lot in common in with Bobby fischer in that he was American, in that he was a revolutionary, rocked ass, and went insane and retired from chess, just like Fischer.
And as black, Duke Karl of Braunschweig and Count Isounard, who are not very good at chess and should be slapped for playing Paul Morphy =P
Incidentally, this game was played at the opera. Legend has it that the Duke was roundly criticized in the next day's papers, for playing a game at the opera!
So, without further ado or other shit, let's get on with the game.
1. e4
The first move, which was the favored first move at the time. Actually, "favored" was an understatement, this move was the only one players back then knew how to play! Back then, people lived for "open" positions where the center is clear of pawns, and would be completely lost in "closed" positions where the center is blocked up with pawns.
Paul Morphy loved open positions, and always tried to bring his peices out as fast as possible. Note the diagnols freed for use by the queen and the bishop, and note that the pawn is also helping by taking the center.
1... e5
The standard counter, and again the only move people played back then. Black also opens up diagnoals for his own so-called "devolepment" of his peices, and taking the other half of the center.
(Starcraft transalation: If your opponent takes his natural, you'd better do the same to avoid falling behind. Yes, I stole that quote from Rumplestilskin =P)
2. Nf3
The standard reply, and the reply used by just about everybody, even today. Not only does it develop a peice, it challenges Black's pawn, saying "How dare you, vile pawn! That center is mine!" Starcraft-wise, it’s the Protoss rush against the Zerg’s fast expand.
2... d6
The Phildor defense. Strong, because pawns are used instead of peices, and it frees a bishop. The disadvantage is that it locks in the other bishop and pretty much cuts off transportation from one side of the board to the other, resulting in a loss of mobility, just like turtling.
3. d4
Besides its opening lines for the other bishop, it is a direct challenge to Black's pawn structure, and an attempt to wrest that part of the center from Black. The black pawn is attacked twice, but defended only once.
3...Bg4
You won't find this in the opening books. Note that the White Knight can't move, because he is "pinned" to the Queen. If he moves, then the Bishop will take that queen.
So why do this, instead of just defending the threatened pawn?
Because Black is being played by a pair of chess newbies! Watch what Morphy does now.
4.exf5
Paul Morphy, sticking out his tounge at his opponents. "Haha, you thought you can stop me, neener, neener, I'm gonna take that pawn no matter what you do! Nyah nyah nyah *thbbbbbbth*"
Okay, not funny. Bah =P
4... bxf3, (not 4... dxe5 5. Qxe8 Kxe8 6. Nxe5)
For those of you scratching your heads at the above statement, fear not! An explaination is at hand.
If Black simply recaptured the pawn, then White would trade queens with Black. Then the knight, no longer pinned to the queen, would re-take the Black pawn. To quote Rumplestilskin, "Every little zergling counts!"
5. Qxf3
The logical thing to do. If Morphy takes back with the pawn instead, then his pawns would be all clustered up and tripping over each other. Base layout is important in chess!
5... dxe5
Black retakes the pawn. (Well, what else would he do?)
6.Bc4
Putting pressure on that poor little pawn right next to the king. White threatens to take the pawn, and more importantly, mate the king! (Ugh. You pervert, I can read your mind)
Now pause to reflect on the position. White has two peices out (two more than Black) and is making a threat that Black must respond to. Also, White has two bishops compared to blacks bishop and knight. Bishops love wide open spaces because they have such long range.
More importantly perhaps, White has the "two bishops". There is no such thing as a multi-cultrual bishop; bishops are confined to white or black squares from birth. They are limited to half the board! Having white and black bishops is most effective because you can unleash bishop power across all the board. Diversity is power!
You might say that white has a "balenced" attack force.
Sorry, you asians, latinos and pacific islanders don't get bishops =P
6... Nf6
Bloking the Queen's line of fire, and bringing out the Knight. Also, it attacks the White pawn. The queen is tied down to defending the pawn... right?
7.Qb3
Wrong!
This renews the threat to capture that critical pawn next the king. If White did take thare, the game would become very complicated, but Morphy would clearly have the edge. So Black must prevent it somehow.
6... Qe7
Blocking the threat.
Note how that the more white moves, the more he causes Black to turtle!
Yet there is a pawn undefended, below the bishop. White could take it, but then Black would move to square b4 (below the undefended pawn) with check, forcing a trade of queens. Should White accept?
8.Nc3
Of course not! Such a powerful attack is worth much more than a pawn.
White brings out yet another piece. This is the chess equivelant of "teching and powerning” and White is teching and powering. Hard,
He is also protecting his pawn in the center.
8... c6
Black opens a line for the Queen, who is now defending the undefended pawn. But, Black needs to catch up in development and stop “wasting” moves. Of course, Morphy would not allow that and from now on, he’ll be trying to bring out his pieces while simultaneously forcing Black to make more and more defensive moves.
9. Bg5
"Pinning" the Black knight to the queen.
Like a well-contained turtle, Black has almost run out of moves.
9... b5
The decisive move. Black has now officialy lost. The dragoons are coming to overrun Black’s natural, Starcraft-wise, and now it’s just a matter of time until the shit hits the fan...
10. Nxb5
A knight for two pawns! Is it worth it?
10... cxb5
Not much to say about this move, so I’ll just say the first thing that pops into my head.
Why do they keep on making Scooby-Doo specials? Does anybody actuallywatch them?
11. Bxb5+
The "+" represents check.
11... Nb-d7
Remember, the other knight can’t move because it is pinned. And moving the King out of his little fort instead is just asking for trouble.
(Starcraft metaphor!) Just like I said, Black's natural has been overrun.
12.0-0-0
Removing his King from the danger. More importantly, it "doubles up" the Rooks so they're both defending each other from long range, Nydus-canal-style, and adding a considerable amount of pressure on the Black turtle from far away, just like a pack of guardians.
12... Rd8
One of Black’s few moves left.
Look at this. Both of Black's knights are pinned to the royalty, and the poor Duke and Count can hardly move.
But how is white to capatalize?
13. Rxd7
Bingo!
But why use the rook, instead of the bishop? The key here is that the Bishop still needs to be involved in the meleé. This way, all of the White peices can be involved, while the Black bishop and rook are still sitting on their ass, stuck on their starting positions. Starcraft transalation: Black is too busy watching his zerglings fight to remember to make more of them back at his base!
13.... Rxd7
Capturing with the Queen instead would just be stupid.
14. Rd1
Bringing the other rook into the fray. Now all of White's pieces are involved. Rest assured that the end is nigh.
14... Qe6
The fatal blunder.
Duke Karl and Count Isouard reason that if they can trade queens, they can liquidate and fend off the attack, then win with their extra peices. Morphy never gives them the chance!
15. Bxd7+
Check!
Black has three responses.
1) is to move the King. But no matter where the King goes, Morphy's queen will swoop down and deliver mate.
2) is to take the Bishop with Queen. White will take back with his Rook. Black would take back, leaving White ahead a Queen, seven pawns, and a Bishop (1900 minerals worth, Starcraft-wise) compared Black with a Knight, a Rook and five pawns(1300 minerals, Starcraft wise.) To top it off, white would remain in control. Not a good trade.
Which leaves option three...
15... Nxd7
Which leaves option three, the final blunder!
16. Qb8+
You may be thinking, "WTF is Morphy doing? Isn't he some sort of chess god?"
Just watch!
16... Nxb8
Forced.
17. Rd8#
Checkmate!
Comments are, of course welcome. Flames are unwelcome, but they’ll come anyway. You flamers are so perdictable =P
I hope that Bob doesn’t give me a 1 because he, for some reason, bears a grudge against me. Of course, if he gives me lower than a 7 i’ll whine and leave, but not before I get everyone to flame him. Hah!
BTW, I was planing to put some alt-text stating that “Raters can suck the marrow out of life =D” but I couldn’t get it to work. Bah!
I sincerely hope that this is actually good, and I haven’t badly embarresed myself. Oh well, at least I’m better than Eridacate~Me =D Some comfort in that.
Regards,
everyone’s favorite citizen! |
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