Paul Morphy's King's Gambit

PAUL MORPHY vs. EUGENE ROUSSEAU
New Orleans, 1849
King's Gambit Accepted, Kieseritzky Variation, Cotter Gambit

1.  e4, e5
2. f4, exf4
3. Nf3, g5
4. h4, g4
5. Ng5, h6

An offshoot of the Kierseritzky Gambit.  White sacrifices a Knight to break down Black's defenses.

6. Nxf7, Kxf7
7. Qxg4, Qf6

Black defends the f4 pawn.

8. Bc4+, Ke7
9. Nc3, c6
10. e5!! ....

A surprise move!  Here, White intends to open the e-file for a strong attack on Black's King.

10. ..... Qxe5+

Black accepts the challenge, for he has nothing better.  If 10....Qg7, 11. Qxf4 d5, 12. exd6+ (e.p.) and Black's defense collapses.

11. Kd1, Kd8
12. Re1, Qc5
13. Bxg8, d5
14. Re8+, Kxe8
15. Qxc8, Ke7
16. Nxd5+!! .....

White takes advantage of the pin on Black's Queen at c6, rendering White's Knight immortal.

16. ..... Kd6
17. Qc7 mate

White may also mate at e6, but the current position makes a picturesque mate.

Anderssen Tames the King's Gambit

JAKOB ROSANES vs. ADOLF ANDERSSEN
Breslau 1863

King's Gambit Accepted, Kieseritzky Gambit

1. e4, e5
2. f4, exf4
3. Nf3, g5
4. h4, g4
5. Ne5 ....

The Kieseritzky Variation of the King's Gambit...

5. .... Nf6
6. Bc4, d5
7. exd5, Bd6
8. d4, Nh5
9. Bb5+, c6
10. dxc6, bxc6
11. Nxc6, Nxc6
12. Bxc6+, Kf8
13. Bxa8, Ng3!!

This Knight position is more valuable than the Rook taken by White's Bishop.

14. Rh2, Bf5
15. Bd5, Kg7
16. Nc3, Re8+
17. Kf2, Qb6
18. Na4, Qa6!!

The Queen attacks the Knight and controls the a6-f1 diagonal.

19. Nc3, Be5!!
20. a4? ....

A useless move. But White has nothing better. If the Bishop is taken then 20....Qb6+, 21. Ke1 Rxe5+ Kd2, 22. Qd4 mate.

If 20. Bxc2, then .....Qxg4+ 21. Kh8 Bxf4 and all squares attacked by Black will be defended.

20. .... Qf1+
21. Qxf1 ....

Forced.

21. .... Bxd4+!!

The reason behind Black's 19th move. Now White crumbles.

22. Be3, Rxe3

White hoped for 22....Bxe3+, 23. Ke1 and the King escapes! Now, Black threatens 23....Re2 mate.

23. Kg1, Re1 mate.

A beautiful finale. For more articles about Adolf Anderssen, click here.

King's Gambit Accepted

Once again, we are posting an article on the King's Gambit.  In the gambit, the f4 pawn is being offered so that White could build up a strong center with d2-d4.  Theory has shown that in order for Black to maintain his f4 pawn, he must weaken his king-side.

PAUL MORPHY vs. ADOLF ANDERSSEN
Paris 1858
King's Gambit Accepted, Kieseritzky Gambit Berlin Defenese

1. e4, e5
2. f4, exf4
3. Nf3, g5
4. h4, g4
5. Ne5 ....

The Kieseritzky Gambit, said to be stronger and positional in nature. The Gambit was used by Boris Spassky to beat Bobby Fisher in a famous game during the year 1960.

5. .... Nf6
6. Nxg4, Nxe4
7. d3, Ng3
8. Bxf4 ....

White sacrifices a Rook in exchange for an attack on the uncastled Black King.

8. .... Nxh1
9. Qe2+, Qe7

If 9....Be7 then 10. Nf6+ Kf8, 11. Bh6+ mate.

10. Nf6+, Kd8
11. Bxc7!!, Kxc7
12. Nd5+, Kd8
13. Nxe7, Bxe7
14. Qg4, d6
15. Qf4, Rg8
16. Qxf7, Bxh4+
17. Kd2, Re8
18. Na3, Na6
19. Qh5 ....

Threatening both Bishop and Knight.

19. .... Bf6
20. Qxh1, Bxb2
21. Qh4+, Kd7

If 21....Re7 then 22. Re1!! with a great attack.

22. Rb1, Bxa3
23. Qa4+, Resigns

With material and positional advantage, White wins after 23....Kd8, 24. Qxa3.  A simple yet elegant finish.

To see the POPULAR VARIATIONS of this opening, visit  KING'S GAMBIT ACCEPTED.

The Immortal Game

A game that has made into the annals of chess books is presented to you in the following post. Adolf Anderssen is forever immortalized through this brilliant game...hundreds of years and thousands of strong players later.  He is still remembered today.

Anderssen's biography may be viewed at Morphy's Opponents.

ANDERSSEN vs. KIESERITZKY
London, 1851
King's Gambit, Kieseritzky Variation

1. e4, e5
2. f4, exf4
3. Bc4 .....

The usual move is Nf3 which clearly stops Qh4. The text 3. Bc4 deals with it by creating a safe flight square for the King.

3. ..... Qh4+
4. Kf1 .....

Although White cannot castle, the pawn would be easy to win back, and the Black position is compromised by a badly placed Queen prone to attack.

4. ..... b5??

A strange move that sacrifices a pawn for no good reason.

5. Bxb5, Nf6
6. Nf3, Qh6
7. d3 .....

Protecting e4 and activating the c1 Bishop which bites down on the f4 pawn.

7. ..... Nh5
8. Nh4 .....

White is eyeballing the f5 square.

8. ..... Qg5
9. Nf5, c6!

Black creates a pawn lever with tempo.

10. g4!! .....

Taking advantage of the pinned f4 pawn, and offering to trade the b5 Bishop for the h5 Knight.

10. ..... Nf6
11. Rg1 .....

White sacrifices the b5 Bishop in exchange for an attack on the king side.

11. ..... cxb5
12. h4!!, Qg6
13. h5, Qg5
14. Qf3 .....

Threatening BxP trapping the Queen.

14. ..... Ng8

The only way to save his Queen.

15. Bxf4!! .....

Although White is a piece down, he is starting to develop and getting a strong position.

15. ..... Qf6
16. Nc3, Bc5
17. Nd5!! .....

Attacking the Queen and putting the Knight in a sharp OUTPOST position.

17. ..... Qxb2
18. Bd6! .....

White offers both rooks.

18. ..... Bxg1
19. e5 !!, Qxa1+
20. Ke2, Na6

Ba6! would have been Black's salvation.

21. Nxg7+!, Kd8
22. Qf6+!!, Nxf6
23. Be7 mate.

A beautiful finish. White completes mate with only two knights, one bishop and a handful of pawns.

The King's Gambit, Kieseritzky Variation

The King's Gambit was one of the most popular openings for over 300 years, and has been played by many of the strongest players. The opening starts with 1. e4, e5; 2. f4 .... If Black takes the f4 pawn with 2. ... exf4, the opening becomes King's Gambit Accepted.

The Cunningham Defence (3. Nf3 Be7) is Black's most aggressive option; it can permanently prevent White from castling after 4.Bc4 Bh4+ 5.Kf1 (else the wild Bertin Gambit, or Three Pawns' Gambit, 5.g3 fxg3 6.0-0 gxh2+ 7.Kh1, played in the nineteenth century). In modern practice, it is more common for Black to simply play 4. ..Nf6 5.e5 Ng4, known as the Modern Cunningham.

The Classical Variation arises after 3.Nf3 g5, when there are two main continuations, 4.h4 (the Paris Attack), and 4.Bc4. After 4.h4 g4 White can choose between 5.Ng5 or 5.Ne5. 5.Ng5 is the Allgaier Gambit, intending 5...h6 6.Nxf7, but is considered dubious by modern theory. Stronger is 5.Ne5, the Kieseritzky Gambit, which is relatively positional in nature. It was used very successfully by Wilhelm Steinitz, and was used by Boris Spassky to beat Bobby Fischer in a famous game at Mar del Plata during the year 1960.

Instead of 4.h4, the extremely sharp Muzio Gambit arises after 4.Bc4 g4 5.0-0!? gxf3 6.Qxf3, where White has gambited a knight but has three pieces bearing down on f7. Such wild play is rare in modern chess, but Black must exercise care in consolidating his position. Black can avoid the Muzio by meeting 4.Bc4 with 4...Bg7 and ...h6.

MATSCHEGO vs. FALKBEER
Vienna, 1853
Kieseritzky Gambit

1. e4, e5
2. f4, exf4
3. Nf3, g5
4. h4, g4
5. Ne5, Nf6

White's best course is now 6. Bc4, keeping Black occupied with the threat to his King Bishop Pawn.  Instead, White plays an inconsequential developing move which allows the initiative to pass to Black.

6. Nc3, d6
7. Nc4, Be7
8. d4, Nh5

Black protects his advanced King Bishop Pawn and opens a line of attack on White's weak King Rook Pawn.

9. Be2, Bxh4+
10. Kd2, Qg5

Threatening to win a piece by 11. ..... f3+, 12. Kd3 fxe2, 13. Bxg5 exd1=Q+, etc.

11. Kd3, Nc6

And now Black has 12. .... Nb4+, 13. Kd2 f3+ in view.

12. a3, Bf2!
13. Nd5, Bxd4?!

Black is carried away by his enthusiasm.  Apparently he is ashamed to play the more levelheaded 13. .....Kd8.

14. Nxc7, Kd8
15. Nd5? .....

He might just as well have captured the Rook, since otherwise the Knight's expedition is labeled as futile.

15. ..... f5!
16. Nxd6, fxe4+
17. Kc4 .....

On 17, Kxe4 Black can play 17. .....Re8+!, 18. Nxe8 Bf5 mate.  Nor is this the only winning method.  But after 17. Kc4 Black announced a forced mate in nine!

17. ..... Qxd5+!!
18. Kxd5, Nf6+
19. Kc4, Be6+
20. Kb5, a6+
21. Ka4, b5+
22. Nxb5, axb5+
23. Kxb5, Ra5+
24. Kxc6, Bd5+
25. Kd6, Ne8 mate.

A picture-perfect mate!