[Event "Paris"] [Site "Paris"] [Round "0"] [White "Morphy"] [Black "De Riviere"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C53"] [Opening "Giuoco Piano: Close Variation"] {22. MORPHY (1837-1884) Many people consider Morphy to be the greatest combinative player of all time. But Morphy owed his remarkable achievements not only to his admittedly tremendous combinative talents, but also to the fact that he was the first perfect positional player - in so far as one can speak of perfection in a human being. Moreover, he had excellent technique. In the maturity of his positional insight, Morphy was half a century ahead of his time. While other racked their brains for the right procedure, Morphy simply knew what to do. Unlike his contemporaries who played for complications on the off chance of finding something, he struck only when the position was ripe. When he did strike, the blow was hard and often settled the game outright} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Qe7 {At the time when this game was played Morphy had already withdrawn from public chess. Anrous de Rivier was his personal friend and they played occasionally to investigate particular variations} 5. d4 Bb6 6. O-O d6 7. h3 {Even today this move, which prevents Black from pinning the Knight, is still considered necessary to maintain the central tension as long as possible.} (7. a4 a6 8. h3 { now considered the most precise}) 7... Nf6 8. Re1 h6 { To prevent White from playing Bg5, a move which isn't a threat} (8... O-O 9. b4 Nd8 {Spielmann}) 9. a4 a5 {weakens b5} (9... a6 10. b4 O-O 11. Ba3 Nd7 12. b5 Nd8 13. Nbd2 Qf6 {Spielmann-Eliskases, match, 1936}) 10. Na3 {Morphy always brought every piece into play as quickly as possible. To play the same piece twice in the opening was a breach of principle. Only under the influence of such players as Reti and Breyer, about 1920, was it realized that in some cases it can be good. The present position is such a case: White could obtain a definitie advantage with 10. Bb5!} (10. Bb5 $1 Bd7 11. Na3 -- 12. Nc4) 10... Nd8 11. Nc2 Be6 12. Ne3 Bxc4 13. Nxc4 Nd7 14. Ne3 { The Knight comes powerfully into play now} 14... g6 (14... c6 15. Nf5 Qf6 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. Nd6+) 15. Nd5 Qe6 (15... Qf8 { White gets a big positional advantage} 16. Nxb6 cxb6 $16 (16... Nxb6 17. dxe5 dxe5 18. Nxe5)) 16. Bxh6 $1 f6 { Black must prevent Ng5 whic would trap the Queen} (16... Rxh6 17. Ng5 { trapped piece}) 17. Bg7 (17. Be3 {Maroczy}) 17... Rh5 $1 (17... Rg8 18. Bxf6 Nxf6 19. Ng5) 18. g4 { White must press on like this, since Black threatens ... Qf7} 18... Rxh3 19. Nxf6+ Nxf6 20. Ng5 Qd7 (20... Qxg4+ 21. Qxg4 Nxg4 22. Nxh3 Kf7 23. f3 Kxg7 24. fxg4 exd4 25. Kg2 Ne6 {Maroczy - drawing chances}) 21. Bxf6 Rh4 22. f3 exd4 23. cxd4 Rh6 24. Kg2 Nf7 25. Rh1 Nxg5 (25... Rxh1 26. Qxh1 {White also wins easily} ) 26. Rxh6 Nh7 27. Qh1 $1 Nxf6 28. Rh8+ Ke7 29. Rxa8 Bxd4 30. Qh6 Qc6 31. Rc1 Qb6 32. Rxc7+ $1 { It was unthinkable for a Morphy game to finish without fireworks} 32... Ke6 33. Re8+ Nxe8 34. Qxg6+ Ke5 35. Qf5# 1-0