Opera game (chess)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Opera Game is a famous
chess game played in 1858 between an American
Paul Morphy and a German and French aristocrat (Karl, Duke of Brunswick and
Count Isouard), playing together.
The Frenchmen invited Morphy to the
Paris Opera, then asking him to join them in a chess game. The Duke and the
Count (playing black) were allowed to consult each other during play.
The game has been much reproduced in the years since it was played and is
often used by chess teachers to demonstrate the importance of rapidly developing
one's pieces. It is given here in
algebraic notation.
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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6
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This is
Philidor's Defense.
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3. d4 Bg4
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3...exd4 is more normal. 3...f5 is a more aggressive alternative.
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4. dxe5 Bxf3
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If ... dxe5, then 5. Qxd8 Kxd8 and Black has lost the right to
castle.
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5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. Qb3 Qe7 8. Nc3
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White prefers fast development to material.
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8. ... c6 9. Bg5 b5 10. Nxb5!
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Morphy chooses not to retreat the bishop, which would allow Black to
gain time for development.
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10. ... cxb5 11. Bxb5+ Nbd7 12. 0-0-0
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The combination of the bishop's pin on the knight and the open file for
the rook will lead to Black's defeat.
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12. ... Rd8 13. Rxd7 Rxd7 14. Rd1 Qe6
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Compare the activity of the White pieces with the idleness of the Black
pieces.
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15. Bxd7+ Nxd7
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If ... Qxd7, then 16. Qb8+ Ke7 17. Qxe5+ Kd8 18. Bxf6+ gxf6 19. Qxf6+
Kc8 20. Rxd7 Kxd7 21. Qxh8 and White is clearly winning.
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16. Qb8+! Nxb8 17. Rd8#
The game in PGN format (see
Portable Game Notation)
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