Morphy: Crystalline Perfection

When Botvinnik gives praise, we listen:

Mikhail Botvinnik:

"To this day Morphy is an unsurpassed master of the open games. Just how great was his significance is evident from the fact that after Morphy nothing substantially new has been created in this field. Every player- from beginner to master- should in this praxis return again and again to the games of the American genius."

The following game is notable for a few things: First of all, since many modern GMs are playing the Italian Game with White and Black, specially the systems with d3 (Giouco Pianissimo), it is of great value to look at how Morphy handled this kind of system!

Second of all, this game shines for its perfection in all three phases, and for the wonderul way in which a small advantage in the opening translates into the middlegame and endgame: