Morphy's Games

Yes, the Opera Box game is certainly one of the most famous. I think every player should study it when they begin to take chess seriously. Super way to learn how to take advantage of passive opening moves. I have actually played games that used ideas from this on other chess servers. No student will be let down by learning it.

A fun game to play through. I wish I could be so incisive. Thanks for posting it.

its duke issoguard not allies

That is so efficient and so beautiful!

Beautiful mate!

ADK

im pretty sure Morphy played thisd blindfold also! OR were my sources incorrect?

its not allies

yes its  duke

During Morphy's triumphal tour of Europe, one of his most famous games was played against the Charles II d'Este-Guelph,  the Duke of Brunswick,  and the Count Isouard de Vauvenargue in the Duke's box at  le Théâtre-Italien (the Italian Opera House) in Paris, and has thus been dubbed the Opera Box Game. Morphy was a frequent visitor to the Duke's box where they invariably played chess during the performances. The Opera Box Game was played on November 2, 1858. And no, Morphy wasn't playing sans voir, but he did play with his back to the stage.  The Opera was Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville).

Frederick Edge, who acted as Morphy's secretary and valet during his European tour wrote about an earlier visit (in October during a performance of Norma) to the Duke's box:

"H. R. H. [i.e. His Royal Highness] the Duke of Brunswick is a thorough devotee to Caïssa;  we [Edge and Morphy] never saw him but the was playing chess with someone or other. We were frequent visitors to his box at the Italian Opera; he had got a chess-board even there, and played throughout the performance. The Duke's box is right on the stage; so close, indeed, that you might kiss the prima donna without any trouble. Morphy sat with his back to the stage, and the Duke and Count Isouard facing him. Now it must not be supposed that he was comfortable. Decidedly other wise; for I have already state that he is passionately fond of music, and, under the circumstances, wished chess at Pluto. The game began and went on: his antagonists had heard Norma so often that they could, probably, sing it through without prompting; they did not even listen to most of it, but went on disputing each other as to their next move. Then Madame Pencho, who represented the Druidical priestess, kept looking towards the box, wondering what was the cause of the excitement inside; little dreaming that Caïssa was the only Casta Diva the inmates cared about. And those tremendous fellows, the "supes." who "did" the Druids, how they marched down the stage, chaunting [sic] fire and bloodshed against the Roman host, who, they appeared to think, were inside the Duke's box."

It's a charming setting. I'd love to be able to review the footage!

Wonderfully played! It's a true work of art.