New Orleans · 1850
Blindfold Brilliancy
Paul Morphy vs. Alonzo Morphy (his father) — The boy Morphy gives up a rook before the first move and finishes with the rarest mate in chess: castling.
LevelBeginnerElo700–900Moves18
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Moves · tap to jump
0/350/35
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Starting position
Ready
Press Auto-play to watch the game, or step move by move.
Main lesson
Attack the uncastled king
What your student should learn
- A king in the centre is a target, not a spectator.
- Checks that push the king forward can be stronger than checks that win material.
- Every sacrifice should buy time or open a line.
- Castling is a move, so it can also be checkmate.
Mini tournament checklist
- ✓ Has my opponent castled yet?
- ✓ Can I open a file or diagonal towards their king?
- ✓ Do my checks force the king somewhere worse?
- ✓ Am I giving material for real progress, not just excitement?
Run through this list before you start an attack in a real game. Mostly yes means look for tactics; otherwise improve one more piece first.
Full move list
Opening
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The King Is Dragged Out
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The Long March
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Castling Checkmate
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18.
Note: This was an odds game — White begins without the a1 rook — which is why 17...Kxc1 is legal and 18.O-O# is mate.