In a series of blog entries I'm going to analyze Paul Morphy's games where 1.e4 e5 was played to explored how this master of the open game handle these types of positions.

I going to start off first by examining games played against weaker opposition and then slowly progress towards games played against stronger opponents.

 

**Bold and larger font are games moves, underline moves are the reccomended improvement, and italics are sidelines.

Game 1

source: Chessbase

Place: New Orleans 1848

White: Morphy (age 11)

Black: N.N.

1.e4 e5 2.h3?! not a fatal mistake but passes the initiative to black.

Thus, Morphy is now playing black a tempo up. It is uncertain if h3 strengthens or weakens White's kingside.

2...d5!? 3.exd5 Bc5

Black responded aggressively by gambiting a pawn for open lines and attacking chances.

4.Bc4 protecting his newly acquired material (This position resembles a Max-Lange attack with colors reverse)

Chooses this move over c4 or Nc3 because this move brings white one move closer to kingside castling. In open position development and king safety are vital.

4...c6 5.Nc3 Nf6

 

6.d3? Focusing on development is the right idea since 6.dxc6 is met by Bxf2+! Kxf2 Qd4+ and 6.Qf3 is easily answer by e4 and if Nxe4 then Qe7!

The correct move is 6.Nf3 apparently Morphy was afraid of black advancing his pawn to e4, however that move can be counter by 7.d4! with a counter attack against Black's bishop on c5. 

 

6...a5? a dubious threat to trap White's bishop by advancing the pawn to ...b5. Black missed the fact that the bishop on c4 is no longer hanging takes to d3 so white can now safety secure his material advantage and protect his bishop from being trap with dxc6. Black should have grab the center by cxd5 and can answer Bb5+ with the tactical Kf8! threatening to win a piece by advancing his pawn to d4.

 

7.Bg5!?  Instead of playing the obvious Morphy finds another way to answers Black's threat while continuing his development. Morphy is a player that prefers to have all his pieces involved. According to Rybka dxc6 is objectively the best move here but Morphy probably was thought he would be helping out Black's development by allowing him to recapture by Nxc6.

The idea of development first, gain material later has been used by future attacking players such as Alekhine, Tal, and Kasparov.

 

7...Ne7?  Black should have continue to ...b5 to maintain positional equality and if black plays the other developing move 0-0 white answers with 6.Qf3! with  pressure against the pin piece.

Possible variation after 7...b5

7...b5 8.Ne4 bxc4 9.Nxc5 Qxd5 10.Bxf6 Qxc5

11.d4! Qb4+ 12.c3 Qxb2 13.Bxg7 Rg8 14.Bxe5 Qxc3+ 15.Kf1 Bf5

with a very complex middlegame position

 

 

8. dxc6 White's delay of this capture has paid off now black no longer can capture with the knight; Black has very little to show for his pawn deficit.

8...bxc6 9.Nf3 0-0 10.0-0 h6 11.Bh4 Qc7

Even though the position is relatively open Black has a hard time coordinating his pieces due to pressure exerted by bishop on Black's important kingside defensive piece, the knight on f6. Notice that the Knight on e7 plays a positive role of protecting the knight on f6 while it has a negative effect of preventing the bishop on c8 from gaining an active role.

 

 

12.d4!? Ripping the position open rather then slowly building up the position by applying pressure to the weak e5 pawn with Qe2, Rfe1, Bg3. Morphy believes that Black's lack of coordination between his pieces will prevent him from being able from placing his pieces to defend against tactical threats that are likely to happen in an open position.

12...exd4 13.Nxd4  Rybka comes up with a interesting idea of allowing black to regain his pawn with 13.Na4!? in return white gains a stronger positional bind.

13...Bd6?? Fatal, this move cost two tempi one for moving the bishop to this square the second for allowing White's Knight to reach f5 with a strong attack. 13...Ne5 or 13...Qf4 allow black to resist a little longer.

14.Nf5! Seizing the moment, White's pieces are now effectively placed to harass Black's king.

14...Bh2+ A desperate attempt to create counter played

15.Kh1 Ne5  hoping for Kxh2? Nf3 double check  follow by Qh2 mate

16.Bb3 avoiding the trap  Ba6 17.Re1 (Bxf6 wins as well) Ng6 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qh5 and black can't prevent mate.

 

 

Key Points

• In open games you should be focus on development and trying to keep the initiative.
• Well coordinated pieces have a considerable advantage against poorly coordinated pieces in an open position