In the previous episode we spoke at length about the genius Paul Morphy, who in the relatively short time he played chess left an indelible impression and enriched the chess world with his dazzling attacking game.
Garry Kasparov would later say that Morphy's historic achievement lay in the following:
1) Morphy showed why it's good to develop your pieces quickly
2) He also demonstrated why you should occupy the centre, and
3) He developed certain opening principles a quarter of a century before Wilhelm Steinitz formulated those.
Kasparov claimed that Morphy could be considered both "the progenitor of modern chess" and "the first swallow - the prototype of the strong 20th century grandmaster".
Fortunately, Morphy's relatively short-lived appearance in the chess world has resulted in a wealth of beautiful games that many chess enthusiasts can enjoy to this day. In this video, for example, we take a closer look at some of his brilliant attacks. You will be struck by the clear style with which Morphy brings his pieces into play in the blink of an eye, increasing the pressure on his opponent.
I found an analogous example in modern practice of the combination play he brings to the board. In the position shown in the diagram we can see an example of how Morphy has moved his pieces into position to make a decisive combination.
Do you see the fantastic move the American came up with?
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