Löwenthal against Morphy — the eleventh game of their 1858 London match (Sicilian Defence), one of Löwenthal's three wins.
1…c5With players partial to close openings this was (some short time ago) a very favourite defence, mainly owing to a statement in Staunton's “Handbook,” to the effect that it is the best reply to the opening move of P. to K's 4th. The line of attack, however, which M. Löwenthal subsequently pursued with success against both Anderssen and Staunton, fully exposes the fallacy of the supposition, and the defence of 1. P. to Q. B's 4th is now considered weak.
4.Nxd4A full analysis of this move will be found in the report of the meeting of the British Chess Association, held in Manchester, in 1857.
8.Qg3The right move at this moment.
9…d5Mr. Morphy has pointed out to us that he ought rather to have advanced this Pawn but one step.
12…Nxe5A hazardous sacrifice, but Mr. Morphy preferred making it rather than incur the cramped game which he would have obtained by retreating the Kt. to Kt's 2nd.
13…Nxg4As the piece was irretrievably lost, Mr. Morphy chose the wisest course in capturing the second Pawn.
19.Bg2This was the proper move.
25.Nb6Better than playing the Kt. to Q. B's 7th.
29…Rfd8Mr. Morphy thinks that P. to Q's 6th would have been the better play, but to that move, we believe, P. to B's 3rd would have furnished a satisfactory reply.
30.Bxg5The consequences contingent on this move were so multifarious and complex, that the utmost care and examination were requisite before making the capture.
33.Nd7The only move by which White could maintain a winning game, and an absolutely necessary sequence to the previous capture of the Q's P.
33…Rxg5If B. takes Kt., White retakes (ch.), and then plays R. takes P., and R. to R's 7th.
J. Löwenthal, Morphy's Games of Chess (1860) · Public domain · source