Game I of the even-terms Morphy–Meek series — a Ruy Lopez Knight's Game, Meek (White) against Morphy, New York 1857. Notes from the 'Book of the First American Chess Congress,' with the Editor's additions.
5.c3The 'Leitfaden,' p. 101, correctly remarks that this move is not so strong as 5. Q. to K's 2nd, which leads to the following:— 5. Q. to K's 2nd; 6. Castles, Castles; 7. P. to Q's 4th, K. B. to Q. Kt's 3rd; and the game is perfectly even.
6.b4He should have played 6. P. to Q's 4th, and the game would probably have been carried on in the following manner:— 6. P. to Q's 4th, P. takes P.; 7. P. takes P., B. to Q. Kt's 5th (ch.); 8. K. to B's sq., and White has the better game.
12.Kh1White labours under a great disadvantage through the common fault of having allowed all his Queen's pieces to remain inactive at home.
15.b5White's last move of B. to Q. R's 3rd was very good play, but he should have followed it up now with P. to K. B's 4th, or Q. Kt. to Q's 2nd. His premature advance of the Q. Kt's P. gives Black an immediate advantage.
26.Nf4This loses a piece and renders further resistance quite useless. Playing his P. to K. B's 4th, instead of moving the Knight, would have been better, but even then Black would have retained a marked superiority.
27…Bxf4Black might also have played 27. Q. takes Q's R., with perfect safety.
J. Löwenthal, Morphy's Games of Chess (1860) · Public domain · source