The ninth game, a Sicilian. Morphy fastened on the weakness of the backward Queen's Pawn, conceived a fine Knight sacrifice, and finished with an irresistible attack.
5…d6This is better than P. to Q. R's 3rd, but even now the K's B. is shut in, and the Q's P. rendered weak.
6.Bf4Correctly played, compelling the advance of the K's P., thereby leaving the Q's P. behind, weak and unsupported.
7…f5P. to Q. R's 3rd would have been sounder play, but even then the game would have been in favour of the first player.
8.N1c3A fine conception.
8…f4Had Black now played P. to Q. R's 3rd, White's reply would still have been Kt. to Q's 5th, with a winning game.
12.Bc4The attack is now irresistible.
13…d5If the Bishop had been interposed, White would have taken it, checking, and on the Knight retaking have played Kt. to Q's 5th (dis. ch.), winning without difficulty.
14…Kg6Had the Queen captured the Bishop, White would have taken with the Knight (dis. ch.), and remained eventually with a Pawn a-head and a winning position.
16.fxe3Kt. to K's 8th, though seemingly a good move, is so only in appearance; Black might have taken it, and, on White's taking the Queen, have answered with B. to Q. Kt's 5th (ch.), obtaining a winning game.
J. Löwenthal, Morphy's Games of Chess (1860) · Public domain · source