Morphy, Paul VS Boden, Samuel Standidge 1858.??.??

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Morphy against Boden, London 1858 — a hard-fought casual Ruy Lopez that Boden, by very able defence, brought to a draw. Notes by Löwenthal.

1. 5…f6 This is a defence of Mr. Boden's own, but it has not been sufficiently tested in actual play to enable us to speak confidently as to its merits. It seems to give the second player a more cramped position than the ordinary defences, but for all that may turn out not more objectionable.
2. 7.Na3 P. to Q. Kt's 3rd, in order to follow with Q. B. to R's 3rd, is also an excellent mode of pursuing the attack.
3. 11.Ba4 The opening moves on both sides are identical with those that were played in the ninth game of the match with Lowenthal; the latter here, however, moved B. to Q's 3rd, and we consider that a better move than the one in the text.
4. 15…Rc8 Q. to K's 2nd, at once, seems to gain Black more time.
5. 16…Be6 Well played. Black is thus enabled to get rid of his adversary's Q's Kt., which threatened to aid very forcibly in the attack.
6. 17…Qe7 The only move to liberate the pieces on the K's side.
7. 20…c5 K. to Kt's 2nd at once would possibly have been better.
8. 24.g4 Played, it would seem, solely to gain an attack, but strictly speaking an unsound venture.
9. 34…Ng7 Kt. to R's 5th looks a good move, but it is so only in appearance. White, in reply thereto, would have taken the B's P. with Rook, and on Kt. taking Rook, have played R. to B's 7th, a terrible rejoinder.
10. 35…Bd8 Mr. Boden plays the last series of moves with very great ability, completely extricating himself from the constrained position that he previously occupied.
11. 36.Rxf6 White was, in a manner, compelled to play thus and free himself from the Pawns so strongly arrayed in opposition.
12. 39.Qe3 Black has so good an attack, that extreme nicety of play was required on the part of his opponent.
13. 41…cxd4 The best play on the board.
14. 44…Rgf8 R. takes P. (ch.), and then Q. to K's 4th would, no doubt, have been much better play, and must have led to an easy win for Black.
15. 45…Rxh3+ Taking the K. B's P. would have been bad, e.g., — 45. R. takes K. B's P.; 46. B. takes Kt. (ch.), K. to Kt's sq.; 47. B. to Q. Kt's 3rd, R. takes Q. (best); 48. B. takes Q., and wins.
16. 47.Bg5 Mr. Morphy selected the best move; had he played Q. to K. B's 4th, Black would have gained a piece by R. takes B., and then Q. takes R. (ch.), &c.; and if B. to Q. Kt's 3rd, the game would soon have been ended by Black's posting Queen at K. R's 4th.
17. 47…Qd4 Q. to K's 4th were still stronger.
18. 49…Qe5 Changing Queens would have left Black with a game very difficult to win.
19. 54…Rh5 The following variation would have occurred, in all probability, if Black had played R. to R's 5th.
20. 57.Kg2 And after a few more moves the game was resigned as drawn.

J. Löwenthal, Morphy's Games of Chess (1860) · Public domain · source