Morphy against Löwenthal — the fourth game of their 1858 London match (King's Gambit Declined).
9…exf4The books give as best P. takes Q's P., but the move played may be adopted without disadvantage.
16.Qd3The coup juste, providing for Black's intended attack of P. to Q's 4th, &c.
16…d5A bad move, and the origin of all subsequent troubles.
18.Bh5A very good move.
19.a5The sacrifice of the Rook at once would have been equally good; but as White's mode of play did not lose time, and as it moreover compelled the adverse Bishop to abandon an important diagonal, we are not sure but that Mr. Morphy selected wisely.
20.Rxf7An admirable stroke of play.
20…Kxf7Kt. to R's sq. would have been decidedly better, but White even then would have had by far the superior game.
23…Nxe5A useless sacrifice. Kt. to K. B's sq. might have given him a chance of redeeming his position.
24…Rf8Making bad infinitely worse.
J. Löwenthal, Morphy's Games of Chess (1860) · Public domain · source