Lessons from Morphy | Dr.Dave, Exeter Chess

Paul Morphy is the perfect model for improving players — lots of fast development, vigorous attacking play, bright tactics, and killer instinct in the finish. His brisk disposal of two toffs at the opera has been an inspiration to generations.
   [Event "Opéra Hous: Morphy-Duke of Brunswick"]  [Site "Paris"]  [Date "1858.11.02"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Morphy, Paul"]  [Black "Duke of Brunswick, Count"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "C41"]  [Annotator "Lessons from Morphy"]  [PlyCount "33"]  [EventDate "1858.??.??"]  [EventType "tourn"]  [EventRounds "30"]  [EventCountry "FRA"]  [SourceTitle "EXT 2017"]  [Source "ChessBase"]  [SourceDate "2016.10.25"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2016.10.25"]  [SourceQuality "1"]   1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe5 {[#] Morphy had many  contemporaries who could attack as well as he, but more than anyone Morphy  knew how to create an attack out of the opening through accurate play. Here he  already has a development advantage and the two bishops.} 6. Bc4 Nf6 {[#]} 7.  Qb3 {keeping the initiative going} Qe7 8. Nc3 c6 9. Bg5 {White needs only two  more moves to complete his development - breathtakingly efficient work.} b5 {  [#] just the wrong sort of move} 10. Nxb5 cxb5 11. Bxb5+ Nbd7 12. O-O-O {  [#] Black's pieces are treading on each other's toes.} Rd8 13. Rxd7 Rxd7 14.  Rd1 {a nicely-coordinated crossfire of pins} Qe6 15. Bxd7+ Nxd7 16. Qb8+ {  apparently dramatic...} Nxb8 17. Rd8# {[#] this masterpiece of economic  development and slashing attack has become rightly famous; the final position  is very neat} 1-0   [Event "USA-01 Morphy Casual Games"]  [Site "New York"]  [Date "1857.??.??"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Morphy, Paul"]  [Black "Meek, A."]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "A43"]  [Annotator "Lessons from Morphy"]  [PlyCount "25"]  [EventDate "1857.10.??"]  [EventType "game"]  [EventCountry "USA"]  [SourceTitle "EXT 2004"]  [Source "ChessBase"]  [SourceDate "2003.11.25"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "2003.11.25"]  [SourceQuality "1"]   1. e4 e6 2. d4 c5 3. d5 e5 4. f4 d6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. fxe5 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 dxe5 {  [#] White has a development advantage and a passed d-pawn, all in seven moves!}  8. Bb5+ Nd7 9. Nc3 Ngf6 10. Bg5 Be7 {[#]} 11. d6 {a decoy} Bxd6 12. O-O-O Be7 (  12... Ke7 13. Nd5+ Kf8 14. Bxd7 Qxd7 15. Nxf6 gxf6 16. Qxf6) 13. Bxf6 1-0       [Event "Casuals Morphy-Bird +10-1=1"]  [Site "London"]  [Date "1858.08.??"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Bird, Henry Edward"]  [Black "Morphy, Paul"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "C41"]  [Annotator "Lessons from Morphy"]  [PlyCount "58"]  [EventDate "1858.07.??"]  [EventType "game"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [SourceTitle "MainBase"]  [Source "ChessBase"]  [SourceDate "1999.07.01"]  [SourceVersion "2"]  [SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]  [SourceQuality "1"]   1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5 4. Nc3 fxe4 5. Nxe4 d5 6. Ng3 e4 7. Ne5 Nf6 8. Bg5  Bd6 9. Nh5 O-O 10. Qd2 Qe8 11. g4 {[#] White is pushing his luck} Nxg4 12. Nxg4  Qxh5 13. Ne5 Nc6 {Black is achieving his usual brisk development} 14. Be2 Qh3  15. Nxc6 bxc6 16. Be3 Rb8 17. O-O-O {[#] not an easy decision} Rxf2 {bold but  probably too optimistic} 18. Bxf2 Qa3 {the point} 19. c3 Qxa2 20. b4 Qa1+ 21.  Kc2 Qa4+ 22. Kb2 {[#]} Bxb4 23. cxb4 Rxb4+ 24. Qxb4 Qxb4+ 25. Kc2 {Black has  some material back, and his initiative persists} e3 {a clearance sacrifice} 26.  Bxe3 Bf5+ 27. Rd3 Qc4+ 28. Kd2 Qa2+ 29. Kd1 Qb1+ {[#] White is in an insoluble  muddle} 0-1       [Event "Morphy casual"]  [Site "London"]  [Date "1858.??.??"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Morphy, Paul"]  [Black "Medley, George Webb"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "C39"]  [Annotator "Lessons from Morphy"]  [PlyCount "51"]  [EventDate "1858.07.??"]  [EventType "game"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [SourceTitle "EXT 1999"]  [Source "ChessBase"]  [SourceDate "1998.11.10"]  [SourceVersion "1"]  [SourceVersionDate "1998.11.10"]  [SourceQuality "1"]   1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bd6 8. d4  Nh5 9. Nc3 Bf5 10. Ne2 Qf6 11. Nxf4 Ng3 {[#] a confused picture, where White's  central hold is more secure} 12. Nh5 Nxh5 13. Bg5 Bb4+ (13... Qg7) 14. c3 Qd6 {  [#] White is offered material} 15. O-O {but completing development is more  important} Ng7 16. Rxf5 Nxf5 17. Qxg4 Ne7 18. Re1 {the last White piece enters  the fight, and Black faces early defeat} h5 19. Qf3 Rh7 {[#] Well, White's  pieces are well-placed, but how to push Black over the edge?} 20. Bb5+ c6 21.  dxc6 bxc6 22. Nxc6 Nbxc6 23. Bxc6+ {[#] the White force is perfectly  coordinated and Black is helpless to defend all his pieces} Kf8 24. Bxe7+ Qxe7  25. Rxe7 Bxe7 26. Bxa8 1-0