Paul Morphy: Part 4, Lecture by GM Ben Finegold

Check out Ben's Chessable courses here! www.chessable.com/author/BenF... Part 4 of 4 of the Paul Morphy Lecture Series by GM Ben Finegold. This lecture focuses on four of Morphy's best games that are relatively unknown.
Living before chess had a formal world championship, Morphy was widely acknowledged to be the greatest chess master of his era. He won the tournament of the First American Chess Congress of 1857, winning matches with each opponent by lopsided margins.
00:53 Paul Morphy - Schrufer, Paris 1859
09:47 Paul Morphy - Hart, USA 1854
18:43 Paul Morphy - Adolf Anderssen, Match 1858
30:59 Paul Morphy - Pierre Bonford, Blindfold Simul 1858
If you're interested in sponsoring a lecture of your choice, email Karen at [e-mail]
Thank you Bill Wei for sponsoring this series!
Signup or gift a chess.com Premium membership to get access to their lessons, remove ads, improve your chess, AND help Ben at the same time!! Upgrade your chess.com membership or join! - go.chess.com/finegold.
Buy Merch today! ccscatlmerch.com/
Watch live at / itsbenandkaren
Donations are appreciated at: streamlabs.com/itsBenandKaren...
Follow me on Twitter: / ben_finegold
#benfinegold #chess #PaulMorphy

[@sciencefaction2646]

Bill Wei the People's Champ™

[@Compassiron1]

Bill Wei 2024 starts here

[@pommes34]

their name shall not be forgotten

[@RyanHarris77]

My favorite part of this series is when you talk about Paul Morphy.

[@cparks1000000]

Thanks! This was a great series.

[@jalapablocrypto]

Morphy's blindfold simuls, especially the one he gave in Paris in 1858, created stunningly beautiful works of chess art. In Paris he went up blindfolded against eight strong French masters, crushing six and drawing two. The combinations he calculated in these games are just breathtaking, more beautiful and impressive IMO than any modern Carlsen or Karpov game. Simply gorgeous chess, before engines.

[@thetjt]

Yes, Morphy's games are a delight, Carlsen's a bore. And I think engines underestimate his Elo... unlikely that any modern players played as consistently brilliant and flawless attacking games as Morphy. Also, he played the opponent and I assume for flair as well... meaning that the strongest machine move is not always the best move against every opponent and every occasion.

[@rathelmmc3194]

This was great. I could listen to Ben go over Morphy games for like a year straight.

[@Evilanious]

Sadly Ben doesn't get paid by the year.

[@perkalov]

You'd start getting "replays" a few weeks into that. Not that many Morphy games to analyze tbf.

[@jalapablocrypto]

Fun fact: Morphy was sick with intestinal influenza and couldn't walk when he played his match with Anderssen and he still smashed him. Adolf Anderssen was considered the strongest player in Europe at the time. Morphy gave all the prize money to him.

[@tolkienfan1972]

I love the five types of pawn moves by the one true pawn! I can't believe someone noticed! Also, loving these lectures. Love Morphy too

[@RMF49]

That pawn also forked and pinned.

[@isaakvandaalen3899]

Morphy has to be my favorite chess player by a landslide. The way he plays just shows how well he understood the game, favoring activity and threats over material. Really instructive play.

[@danjeory3659]

Can't even imagine how good Morphy would be today with access to today's theory and resources. Surely the best ever.

[@BluejeansProphet]

I'm a simple man, I see new lecture from GM Ben Finegold, I click. Go Ben!

[@laidbackstrat9491]

These lessons on Morphy have been incredible. Something I wish we had was some Morphy defeats (without odds) and longer Morphy games, or games in quieter positions. Most Morphy games involve either the opponent going into really sharp lines and crumbling, or Morphy sacrificing a bunch of pieces to get a mating attack. I know people didn't really play "passively" back then, but I'd love to see Morphy with black against a slow Queen's Gambit or something. Learning from Morphy's games is fun and instructive, but not every game can be a raging attack.

[@MuffinProCSGO]

Look up his games against Harrwitz, he beat him badly playing the dutch defense. He could play slow positional games just as good, he just didnt enjoy them as much.

[@konigsrustung8115]

Agadmator made a whole series or saga about morphy. There are defeats and quiet Games.

[@mauer1]

@@MuffinProCSGO i am not exactly sure if its about enjoying. but players like harrwitz were just better than the avarage morphy opponent.

[@OArchivesX]

that's the thing.. there aren't that many losses lol. Morphy had to really mess up

[@perkalov]

@@MuffinProCSGO Actually, to be fair, even if he enjoyed slow positional games... Its not as if his opponents are encouraging that.

[@scottniu8297]

In Paul Morphy we trust!

[@ClassicPass_]

THANKS BILL! Thanks Ben! These where great! Last game was the best!

[@Das_geht]

Absolutely gobsmacked by that blindfolded mate game ... nothing pedestrian about it, definitely captures genius at work. A big thanks to GM Finegold, a mundane intellect like mine has now seen what genius looks like

[@Derkalerk]

"Black resigned because, ridiculous." That's way funnier than it should be

[@umpatte0]

That pawn was amazing. Just.......wow.

[@steven99456]

Unfortunately I can't watch this Ben, as there will be no more Morphy lectures left after I do so .. the truth hurts

[@curtisfox1233]

"I sac material and then I resign because my pieces are gone." I love your humor. 😂

[@tomrockefeller4620]

Your lectures are morphing into some of my favorites.

[@madxenotheanti-hero]

I see what you did there! 😂

[@jtdavis62]

Thanks, Ben! Thanks, Bill! I grew up in New Orleans, which has such a rich cultural history crammed with musicians, artists, writers, and eccentrics that Morphy is often forgotten. I once had a book of his games published mid-century so it was in Descriptive Notation, Fischer's favorite. Terrible! I agree that people underestimate Morphy's genius. He'd be at least a mid-2700 today. I like to think of Aronian as a modern-day Morphy, very inventive and always looking to make a statement on the board, although the real Morphy seemed to have a rather humorless personality, especially later in life.

[@beaut7811]

It’s fascinating to see someone compare aronian and morphy, I love aronian! Do you remember any games/tournaments that stood out to you for the morphyness of them?

[@trent797]

Thanks Ben and Bill Wei...awesome series.

[@donovan665]

Fantastic series of lectures, amazing play Go Paul Go Ben! Big thanks to the sponsor!

[@JimmyLundberg]

Great series, thanks! Loved every bit of it. You do so well in this format, hope there's plenty more to come! I saw the first two games a few years back when looking at scotch games (mainly Kasparov's) in some database and noticed Morphy had played the scotch gambit a couple of times (but never the scotch game). Luckily for me I don't have the memory of a GM so it was like seeing them for the first time. The fourth game really blew me away! Especially Qxg7+, just wow.

[@StahliCell]

I love Morphy and this lecture was amazing! Thank you and thanks Bill!!

[@a_doggo]

Thanks Ben! Loved this! Big thanks to Bill Wei for sponsoring this! You've got great taste in great chess players, Mr. Wei!!! Thanks so much!

[@PsychedelicRealities]

Lovely lectures! Go Ben!

[@r302112]

Fantastic series thank you. Morphy becoming one of my faves

[@thetree1994]

Bill and Ben showing us the Wei.

[@DimPlaysChess]

these lectures are the best!

[@sebastiandesign5216]

Thank you for the Morphyseries. You're one of the most entertaining and best together with Seirawan and Naroditsky. At least according to me. And that means a lot!! at least to me!! 🙂

[@bobthompson3739]

Thank you very much, most articulate, highly educational and a pleasure to watch and listen.

[@ZmajevKralj]

Loved these lectures on Morphy. Thanks again to the sponsor!

[@elijahzarwan]

really enjoying this series. thank you!

[@MrSupernova111]

Excellent series! Thanks!!

[@qd4192]

Excellent series. Thanks.

[@Travizeno92]

5:42 is one of the funniest moments. Black could literally castle any direction and morphy says nope. Its so funny after watching the other series and how morphy always seems to put his opponents in precarious positions. I should have saw it coming.

[@highgroundchess]

This was insightful. I knew of Paul Morphy but did not know this much about him. Thanks for a great series.

[@wesleythomas9131]

Great series! Go Ben!

[@cspell]

Great series, this blindfold game seems supernatural

[@hitchikerspie]

The pawn odyssey at 17:10 was glorious

[@thetjt]

Thank you Bill & Ben. (aka Larry & Stretch) Morphy is certainly my favourite player and seems to me that he's the most talented player ever lived.

[@12jswilson]

Can't you sac the queen at 29:05 because of Bg4+?

[@andrewlijoi]

Thanks Bill :)

[@firstnamelastname7476]

Many thanks to Bill Wei!

[@askthepizzaguy]

Second, thirded, fourthed, I even pleads the fif.

[@Mrspeedwell]

Top job! Cheers from Oz.

[@Erik_001]

Thank you.

[@blazevandine5819]

Thanks!

[@chanky1000]

The last game was a beatdown and a half, god damn! Also his opponent seemed like a pretty good player for the time, bringing his pieces out, and castling etc.

[@matthewevansteush6461]

Good is a pejorative term

[@pnutbutrncrackers]

Thanks for unearthing these buried gems, Ben.

[@dennisnizzle2851]

This was a great series! I am waiting for the 4 part Ken west series anonymously sponsored but highly suspected to be Ken west

[@IsaacBenevides]

That last game was insane for a blindfold simul!

[@danielroberger2374]

Mr Finegold. Amazing music.🎺🎷

[@NS-mm6jq]

Schrufer sounds like Dufus. I cried as a child 😂😂

[@NS-mm6jq]

Mr Ben, you have such a great sense of humor😂 even as an Ukrainian I laugh at your jokes. Of course, your game’s vision is super cool too. Please don’t stop publishing these lectures.❤

[@forrestkennedy5458]

My man Bill Wei

[@tomwaters8409]

Thanks Ben, you have made me into a Morphy believer.

[@gm2407]

There is a video of you wearing a suit and giving a blindfold simul. It is super impressive.

[@robertomariani626]

27:00 always ask the engine, ahah, that's a new one!

[@harmadavtian2916]

GM Finegold, re: 5 things to do with a pawn, Morphy also checked the king with the E pawn (also forked), so 6 or 7 things, quite amazing :)

[@markritchie8874]

Great series of lectures, thanks to you and to Bill Wei. Any chance of adding a Paul Morphy hoodie/t-shirt to your merch?

[@MuhammadIqbal-dp2es]

Super super genius....❤❤❤❤ paul morphy

[@JimmyLundberg]

5:30 after 10...Bb4 the move Nxe6 is shouting at me. The coolest part is if Bxe1 Nxg7+; you don't often see a knight fork picking up a queen on g7 and h5, or at least I don't.

[@kapa1611]

18:00 that pawn lived a full life xD

[@petargadev6630]

Yesss its upp ma boi

[@KingClem7]

"oh gimme the knight" 😂 14:50

[@rainerausdemspring3584]

I have seen Morphy - Schrufer before - well known example for a smothered mate.

[@Man20045]

29:09 the light square bishop of black can give a check and capture the white's queen

[@joelcuerrier4833]

I know Paul Morphy very well, because I've been watching you do lectures about his games for over 10 years. There is no doubt to me that his games are the most entertaining, along with Tal and Ivanchuk. Because when they win, it often is in a spectacular way. Of course, they do lose and we always skip those. But I saw some videos showing when Morphy lose and it's a lot like Tal. Sacrifices that backfire and the opponent figures out a way to wiggle out and end up 2 pieces up. Agadmator covered his losses since he basically covered all of his games. Would love to hear your take on some of his losses. Like covering his famous matches where he didn't win them all.

[@MrRichi251]

At 4:15 Imagine if Morphy new about the Nakhmanson Gambit you know he would play it :) Nc3 here then after xc3 then Bxf7+! Kxf7 and Qd5+!

[@joe0633]

I remember seeing the finish of game 1 as a puzzle in lichess practice section

[@sublimeade]

32:10 and it was in this position that Ben acknowledged Agadmator, as there is nothing more to be done

[@scheimong]

29:06 if Ne8+ Qxe8 Qxe8, doesn't black win with Bg4+?

[@frantiseklhotsky2702]

Yeah, that looks good for black

[@frantiseklhotsky2702]

But instead of Ne8, Rf1 is mate in three moves

[@lukeflanagan9247]

Incredible, I couldn't see some of the moves shown in this series' games if i had unlimited time and my opponent had to play with 3 mins

[@Sevenigma777]

I so badly hope that right before he was about to win he would yell "Its Morphy Time!" like the Power Ranger he was lol

[@captainnewbi2410]

Morphy is my new favorite chess player

[@rudicde]

And you can pin with a pawn, which also happened with e. :)

[@pschneider1968]

Amazing games! I wonder why, as you say, many of your Grandmaster colleagues insist that Morphy, by today's measure, was just "average" FM or IM strength, when as a matter of fact, he was really outstanding?

[@zemm9003]

It is difficult to understand. Maybe they are jealous? Some moves that Morphy plays in some situations are extremely hard to find even for super GMs. It takes tremendous pure innate god given talent to spot them in the first place before any calculations. A 2400 certainly wouldn't be able to do it even with hours left on the clock.

[@lollycopter]

@@zemm9003 Jealousy powered by recency bias in assuming that those from over a century ago can't possibly be as bright as the brightest minds of today. Every field of endeavour has this type of Dunning-Kruger effect, be it science, technology, medicine, music, arts, or sport. Many of us like to think that we're smarter or more superior just because we have more access to information when that is very obviously not always the case.

[@briankaren604]

Next time someone tells me Morphy was 2000-2200, Im going to strap them in a chair, prop their eyelids open clockwork orange style, and force them to watch Finegold's 4 part Morphy series.

[@albertmagician8613]

Hoi Ben, are you yourself playing in those jazz intro? I like it vey much.

[@frankr2246]

Wow, That e-pawn is like Mario Lemieux (who once scored 5 goals in the same game: even-strength, power-play, shorthanded, penalty shot, and into the empty net).

[@GK-il3fn]

I would give this video NEIN out of 10

[@greennin]

This 4 part lecture was amazing. Thanks ben and thanks to the sponsor (bill I think)

[@DerKenste]

I wonder what he's gonna morph into this time!

[@joshuahitchins1897]

Hey Ben, remember to tell me something special at the end of the game. Edit: I'm glad he heard me.

[@juan-ramonmunuera4080]

I ❤❤❤❤Paul Morphy

[@klodm.2064]

I think you showed Morphy Schrufer in one of your many Morphy videos

[@CorneliuZeleaCodreanu9]

Someone played with a lawn mower on Ben s face😢😂

[@angeloantonucci9577]

I agree Paul Morphy is the GOAT! If Morphy played today only armed with what he knew in 1850 he would probably be 2600 however if Albert Einstein were to appear in a community college armed with what he knew in 1930 he would be behind a community college Physics professor. We consider Newton and Einstein two of the greatest scientists of all time they knew far less than even mediocre scientists know today, but they paved the way. If Morphy had modern training and if chess were his profession my guess he would be 2950 he was a giant of chess the GOAT! I ask the same question that you have asked -how did he get so good when his strongest opposition was only about 2000 strength? He just saw so much more than everyone else. To coin your phrase - Frankly amazing!

[@erickent4248]

With your sunburn, you are matching your shirt.

[@windowpain1]

28:37 White also could have forced the Ne8+ line here instead of capturing the pawn, no?

[@caesarsailor4051]

I gotta know where you get the piano intro music

[@weeblol4050]

29:08 Doesn't black have Bg4+ in response to Qxe8 wining back the queen and just being up 2 pieces

[@Al.2]

29:10 yeah, that is funny - black won't be down a queen for long after Bg4+

[@Al.2]

That means I'm taking the rook with black in the final position and in a couple of moves totally winning against Ben. Yay! 😉

[@Curufin1984]

29:04 Ne8+ Qxe8 Bg4+ and white loses. That's not the right move. Stockfish wants to play Rf1+

[@gaberobison680]

People arguing Morphy isn’t the best player are crazy. Chess GM’s today are excellent but aided by computers that can brute force solve positions. It’s a totally different paradigm today based on memorization and practically academic approaches. While it’s not necessarily and, Morphy crushed in an era that had far fewer resources. The guy clearly would dominate if given prep time today

[@seinfan9]

40:34 Morphy: Yay. I'm the best.

[@benlundgren3760]

Why doesn’t a current grandmaster play a low rank player like in the 1400 range to show us how easy it is to look like Morphy?

[@ggobbler]

damn ben

[@answeris4217]

I wonder if New Orleans was a hotbed for chess or that Morphy was just really famous and promoted as the world's greatest chess player which attracted players to seek him out. Likely the former...seeing his father was a successful politicians and lawyer. So knew how to promote himself and of course Paul.

[@alfiecollins5617]

30:32