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Classic game replay

Thomas Wilson Barnes vs Paul Morphy, 1858

This replay preserves the complete 44-ply score of Morphy playing Black across 22 numbered moves. The board can be advanced one ply at a time; the notes stick to observable board changes rather than guessing at the players’ intentions.

On this page
  1. Practice positions
  2. Replay with move-by-move board facts
  3. PGN
  4. Sources and checking
  5. Continue with another game
White
Thomas Wilson Barnes
Black
Paul Morphy
Event
London m1
Year
1858
Result
0-1
Opening
C41 Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation

Opening reference: Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation (C41).

In this game, 20 half-moves are labelled opening, 24 middlegame and 0 endgame. The score contains 12 captures and 1 checks or mates; before a recorded move, the position offered a median of 34 legal choices. The source score ends after 22...Bd4 with the recorded result 0-1. Its termination tag was not retained, so this record does not infer whether the game ended by resignation, time or another cause.

Practice positions

The daily trainer uses a short set of positions from this complete score. Each link goes to the exact half-move rather than only the numbered move.

  1. 6...O-O — Kingside castling6...O-O was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  2. 11...Bxe2 — Exchange on e211...Bxe2 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  3. 18...Bf6 — Create pressure on a118...Bf6 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  4. 20...Qxc8 — Recapture on c820...Qxc8 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.

Replay with move-by-move board facts

The board, fact panel and transcript use the same legal score. “Fixed engine check” means Stockfish 17.1, one thread, a fixed 25,000-node search and 3 candidate lines. It compares moves under one reproducible setting; it does not claim to reconstruct a player’s thoughts.

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Thomas Wilson Barnes vs Paul Morphy, 1858

Start position

Use Previous and Next on the board, or select a move in the transcript. The board fact and fixed engine check remain visible until you choose another move.

Opening · 1.e4 to 10...Bg4

  1. 1.e4 Claim central space

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from e2 to e4; from there it controls d5 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6.

  2. 1...e5 Claim central space

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from e7 to e5; from there it controls d4 and f4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e5 Nf3 Nc6 d4.

  3. 2.Nf3 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from g1 to f3; from f3 it attacks Black's pawn on e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf3 Nc6 d4 exd4.

  4. 2...d6 Advance the d-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from d7 to d6; from there it controls e5 and c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d6 d4 exd4 Nxd4.

  5. 3.d4 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from d2 to d4; the move changes the central pawn contact; from d4 it attacks Black's pawn on e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d4 exd4 Qxd4 Nf6.

  6. 3...exd4 Exchange on d4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on d4; the move changes the central pawn contact; Black accepts doubled pawns on the d-file; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · exd4 Qxd4 Nc6 Qd3.

  7. 4.Nxd4 Recapture on d4

    Board fact: White's knight recaptures the pawn on d4; from d4 it reinforces the pawn on c2; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxd4 Nf6 Nc3 Be7.

  8. 4...Nf6 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from g8 to f6; from f6 it attacks White's pawn on e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf6 Nc3.

  9. 5.Bd3 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from f1 to d3; from there it controls e4 and c4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Bd3 Be7.

  10. 5...Be7 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from f8 to e7; from there it controls d6 and f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Be7.

  11. 6.Nc3 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from b1 to c3; from there it controls d5 and e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc3 O-O h3 Nc6.

  12. 6...O-O Kingside castling

    Board fact: Black castles kingside, moving the king to g8 and the rook to f8. The move changes king safety and develops the rook in one turn.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · O-O Be3 c5 Nf3.

  13. 7.O-O Kingside castling

    Board fact: White castles kingside, moving the king to g1 and the rook to f1. The move changes king safety and develops the rook in one turn.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · O-O Nc6 Nxc6 bxc6.

  14. 7...c5 Create pressure on d4

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from c7 to c5; from c5 it attacks White's knight on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c5 Nde2 Nc6 Nf4.

  15. 8.Nde2 Reroute the knight

    Board fact: White moves the knight from d4 to e2; from there it controls d4, c3 and f4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nde2 Nc6 Ng3 a6.

  16. 8...Nc6 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from b8 to c6; from there it controls d4 and e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc6 h3 Re8 Ng3.

  17. 9.f4 Advance the f-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from f2 to f4; from there it controls e5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · f4.

  18. 9...a6 Advance the a-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from a7 to a6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · a6 Ng3 Re8 h3.

  19. 10.a4 Advance the a-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from a2 to a4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · a4.

  20. 10...Bg4 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from c8 to g4; from g4 it attacks White's knight on e2.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Bg4.

Middlegame · 11.h3 to 22...Bd4

  1. 11.h3 Create pressure on g4

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from h2 to h3; from h3 it attacks Black's bishop on g4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · h3 Be6 Ng3 Re8.

  2. 11...Bxe2 Exchange on e2

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the knight on e2; from e2 it attacks White's queen on d1 and White's rook on f1; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxe2 Bxe2 Re8 Bc4.

  3. 12.Qxe2 Recapture on e2

    Board fact: White's queen recaptures the bishop on e2; from e2 it reinforces the rook on f1; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qxe2 Re8 Bc4 Nd4.

  4. 12...Re8 Rook on the semi-open e-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from f8 to e8; the rook now works on a semi-open e-file; from e8 it reinforces the queen on d8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Re8.

  5. 13.Qf2 Create pressure on c5

    Board fact: White moves the queen from e2 to f2; from f2 it attacks Black's pawn on c5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qf2 Nb4 Kh2 Bf8.

  6. 13...Rc8 Improve the rook

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from a8 to c8; from there it controls c6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rc8 Rd1.

  7. 14.g4 Advance the g-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from g2 to g4; from there it controls f5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · g4 c4.

  8. 14...Nb4 Create pressure on d3

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from c6 to b4; from b4 it attacks White's bishop on d3 and White's pawn on c2.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Nb4 Bc4.

  9. 15.b3 Advance the b-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from b2 to b3; from there it controls c4.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; g5 ranked higher · b3 d5.

  10. 15...d5 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from d6 to d5; the move changes the central pawn contact; from d5 it attacks White's pawn on e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d5.

  11. 16.Kh1 Reposition the king

    Board fact: White moves the king from g1 to h1.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Kh1 c4 bxc4 Nxe4.

  12. 16...dxe4 Exchange on e4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on e4; the pawn is now passed; the move changes the central pawn contact; from e4 it attacks White's bishop on d3; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; c4 ranked higher · dxe4 Bc4.

  13. 17.Nxe4 Recapture on e4

    Board fact: White's knight recaptures the pawn on e4; from e4 it attacks Black's knight on f6 and Black's pawn on c5; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Bc4 ranked higher · Nxe4 Nxe4 Bxe4 Bf6.

  14. 17...Nxe4 Recapture on e4

    Board fact: Black's knight recaptures the knight on e4; from e4 it attacks White's queen on f2; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxe4 Bxe4 Bf6 g5.

  15. 18.Bxe4 Recapture on e4

    Board fact: White's bishop recaptures the knight on e4; from e4 it attacks Black's pawn on b7 and Black's pawn on h7; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxe4 Bf6 Bxb7 Bxa1.

  16. 18...Bf6 Create pressure on a1

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from e7 to f6; from f6 it attacks White's rook on a1.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bf6 g5 Bxa1 Bxb7.

  17. 19.Bxb7 Exchange on b7

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the pawn on b7; from b7 it attacks Black's rook on c8 and Black's pawn on a6; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxb7 Bxa1 Bg2 Bd4.

  18. 19...Bxa1 Exchange on a1

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the rook on a1; from a1 it reinforces the pawn on g7; black is ahead by 4 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxa1 g5 Bd4 Qd2.

  19. 20.Bxc8 Exchange on c8

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the rook on c8; from c8 it attacks Black's pawn on a6; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Bxc8 Qxc8 Be3 Bd4.

  20. 20...Qxc8 Recapture on c8

    Board fact: Black's queen recaptures the bishop on c8; from c8 it attacks White's pawn on g4; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxc8 Be3 Bc3 Bxc5.

  21. 21.Be3 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from c1 to e3; from e3 it attacks Black's pawn on c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Be3 Bd4 Bxd4 cxd4.

  22. 21...Qc6+ A forcing check

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from c8 to c6; the move checks White's king; from c6 it attacks White's pawn on a4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qc6+ Kh2 Bd4 Bxd4.

  23. 22.Kh2 Answering the check

    Board fact: White answers the check by moving the king from h1 to h2; from h2 it reinforces the pawn on h3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kh2 Bd4 Bxd4 cxd4.

  24. 22...Bd4 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from a1 to d4; from d4 it attacks White's bishop on e3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bd4 Bxd4 cxd4 Qxd4.

PGN

[Event "London m1"] [Site "?"] [Date "1858.??.??"] [White "Barnes, Thomas Wilson"] [Black "Morphy, Paul"] [Result "0-1"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Bd3 Be7 6. Nc3 O-O 7. O-O c5 8. Nde2 Nc6 9. f4 a6 10. a4 Bg4 11. h3 Bxe2 12. Qxe2 Re8 13. Qf2 Rc8 14. g4 Nb4 15. b3 d5 16. Kh1 dxe4 17. Nxe4 Nxe4 18. Bxe4 Bf6 19. Bxb7 Bxa1 20. Bxc8 Qxc8 21. Be3 Qc6+ 22. Kh2 Bd4 0-1

Sources and checking

Score source: Chess Database, version 1 by Ana Schaigorodsky (2016), licensed under CC BY 4.0. LibreChess selected the exact score identified by sha256:9117cf11b58fe964f380b3339c2cbfdf5ee531145f594e6e1eae2992f87efcfc and pins it in the selection manifest.
Exact Figshare tags:
White="Barnes, Thomas Wilson"; Black="Morphy, Paul"; Event="London m1"; Date="1858.??.??"; Result="0-1". LibreChess parsed the main line with chess.js and stores normalised SAN. Source comments, side variations and termination detail were not retained.

LibreChess checks every SAN move with chess.js and compares the result and move sequence with a stored reference. The engine comparison was calculated offline from the fixed settings above; it is not a source for historical claims. No termination is inferred where the imported score does not preserve one.

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