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Classic game replay

Paul Morphy vs H. Baucher, 1858

This replay preserves the complete 53-ply score of Morphy playing White across 27 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
Paul Morphy
Black
H. Baucher
Event
Paris sim
Year
1858
Result
1-0
Opening
C41 Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation

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

In this game, 20 half-moves are labelled opening, 33 middlegame and 0 endgame. The score contains 9 captures and 3 checks or mates; before a recorded move, the position offered a median of 34 legal choices. The source score ends after 27.Qf7+ with the recorded result 1-0. 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. 9.Nc3 — Develop the knight9.Nc3 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  2. 11.Qc4+ — A forcing check11.Qc4+ was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  3. 18.Qe2 — Create pressure on g418.Qe2 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  4. 27.Qf7+ — A forcing check27.Qf7+ 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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Paul Morphy vs H. Baucher, 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...O-O

  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.Qxd4 Recapture on d4

    Board fact: White's queen recaptures the pawn on d4; from d4 it attacks Black's pawn on a7 and Black's pawn on d6; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qxd4 Nc6 Bb5 Bd7.

  8. 4...Nc6 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from b8 to c6; from c6 it attacks White's queen on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc6 Bb5.

  9. 5.Bb5 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from f1 to b5; from b5 it attacks Black's knight on c6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bb5 Bd7 Bxc6 Bxc6.

  10. 5...Bd7 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from c8 to d7; from there it controls c6, e6 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bd7 Bxc6 Bxc6 Nc3.

  11. 6.Bxc6 Exchange on c6

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the knight on c6; from c6 it attacks Black's bishop on d7 and Black's pawn on b7; white is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxc6 Bxc6 Nc3 Nf6.

  12. 6...Bxc6 Recapture on c6

    Board fact: Black's bishop recaptures the bishop on c6; from c6 it attacks White's pawn on e4; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxc6 Nc3.

  13. 7.Bg5 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from c1 to g5; from g5 it attacks Black's queen on d8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bg5 Nf6 Nc3 Be7.

  14. 7...f6 Create pressure on g5

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from f7 to f6; from f6 it attacks White's bishop on g5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · f6 Bf4 Qd7 Nc3.

  15. 8.Bh4 Create pressure on f6

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from g5 to h4; from h4 it attacks Black's pawn on f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bh4 Ne7 Nc3 Qd7.

  16. 8...Nh6 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from g8 to h6; from there it controls f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nh6 Nc3.

  17. 9.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 Be7 O-O-O O-O.

  18. 9...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 O-O-O Qd7 Bg3.

  19. 10.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 Nf7.

  20. 10...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 Qc4+ Nf7 Rfe1.

Middlegame · 11.Qc4+ to 27.Qf7+

  1. 11.Qc4+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d4 to c4; the move checks Black's king; from c4 it attacks Black's bishop on c6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qc4+ Nf7 Rfe1 Re8.

  2. 11...Kh8 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from g8 to h8; from h8 it reinforces the pawn on g7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kh8 Rfe1 Be8 Nd5.

  3. 12.Nd4 Create pressure on c6

    Board fact: White moves the knight from f3 to d4; from d4 it attacks Black's bishop on c6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nd4 Bd7 Rfe1 c6.

  4. 12...Qd7 Reposition the queen

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d8 to d7; from there it controls c6, d6 and e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qd7 Nd5.

  5. 13.Rad1 Rook on the semi-open d-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from a1 to d1; the rook now works on a semi-open d-file; from there it controls d4 and d3.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Rad1 g5.

  6. 13...Rf7 Improve the rook

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from f8 to f7; from there it controls f6.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Rf7 Rfe1 Bf8 f4.

  7. 14.f4 Advance the f-pawn

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

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · f4.

  8. 14...a5 Advance the a-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from a7 to a5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · a5 f5.

  9. 15.f5 Advance the f-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from f4 to f5; from there it controls e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · f5 Re8.

  10. 15...Rff8 Improve the rook

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from f7 to f8; from there it controls f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rff8 Ne6 Rfe8 Qd3.

  11. 16.Ne6 Create pressure on f8

    Board fact: White moves the knight from d4 to e6; from e6 it attacks Black's rook on f8 and Black's pawn on c7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ne6 Rfe8 Qd3 Bd8.

  12. 16...Rg8 Improve the rook

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from f8 to g8; from g8 it reinforces the rook on a8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rg8 Nd5 Rae8 Qd4.

  13. 17.a4 Advance the a-pawn

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

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · a4 Rae8 b3 Bd8.

  14. 17...Ng4 Create pressure on h2

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from h6 to g4; from g4 it attacks White's pawn on h2.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Ng4 Qe2 Ne5 b3.

  15. 18.Qe2 Create pressure on g4

    Board fact: White moves the queen from c4 to e2; from e2 it attacks Black's knight on g4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qe2 Ne5.

  16. 18...Ne5 Improve the knight

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from g4 to e5; from there it controls c4, c6 and d3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ne5 b3.

  17. 19.Bg3 Create pressure on e5

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from h4 to g3; from g3 it attacks Black's knight on e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bg3 g6 b3 Rae8.

  18. 19...Qc8 Create pressure on e6

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d7 to c8; from c8 it attacks White's knight on e6.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Rae8 ranked higher · Qc8 Nd5.

  19. 20.Bxe5 Exchange on e5

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the knight on e5; from e5 it attacks Black's pawn on d6 and Black's pawn on f6; white is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Nd5 ranked higher · Bxe5 dxe5 Rd3 Bd6.

  20. 20...dxe5 Recapture on e5

    Board fact: Black's pawn recaptures the bishop on e5; the move changes the central pawn contact; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · dxe5 Rd3 Bd6 Rh3.

  21. 21.Rf3 Improve the rook

    Board fact: White moves the rook from f1 to f3; from there it controls c3, d3 and e3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rf3.

  22. 21...Bd7 Create pressure on e6

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from c6 to d7; from d7 it attacks White's knight on e6 and White's pawn on a4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Bd7 Nd5.

  23. 22.Rh3 Create pressure on h7

    Board fact: White moves the rook from f3 to h3; from h3 it attacks Black's pawn on h7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rh3 h6 Nd5 Bd8.

  24. 22...h6 Advance the h-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from h7 to h6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · h6 Nd5 Bxe6 Nxe7.

  25. 23.Qd2 Create pressure on d7

    Board fact: White moves the queen from e2 to d2; from d2 it attacks Black's bishop on d7 and Black's pawn on h6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qd2 Rd8 Nxg7 Bc5+.

  26. 23...Kh7 Reposition the king

    Board fact: Black moves the king from h8 to h7; from h7 it reinforces the rook on g8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kh7 Qxd7 Qe8 Qxe8.

  27. 24.Qxd7 Exchange on d7

    Board fact: White's queen takes the bishop on d7; from d7 it attacks Black's queen on c8 and Black's bishop on e7; white is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxd7 Qe8 Qxe8 Rgxe8.

  28. 24...Bd6 Reposition the bishop

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from e7 to d6; from there it controls e5 and c5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Bd6 Qxc8 Raxc8 Kf1.

  29. 25.Rxh6+ Capture with check on h6

    Board fact: White's rook takes the pawn on h6; the move checks Black's king; from h6 it attacks Black's pawn on f6; white is ahead by 4 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxh6+ Kxh6 Rd3 Bc5+.

  30. 25...Kxh6 Recapture on h6

    Board fact: Black's king recaptures the rook on h6; from h6 it reinforces the pawn on g7; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kxh6 Rd3 Bc5+ Kh1.

  31. 26.Rd3 Rook on the open d-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from d1 to d3; the rook now occupies the open d-file; from d3 it attacks Black's bishop on d6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rd3 Bc5+ Kh1 Be3.

  32. 26...Kh5 Reposition the king

    Board fact: Black moves the king from h6 to h5.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Bc5+ ranked higher · Kh5 Qf7+ Kh4 Rh3+.

  33. 27.Qf7+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d7 to f7; the move checks Black's king; from f7 it attacks Black's rook on g8 and Black's pawn on c7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qf7+ Kh4 Rh3+ Kg4.

PGN

[Event "Paris sim"] [Site "?"] [Date "1858.??.??"] [White "Morphy, Paul"] [Black "Baucher, H."] [Result "1-0"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Bg5 f6 8. Bh4 Nh6 9. Nc3 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. Qc4+ Kh8 12. Nd4 Qd7 13. Rad1 Rf7 14. f4 a5 15. f5 Rff8 16. Ne6 Rg8 17. a4 Ng4 18. Qe2 Ne5 19. Bg3 Qc8 20. Bxe5 dxe5 21. Rf3 Bd7 22. Rh3 h6 23. Qd2 Kh7 24. Qxd7 Bd6 25. Rxh6+ Kxh6 26. Rd3 Kh5 27. Qf7+ 1-0

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:cdf1ea660dbcf187660c4720200f7c09beac909eb04eb43ec67bfa8c18b337d7 and pins it in the selection manifest.
Exact Figshare tags:
White="Morphy, Paul"; Black="Baucher, Henri"; Event="Paris sim"; Date="1858.??.??"; Result="1-0".
Reviewed display mapping: black Baucher, Henri → Baucher, H.. 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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