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Classic game replay

Paul Morphy vs Johann Jacob Loewenthal, 1858

This replay preserves the complete 55-ply score of Morphy playing White across 28 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
Johann Jacob Loewenthal
Event
London m
Year
1858
Result
1-0
Opening
C30 King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation

Opening reference: King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation (C30).

In this game, 20 half-moves are labelled opening, 35 middlegame and 0 endgame. The score contains 12 captures and 4 checks or mates; before a recorded move, the position offered a median of 37 legal choices. The source score ends after 28.Nb1 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. 6.Qxf3 — Recapture on f36.Qxf3 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  2. 15.Nd2 — Develop the knight15.Nd2 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  3. 17.h4 — Advance the h-pawn17.h4 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  4. 27.Nd2 — Develop the knight27.Nd2 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.

♜♞♝♛♚♝♞♜♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♜♞♝♛♚♝♞♜
Paul Morphy vs Johann Jacob Loewenthal, 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...h6

  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.f4 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from f2 to f4; the move changes the central pawn contact; from f4 it attacks Black's pawn on e5.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Nf3 ranked higher · f4 exf4.

  4. 2...Bc5 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from f8 to c5; from c5 it attacks White's knight on g1.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; exf4 ranked higher · Bc5 Nf3.

  5. 3.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 d6 c3 Nf6.

  6. 3...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 c3 Nf6 fxe5.

  7. 4.c3 Advance the c-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from c2 to c3; from there it controls d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c3 Nf6 d4 exd4.

  8. 4...Bg4 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from c8 to g4; from g4 it attacks White's knight on f3.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Bg4 h3 Bxf3 Qxf3.

  9. 5.Bc4 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from f1 to c4; from c4 it attacks Black's pawn on f7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bc4 Nd7.

  10. 5...Bxf3 Exchange on f3

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the knight on f3; from f3 it attacks White's queen on d1 and White's pawn on e4; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Nd7 ranked higher · Bxf3 Qxf3.

  11. 6.Qxf3 Recapture on f3

    Board fact: White's queen recaptures the bishop on f3; from f3 it reinforces the pawn on c3; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxf3 Nd7.

  12. 6...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: Near the leading choice · Nf6 fxe5.

  13. 7.b4 Create pressure on c5

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from b2 to b4; from b4 it attacks Black's bishop on c5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · b4 Bb6.

  14. 7...Bb6 Reposition the bishop

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from c5 to b6; from there it controls d4, c5 and e3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bb6 fxe5.

  15. 8.d3 Advance the d-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from d2 to d3; from there it controls e4 and c4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · d3 Nbd7 g4 O-O.

  16. 8...Nbd7 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from b8 to d7; from there it controls e5, c5 and f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nbd7 g4 O-O g5.

  17. 9.f5 Change the pawn structure

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

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; g4 ranked higher · f5 a5.

  18. 9...Qe7 Reposition the queen

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d8 to e7; from there it controls e5, d6 and e6.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qe7 a4 a5 bxa5.

  19. 10.g4 Advance the g-pawn

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

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · g4.

  20. 10...h6 Advance the h-pawn

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

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · h6 Kd1 a5 bxa5.

Middlegame · 11.Ke2 to 28.Nb1

  1. 11.Ke2 Reposition the king

    Board fact: White moves the king from e1 to e2; from there it controls d3, e3 and f3.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; a4 ranked higher · Ke2 d5.

  2. 11...c6 Advance the c-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from c7 to c6; from there it controls d5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c6 h4.

  3. 12.g5 Create pressure on f6

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from g4 to g5; from g5 it attacks Black's knight on f6 and Black's pawn on h6.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; h4 ranked higher · g5 hxg5 Bxg5 d5.

  4. 12...hxg5 Exchange on g5

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on g5; the move changes the central pawn contact; Black accepts doubled pawns on the g-file; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · hxg5 Bxg5 d5 Bb3.

  5. 13.Bxg5 Recapture on g5

    Board fact: White's bishop recaptures the pawn on g5; from g5 it attacks Black's knight on f6; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxg5 d5 Bb3 a5.

  6. 13...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 bishop on c4 and White's pawn on e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d5 Bb3 a5 a3.

  7. 14.Bb3 Create pressure on d5

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from c4 to b3; from b3 it attacks Black's pawn on d5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bb3 a5 a3 axb4.

  8. 14...Qd6 Create pressure on b4

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from e7 to d6; from d6 it attacks White's pawn on b4.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; a5 ranked higher · Qd6 Nd2.

  9. 15.Nd2 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from b1 to d2; from there it controls e4, c4 and f3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nd2 a5 a3 axb4.

  10. 15...a5 Create pressure on b4

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from a7 to a5; from a5 it attacks White's pawn on b4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · a5 a3 axb4 axb4.

  11. 16.bxa5 Exchange on a5

    Board fact: White's pawn takes the pawn on a5; the move changes the central pawn contact; White accepts doubled pawns on the a-file; from a5 it attacks Black's bishop on b6; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · bxa5 Rxa5.

  12. 16...Rxa5 Recapture on a5

    Board fact: Black's rook recaptures the pawn on a5; the rook now works on a semi-open a-file; from a5 it attacks White's pawn on a2; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxa5 h4 Nh5 Kd1.

  13. 17.h4 Advance the h-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from h2 to h4; from h4 it reinforces the bishop on g5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · h4 Nh5 Kd1 f6.

  14. 17...Nh5 Reroute the knight

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from f6 to h5; from there it controls f4 and f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nh5 Kd1 f6 Kc2.

  15. 18.Nf1 Reroute the knight

    Board fact: White moves the knight from d2 to f1; from there it controls e3.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Kd1 ranked higher · Nf1 Nc5.

  16. 18...Nc5 Create pressure on b3

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from d7 to c5; from c5 it attacks White's bishop on b3 and White's pawn on d3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc5 Nd2 f6 Be3.

  17. 19.Bc2 Reposition the bishop

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from b3 to c2; from there it controls d3.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Nd2 ranked higher · Bc2 Ra3.

  18. 19...Rb5 Improve the rook

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from a5 to b5; from there it controls c5.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Ra3 ranked higher · Rb5 Nd2 Ba5 exd5.

  19. 20.Bc1 Reposition the bishop

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from g5 to c1; from there it controls e3 and f4.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Nd2 ranked higher · Bc1 dxe4 dxe4 Nf4+.

  20. 20...dxe4 Exchange on e4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on e4; the move changes the central pawn contact; Black accepts doubled pawns on the e-file; from e4 it attacks White's queen on f3 and White's pawn on d3; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · dxe4 dxe4 Nf4+ Bxf4.

  21. 21.dxe4 Recapture on e4

    Board fact: White's pawn recaptures the pawn on e4; the move changes the central pawn contact; from e4 it reinforces the pawn on f5; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · dxe4 Nf4+.

  22. 21...Rb2 Rook reaches the seventh rank

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from b5 to b2; the rook has reached the opponent’s second rank; from b2 it attacks White's bishop on c2 and White's pawn on a2.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Nf4+ ranked higher · Rb2 Bxb2.

  23. 22.Bxb2 Exchange on b2

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the rook on b2; from b2 it reinforces the rook on a1; white is ahead by 5 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxb2 Nf4+.

  24. 22...Nf4+ A forcing check

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from h5 to f4; the move checks White's king; from there it controls d5, d3 and e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf4+ Ke1 Ncd3+ Bxd3.

  25. 23.Ke1 Answering the check

    Board fact: White answers the check by moving the king from e2 to e1; from e1 it reinforces the knight on f1.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ke1.

  26. 23...Nfd3+ A forcing check

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from f4 to d3; the move checks White's king; from d3 it attacks White's bishop on b2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nfd3+.

  27. 24.Bxd3 Answering the check

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the knight on d3; from d3 it reinforces the knight on f1; white is ahead by 8 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxd3.

  28. 24...Nxd3+ Recapture on d3

    Board fact: Black's knight recaptures the bishop on d3; the move checks White's king; from d3 it attacks White's bishop on b2; white is ahead by 5 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxd3+ Kd1.

  29. 25.Kd2 Answering the check

    Board fact: White answers the check by moving the king from e1 to d2; from d2 it attacks Black's knight on d3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kd2 Nxb2+ Kc2 Na4.

  30. 25...Nxb2+ Capture with check on b2

    Board fact: Black's knight takes the bishop on b2; the move checks White's king; white is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxb2+ Kc2 Nc4 a4.

  31. 26.Kc2 Answering the check

    Board fact: White answers the check by moving the king from d2 to c2; from c2 it attacks Black's knight on b2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kc2 Nc4 a4 Qc5.

  32. 26...Qa3 Create pressure on a2

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d6 to a3; from a3 it attacks White's pawn on a2 and White's pawn on c3.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Na4 ranked higher · Qa3 Nd2 Na4 Rhb1.

  33. 27.Nd2 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from f1 to d2; from there it controls e4, c4 and f3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nd2 Na4 Rhb1 Rxh4.

  34. 27...Bc7 Reposition the bishop

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from b6 to c7; from there it controls e5 and d6.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Na4 ranked higher · Bc7 Nb1 Qa4+ Kxb2.

  35. 28.Nb1 Create pressure on a3

    Board fact: White moves the knight from d2 to b1; from b1 it attacks Black's queen on a3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nb1 Qa4+ Kxb2 Qb5+.

PGN

[Event "London m"] [Site "?"] [Date "1858.??.??"] [White "Morphy, Paul"] [Black "Loewenthal, Johann Jacob"] [Result "1-0"] 1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 Bg4 5. Bc4 Bxf3 6. Qxf3 Nf6 7. b4 Bb6 8. d3 Nbd7 9. f5 Qe7 10. g4 h6 11. Ke2 c6 12. g5 hxg5 13. Bxg5 d5 14. Bb3 Qd6 15. Nd2 a5 16. bxa5 Rxa5 17. h4 Nh5 18. Nf1 Nc5 19. Bc2 Rb5 20. Bc1 dxe4 21. dxe4 Rb2 22. Bxb2 Nf4+ 23. Ke1 Nfd3+ 24. Bxd3 Nxd3+ 25. Kd2 Nxb2+ 26. Kc2 Qa3 27. Nd2 Bc7 28. Nb1 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 sha256:7a6033a052864be3912365e7eb17e12f683ef5a80b9ccbe911b7829010182cbc and pins it in the selection manifest.
Exact Figshare tags:
White="Morphy, Paul"; Black="Loewenthal, Johann Jacob"; Event="London m"; Date="1858.07.20"; Result="1-0". 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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