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Classic game replay

Paul Morphy vs Paul Ross, 1858

This replay preserves the complete 47-ply score of Morphy playing White across 24 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
Paul Ross
Event
New Orleans sim
Year
1858
Result
1-0
Opening
C34 King's Gambit Accepted: King's Knight's Gambit

Opening reference: King's Gambit Accepted: King's Knight's Gambit (C34).

In this game, 20 half-moves are labelled opening, 24 middlegame and 3 endgame. The score contains 16 captures and 4 checks or mates; before a recorded move, the position offered a median of 30 legal choices. The source score ends after 24.Bf4 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. 7.Qd6 — Create pressure on b87.Qd6 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  2. 12.e5 — Change the pawn structure12.e5 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  3. 15.Nxe6 — Recapture on e615.Nxe6 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  4. 20.Rxf8+ — Capture with check on f820.Rxf8+ 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 Paul Ross, 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...Kh8

  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...exf4 Exchange on f4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on f4; the move changes the central pawn contact; Black accepts doubled pawns on the f-file; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · exf4 Nf3 d5 exd5.

  5. 3.Nf3 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from g1 to f3; from there it controls d4 and e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf3 d5 exd5 Nf6.

  6. 3...c6 Advance the c-pawn

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

    Fixed engine check: Playable; g5 ranked higher · c6 d4.

  7. 4.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 d5 d4 dxe4.

  8. 4...Bb4 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from f8 to b4; from b4 it attacks White's knight on c3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bb4 d4 d5 e5.

  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: Playable; d4 ranked higher · Bc4 Ne7.

  10. 5...Bxc3 Exchange on c3

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the knight on c3; from c3 it attacks White's pawn on b2 and White's pawn on d2; black is ahead by 4 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Ne7 ranked higher · Bxc3 dxc3 d5 exd5.

  11. 6.dxc3 Recapture on c3

    Board fact: White's pawn recaptures the bishop on c3; the move changes the central pawn contact; White accepts doubled pawns on the c-file; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · dxc3 Ne7 Qd6 b5.

  12. 6...Ne7 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from g8 to e7; from there it controls d5, c6 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ne7 Qd6 Ng6 Bxf4.

  13. 7.Qd6 Create pressure on b8

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d1 to d6; from d6 it attacks Black's knight on b8 and Black's knight on e7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qd6 Ng6 Bxf4 Nxf4.

  14. 7...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: Playable; Ng6 ranked higher · O-O Bxf4.

  15. 8.Bxf4 Exchange on f4

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the pawn on f4; from f4 it reinforces the queen on d6; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxf4 Ng6 Bg3 Re8.

  16. 8...Ng6 Create pressure on f4

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from e7 to g6; from g6 it attacks White's bishop on f4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Ng6 Bg3 b5 Bd3.

  17. 9.Bg5 Create pressure on d8

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from f4 to g5; from g5 it attacks Black's queen on d8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bg5 Qb6 h4 Qxb2.

  18. 9...Qe8 Create pressure on e4

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d8 to e8; from e8 it attacks White's pawn on e4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qe8 O-O b5 Bb3.

  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 b5 Bb3 a5.

  20. 10...Kh8 Reposition the king

    Board fact: Black moves the king from g8 to h8; from h8 it reinforces the pawn on g7.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; b6 ranked higher · Kh8 h4 h5 e5.

Middlegame · 11.Rae1 to 22...Kh7

  1. 11.Rae1 Improve the rook

    Board fact: White moves the rook from a1 to e1; from there it controls e4 and e3.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Nh4 ranked higher · Rae1 b5 Bd3 f6.

  2. 11...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: Ranked first · f6 e5 fxg5 Nxg5.

  3. 12.e5 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from e4 to e5; the move changes the central pawn contact; from e5 it attacks Black's pawn on f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e5 fxg5 Nxg5 Rxf1+.

  4. 12...f5 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from f6 to f5; the move changes the central pawn contact; from there it controls e4.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; fxg5 ranked higher · f5 h4 b5 Bd3.

  5. 13.Nd4 Create pressure on c6

    Board fact: White moves the knight from f3 to d4; from d4 it attacks Black's pawn on c6 and Black's pawn on f5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Nd4 b5 Bd3 f4.

  6. 13...f4 Advance the f-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from f5 to f4; from there it controls e3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · f4 h4 b5 Bd3.

  7. 14.e6 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from e5 to e6; the move changes the central pawn contact; from e6 it attacks Black's pawn on d7.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; h4 ranked higher · e6 dxe6 Nxe6 Bxe6.

  8. 14...dxe6 Exchange on e6

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on e6; the pawn is now passed; the move changes the central pawn contact; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · dxe6 Nxe6 Bxe6 Rxe6.

  9. 15.Nxe6 Recapture on e6

    Board fact: White's knight recaptures the pawn on e6; from e6 it attacks Black's rook on f8 and Black's pawn on f4; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxe6 Bxe6 Rxe6 Nd7.

  10. 15...Bxe6 Recapture on e6

    Board fact: Black's bishop recaptures the knight on e6; from e6 it attacks White's bishop on c4; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxe6 Rxe6 Na6 Rxe8.

  11. 16.Rxe6 Recapture on e6

    Board fact: White's rook recaptures the bishop on e6; the rook now occupies the open e-file; from e6 it attacks Black's queen on e8 and Black's knight on g6; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxe6 Na6 Rxe8 Raxe8.

  12. 16...Qc8 Create pressure on e6

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from e8 to c8; from c8 it attacks White's rook on e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qc8 Bd3 Na6 Rxg6.

  13. 17.Rxg6 Exchange on g6

    Board fact: White's rook takes the knight on g6; from g6 it attacks Black's pawn on g7; white is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxg6 Nd7 Bd3 Rf7.

  14. 17...hxg6 Recapture on g6

    Board fact: Black's pawn recaptures the rook on g6; the move changes the central pawn contact; Black accepts doubled pawns on the g-file; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Nd7 ranked higher · hxg6 Rxf4 Rxf4 Qxf4.

  15. 18.Qxg6 Recapture on g6

    Board fact: White's queen recaptures the pawn on g6; from g6 it attacks Black's pawn on c6 and Black's pawn on g7; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Rf3 ranked higher · Qxg6 Qf5 Rxf4 Qxg6.

  16. 18...Qf5 Create pressure on g6

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from c8 to f5; from f5 it attacks White's queen on g6 and White's bishop on g5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qf5 Rxf4 Qxg6 Rxf8+.

  17. 19.Rxf4 Exchange on f4

    Board fact: White's rook takes the pawn on f4; the rook now occupies the open f-file; from f4 it attacks Black's queen on f5; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxf4 Qxg6 Rxf8+ Kh7.

  18. 19...Qxg6 Exchange on g6

    Board fact: Black's queen takes the queen on g6; from g6 it attacks White's bishop on g5 and White's pawn on c2; black is ahead by 9 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxg6 Rxf8+ Kh7 Bg8+.

  19. 20.Rxf8+ Capture with check on f8

    Board fact: White's rook takes the rook on f8; the move checks Black's king; the rook now occupies the open f-file; from f8 it attacks Black's knight on b8; black is ahead by 4 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxf8+ Kh7 Bg8+ Kh8.

  20. 20...Kh7 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from h8 to h7; from h7 it reinforces the queen on g6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kh7 Bg8+ Kh8 Bf7+.

  21. 21.Bg8+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from c4 to g8; the move checks Black's king; from there it controls d5, c4 and e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bg8+ Kh8 Bf7+ Kh7.

  22. 21...Kh8 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from h7 to h8; from h8 it attacks White's bishop on g8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kh8 Bf7+ Kh7 Bxg6+.

  23. 22.Bf7+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from g8 to f7; the move checks Black's king; from f7 it attacks Black's queen on g6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bf7+ Kh7 Bxg6+ Kxg6.

  24. 22...Kh7 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from h8 to h7; from h7 it reinforces the queen on g6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kh7 Bxg6+ Kxg6 h4.

Endgame · 23.Bxg6+ to 24.Bf4

  1. 23.Bxg6+ Capture with check on g6

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the queen on g6; the move checks Black's king; from g6 it reinforces the pawn on c2; white is ahead by 5 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxg6+ Kxg6 h4 a5.

  2. 23...Kxg6 Recapture on g6

    Board fact: Black's king recaptures the bishop on g6; from g6 it attacks White's bishop on g5; white is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kxg6 Bf4 a5 Rxb8.

  3. 24.Bf4 Create pressure on b8

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from g5 to f4; from f4 it attacks Black's knight on b8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bf4 a5 h4 a4.

PGN

[Event "New Orleans sim"] [Site "?"] [Date "1858.??.??"] [White "Morphy, Paul"] [Black "Ross, Paul"] [Result "1-0"] 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bc4 Bxc3 6. dxc3 Ne7 7. Qd6 O-O 8. Bxf4 Ng6 9. Bg5 Qe8 10. O-O Kh8 11. Rae1 f6 12. e5 f5 13. Nd4 f4 14. e6 dxe6 15. Nxe6 Bxe6 16. Rxe6 Qc8 17. Rxg6 hxg6 18. Qxg6 Qf5 19. Rxf4 Qxg6 20. Rxf8+ Kh7 21. Bg8+ Kh8 22. Bf7+ Kh7 23. Bxg6+ Kxg6 24. Bf4 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 sha256:375d0535397ab2966a4ecb679a3a69c853056d0db560b4717b25cdd39049a47c and pins it in the selection manifest.
Exact Figshare tags:
White="Morphy, Paul"; Black="Ross, Paul"; Event="New Orleans sim"; Date="1858.??.??"; Result="1-0".
The stable URL retains its legacy NN/1850 identifier; the displayed opponent, event and 1858 year follow the exact source tags. 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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