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Classic game replay

Paul Morphy vs J. Preti, 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
J. Preti
Event
Paris sim
Year
1858
Result
1-0
Opening
B21 Sicilian Defense: Morphy Gambit

Opening reference: Sicilian Defense: Morphy Gambit (B21).

In this game, 20 half-moves are labelled opening, 27 middlegame and 0 endgame. The score contains 12 captures and 11 checks or mates; before a recorded move, the position offered a median of 36 legal choices. The source score ends after 24.Bxg4+ 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. 8.Bxf7+ — Capture with check on f78.Bxf7+ was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  2. 13.e5 — Change the pawn structure13.e5 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  3. 16.Qxd6+ — Capture with check on d616.Qxd6+ was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  4. 24.Bxg4+ — Recapture on g424.Bxg4+ 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 J. Preti, 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...Nc6

  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...c5 Advance the c-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from c7 to c5; from there it controls d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c5 Nc3 Nc6 Nf3.

  3. 2.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 c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d4 cxd4 Nf3 Nc6.

  4. 2...cxd4 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 · cxd4 Nf3 Nc6 Nxd4.

  5. 3.Nf3 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from g1 to f3; from f3 it attacks Black's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf3.

  6. 3...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 c3 Nc6 Bc4.

  7. 4.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 Qc7 Bb3 Bc5.

  8. 4...Bb4+ A forcing check

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from f8 to b4; the move checks White's king; from there it controls c3, c5 and d6.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Nf6 ranked higher · Bb4+ c3.

  9. 5.c3 Answering the check

    Board fact: White answers the check by moving the pawn from c2 to c3; the move changes the central pawn contact; from c3 it attacks Black's bishop on b4 and Black's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c3 dxc3 bxc3 Bc5.

  10. 5...dxc3 Exchange on c3

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on c3; the move changes the central pawn contact; from c3 it attacks White's pawn on b2; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · dxc3 bxc3 Bc5 Nxe5.

  11. 6.bxc3 Recapture on c3

    Board fact: White's pawn recaptures the pawn on c3; the move changes the central pawn contact; from c3 it attacks Black's bishop on b4; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · bxc3 Bc5 Nxe5 Qe7.

  12. 6...Bc5 Create pressure on f2

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from b4 to c5; from c5 it attacks White's pawn on f2.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bc5 Nxe5 Qe7 Bxf7+.

  13. 7.Nxe5 Exchange on e5

    Board fact: White's knight takes the pawn on e5; from e5 it attacks Black's pawn on d7 and Black's pawn on f7; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxe5 Qe7 Bxf7+ Kf8.

  14. 7...Qf6 Create pressure on e5

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from d8 to f6; from f6 it attacks White's knight on e5 and White's pawn on f2.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qf6 Bxf7+ Kd8 Nd3.

  15. 8.Bxf7+ Capture with check on f7

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the pawn on f7; the move checks Black's king; from f7 it attacks Black's knight on g8; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxf7+ Kd8 Nd3 Qxf7.

  16. 8...Kf8 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from e8 to f8; from f8 it attacks White's bishop on f7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kf8 Nd3.

  17. 9.Nd3 Create pressure on c5

    Board fact: White moves the knight from e5 to d3; from d3 it attacks Black's bishop on c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nd3 Qxf7 Nxc5 b6.

  18. 9...Bb6 Create pressure on f2

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from c5 to b6; from b6 it attacks White's pawn on f2.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Qxf7 ranked higher · Bb6 Bb3 d6 O-O.

  19. 10.Bb3 Create pressure on g8

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from f7 to b3; from b3 it attacks Black's knight on g8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bb3 d6 O-O Nc6.

  20. 10...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 O-O d6 Na3.

Middlegame · 11.Ba3+ to 24.Bxg4+

  1. 11.Ba3+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from c1 to a3; the move checks Black's king; from there it controls c5 and d6.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Ba3+ d6 O-O Nge7.

  2. 11...d6 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the pawn from d7 to d6; from there it controls e5 and c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d6 O-O Nge7 Kh1.

  3. 12.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 Nge7 Nd2 Be6.

  4. 12...Nh6 Develop the knight

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

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Nge7 ranked higher · Nh6 e5 Qg6 Nf4.

  5. 13.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 queen on f6 and Black's pawn on d6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e5 Qg5 Nd2 Bg4.

  6. 13...Qg6 Create pressure on d3

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from f6 to g6; from g6 it attacks White's knight on d3 and White's pawn on g2.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Qg6 exd6 Ke8 Nc5.

  7. 14.Nf4 Create pressure on g6

    Board fact: White moves the knight from d3 to f4; from f4 it attacks Black's queen on g6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf4 Qg5 exd6 Ke8.

  8. 14...Qg4 Create pressure on d1

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from g6 to g4; from g4 it attacks White's queen on d1 and White's knight on f4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qg4 exd6 Ke8 Nd5.

  9. 15.Ne6+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the knight from f4 to e6; the move checks Black's king; from e6 it attacks Black's pawn on g7.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Qxd6+ ranked higher · Ne6+ Bxe6 Qxd6+ Kf7.

  10. 15...Bxe6 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the knight on e6; from e6 it attacks White's bishop on b3; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxe6 Qxd6+ Kf7 Qd7+.

  11. 16.Qxd6+ Capture with check on d6

    Board fact: White's queen takes the pawn on d6; the move checks Black's king; from d6 it attacks Black's knight on c6 and Black's bishop on e6; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxd6+ Kf7 Qd7+ Kg6.

  12. 16...Kf7 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from f8 to f7; from there it controls e6 and f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kf7 Qd7+ Kg6 Bxe6.

  13. 17.Qd7+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d6 to d7; the move checks Black's king; from d7 it attacks Black's knight on c6 and Black's bishop on e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qd7+ Kg6 Bxe6 Qe2.

  14. 17...Kg6 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from f7 to g6; from there it controls f5 and f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Kg6 Bxe6 Qe2 Bb3.

  15. 18.Bxe6 Exchange on e6

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the bishop on e6; from e6 it attacks Black's queen on g4; white is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxe6 Qe2 Bb3 Rad8.

  16. 18...Qg5 Create pressure on e5

    Board fact: Black moves the queen from g4 to g5; from g5 it attacks White's pawn on e5 and White's pawn on g2.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Qf4 ranked higher · Qg5 Qd3+ Nf5 h4.

  17. 19.Bd5 Create pressure on c6

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from e6 to d5; from d5 it attacks Black's knight on c6.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Qd3+ ranked higher · Bd5.

  18. 19...Nxe5 Exchange on e5

    Board fact: Black's knight takes the pawn on e5; from e5 it attacks White's queen on d7; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Qxe5 ranked higher · Nxe5 Be4+.

  19. 20.Be4+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the bishop from d5 to e4; the move checks Black's king; from e4 it attacks Black's pawn on b7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Be4+ Kh5 Qh3+ Qh4.

  20. 20...Nf5 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the knight from h6 to f5; from there it controls d4, d6 and e3.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Kh5 ranked higher · Nf5 Qe6+ Qf6 Bxf5+.

  21. 21.Qe6+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d7 to e6; the move checks Black's king; from e6 it attacks Black's bishop on b6 and Black's knight on e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qe6+ Qf6 Bxf5+ Kh5.

  22. 21...Qf6 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the queen from g5 to f6; from f6 it attacks White's queen on e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qf6 Bxf5+ Kh5 Nd2.

  23. 22.Bxf5+ Capture with check on f5

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the knight on f5; the move checks Black's king; from f5 it reinforces the queen on e6; white is ahead by 4 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxf5+ Kh5 Nd2 Qxe6.

  24. 22...Kh5 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black answers the check by moving the king from g6 to h5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Kh5 Qxf6 gxf6 Nd2.

  25. 23.g4+ A forcing check

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from g2 to g4; the move checks Black's king; from there it controls f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · g4+ Nxg4 Bxg4+ Kh6.

  26. 23...Nxg4 Answering the check

    Board fact: Black's knight takes the pawn on g4; from g4 it attacks White's pawn on f2 and White's pawn on h2; white is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxg4 Bxg4+ Kg6 Nd2.

  27. 24.Bxg4+ Recapture on g4

    Board fact: White's bishop recaptures the knight on g4; the move checks Black's king; from g4 it reinforces the queen on e6; white is ahead by 6 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxg4+ Kg6 Bf5+ Kh5.

PGN

[Event "Paris sim"] [Site "?"] [Date "1858.??.??"] [White "Morphy, Paul"] [Black "Preti, J."] [Result "1-0"] 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Nf3 e5 4. Bc4 Bb4+ 5. c3 dxc3 6. bxc3 Bc5 7. Nxe5 Qf6 8. Bxf7+ Kf8 9. Nd3 Bb6 10. Bb3 Nc6 11. Ba3+ d6 12. O-O Nh6 13. e5 Qg6 14. Nf4 Qg4 15. Ne6+ Bxe6 16. Qxd6+ Kf7 17. Qd7+ Kg6 18. Bxe6 Qg5 19. Bd5 Nxe5 20. Be4+ Nf5 21. Qe6+ Qf6 22. Bxf5+ Kh5 23. g4+ Nxg4 24. Bxg4+ 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 sha256:92b862c723faeedda3f7573b7b87824c0baaa39fe5e9b88500057c31438dcf81 and pins it in the selection manifest.
Exact Figshare tags:
White="Morphy, Paul"; Black="Preti, Jean Louis"; Event="Paris sim"; Date="1858.??.??"; Result="1-0".
Reviewed display mapping: black Preti, Jean Louis → Preti, J.. 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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