Amazing Career Of Boy Chess Player American Champion At Twenty

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 225, 21 September 1940, Page 5 (Supplement)

Amazing Career Of Boy Chess Player American Champion At Twenty

pOR over a thousand years, the game of chess has been known and enjoyed popularity in even remote parts of the world. It is a favourite with the Laplanders of Iceland. It is played in India, China, Africa', and throughout European countries. Such men as the famous Charlemagne, Voltaire, Napoleon were fascinated with the game which held their rapt attention. The story to be unfolded here, however, deals with a lad named Paul Morphy, an American, born in the year 1837, and who, at the age of twelve years, became so skilled at chess that he played successfully with the celebrated European champion Herr Lowentlial, the latter losing two games and drawing in one with the twelve-year-old boy. From that time forth the name of Paul Morphy as a chess player became well known in the States. He easily beat all-comers, but his first public introduction came when he attended the National Chess Congress in New York. Mr. Morphy was now but twenty years of age, and his youthful appearance amongst so many veterans made him the centre of attraction. As the games wore on, it became apparent that he would be champion, a position that he finally won by the remarkable force of his combinations, skill in design and easy self-eonfidencc throughout. He won eighty-one out of the eighty-four games, and all his opponents were unrivalled chess players, individual champions in their own particular States. It was a wonderful achievement, but, as can be imagined, only the beginning of a long lino of successes. The young man now challenged the English champion. Mr. Staunton, inviting him to come across to America and play for a stake of live thousand dol-

lars, bnt, owing to the expense, Mr. Staunton declined. Later on Mr. Morpliy journeyed over to England and was acclaimed by the chess centres in London. Here he met a great many champion players, but easily defeated them all, and the same success was to come his way in Paris, where he encountered such men as Harrwitz, Laroche, Journoud and Devinck. The big test came, however, when Morphy met and clayed the European ri,o~>r>j,— Anderssen. The result- here was Morphy seven wins. Anderssen two and two draws. Anderssen rose from the table and paid a great tribute to the lad who had beaten him. He said that no one could ever hope to win more than an odd game or two from such a player as his young opponent. Continuing, he said it was impossible to play chess better than this young man played it. At the same gathering another famous man, an exchampion, rose and said that it was no use hoping to win againßt Mr. Morphy because it was playing against certainty. The excitement in Paris became very great, however, when Morphy, who agreed to be blindfolded, played eight of their best men at one time, and beat them. During the entire game, which lasted just ten hours, Mr. Morphy sat with his knees against the bare wall, his blindfolded eyes raised upwards. Never once did he look around towards the audi-

This interesting story of the young prodigy Paul Morphy made us think more about die fascinating history of chess, that ancient game which is nothing more or less than a sort of mimic warfare. From the whimsical tale of "Alice Through the Looking Glass." our artist has taken some of the fantastic chessman characters that people Alice's dream. Other books have also been written about the intricate moves and licturesque shapes of the little ivory figures, whose kingdom and field of war is the checkerboard.

ence nor accept any refreshment. His only movements, apart from his chess, were to occasionally cross his knees, or to dram a tune of» the arm of his chair. He cried out his moves without turning his head. Against 1. 2, 3. 6 and 7. who were not up to the standard of the other players, he frequently made his moves instantaneously after receiving theirs. He was calm throughout and never called a move twice. But around each of the other players clustered scores of skilled players, whose advice was frequently offered, so in reality Morphy was opposed to about 100 players instead of eight. At the conclusion of the gam a terrific shout of applause went up. Professor Morse (of telegraph fame), who happened to be in Paris at the time, was among those present, and took a great interest in the game being played by his young countryman. One grey-haired old Frenchman cans up and stroked the lad's head affectionately as if he mere a son.