A Night at the Opera
March 2024 - Solved 964🧩 Times
In this month’s historical puzzle, we will journey to the mid-19th century. Immerse yourselves in the ambiance of a grand Parisian opera house. Top hatted gentlemen wearing fine jackets with grand lapels eagerly crowding around the checkered battlefield where our protagonist, Paul Morphy, was preparing to unleash hell upon his unprepared opponents.
Join us as we explore a game that embodies the essence of chess in its purest form, free from the algorithmic calculations of silicon minds.
Welcome to a Night at the Opera.
Paul Morphy, right
Born in 1837 in New Orleans, Morphy displayed a natural talent for chess from a very early age. By the time he was 9 years old he was considered one of the best chess players in New Orleans.
At the age of 21, already hailed as the chess champion of the United States, Morphy travelled to Europe to prove himself as the best player in the world. It was here, in Paris, that this famous game transpired. It was a somewhat casual affair, taking place in a private box during an opera performance. Morphy played with the white pieces. His gentle adversaries were the German noble Karl II, Duke of Brunswick, and the French aristocrat Comte Isouard de Vauvenargues, who were jointly deciding each move for black.
The ferocity of Morphy’s development, his multi-purpose aggression and brutal sacrifices resulted in a beautiful ending combination.
Can you find the winning combination, as Morphy did in 1858?
a
8
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
8
7
7
6
6
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
1
SOLVED
a
8
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
8
7
7
6
6
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
1
SOLVED
Analysis