The Exploits and Triumphs, in Europe, of Paul Morphy, the Chess ChampionEdge, Frederick Milnes
History
The Exploits and Triumphs, in Europe, of Paul Morphy, the Chess Champion
Edge, Frederick Milnes
Chess; Morphy, Paul Charles, 1837-1884
Morphy would not announce his arrival on his first visit, preferring to
postpone it until the following day. When it was known that the so much
looked-for player was in Paris, the excitement was great; Frenchmen live
for excitement. M. de Rivière had not been there lately, but we found
Messrs. Lecrivain, Journoud, Guibert, and numbers of knight and
rook-players. The first-named gentleman, by general request, offered
himself as the initiatory sacrifice, accepting the odds of pawn and two
moves, and managed to score some two games to Morphy's six or seven. Then
M. de Rivière arrived, and getting the move, played the Ruy Lopez, which
eventuated in "a draw;" and he was subsequently followed by M. Journoud,
who, though one of the best French players, failed to score a victory.
Morphy had made his mark, and everybody looked forward to the arrival of
Herr Harrwitz, when they hoped to see fun.
CHAPTER IX.
THE MATCH BETWEEN MORPHY AND HARRWITZ.
Saturday came, and so did Harrwitz. We found him a little man, of about
forty, with finely-developed head, and large, piercing black eyes. In
conversation, he is exceedingly witty and "cool," and many are the good
things told of him. Some of my readers will remember the rebuke he gave
Mr. Staunton, when playing his celebrated match with that gentleman.
Harrwitz had made a move which caused much reflection to his opponent, who
rolled about on his chair and stroked his forehead energetically, as only
Mr. Staunton can do, giving spectators the impression that his brain was
in an agony of labor. He examined the position, and re-examined it; but,
the more he looked, the less he liked it. Savage at being balked, he
exclaimed--"Well, I've lost a move," and thereupon played a piece.
Harrwitz coolly rises from his seat, rings the bell frantically, and gives
the following order: "Waiter, look about for a move; Mr. Staunton has lost
one."
[Illustration: HERR ANDERSSEN. M. SAINT AMANT. HERR HARRWITZ.]
There is probably no man living who plays so much chess as Herr
Harrwitz. All great chess players I know of, are great _lie-a'beds_, and
he is no exception to the rule. His night-gear and he part company many
hours after sunrise, and he starts forthwith for the Café de la Régence,
where he plays, with only a slight intermission for dinner, until he goes
home to bed again. His opponents are generally visitors to the café, not
the habitués; for these last have taken great dislike to his very
offensive manner, and will not contend with him. They say, too, that he
evinces an improper desire to win, and, in consequence, will only give the
odds of pawn and move, when he could well afford pawn and two, and the
knight instead of the rook. In my character of historian, I am bound to
state that the feeling was very intense at the Régence in favor of Morphy,
and many the prayers (_French_ prayers) that Harrwitz might succumb to
him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account