Adolf Anderssen – Paul Morphy 1858
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The Adolf Anderssen – Paul Morphy 1858 Match took place in Paris, France, between two of the strongest players of the 19th century. Paul Morphy of the United States challenged Adolf Anderssen of Prussia, widely regarded as the world’s best player at the time. Morphy triumphed convincingly, winning 7 of 11 games and establishing himself as the strongest chess player of his generation.
Cleveland Public Library Public domain License No Copyright United States via Wikimedia Commons
Winner/Challenger: Paul Morphy
Born: 1837, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Died: 1884, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Paul Morphy was a chess prodigy whose meteoric rise stunned the chess world. By age 21, he had defeated every prominent European master, including Löwenthal, Harrwitz, and finally Anderssen, who had previously been considered the unofficial world champion. Known for his rapid development, intuitive play, and tactical brilliance, Morphy brought clarity and precision to the board that few could match. His preparation was minimal by modern standards, relying on natural talent and sheer force of will. The 1858 match against Anderssen was the culmination of Morphy’s European tour and his crowning achievement.
Shortly after this triumph, Morphy retired from competitive chess, seeking a legal career that never took off. In later life, he struggled with mental health, and his tragic decline only deepened the mystique surrounding his genius. Morphy’s legacy remains unmatched: a brief, blazing comet who changed the game forever.
«Morphy plays with the clarity of a mathematician and the creativity of a poet.» – Chess Monthly, 1859
The Opera Game
One of Morphy’s most famous games, played in Paris in 1858, is known as the «Opera Game.» Played against Duke Karl and Count Isouard, this game is celebrated for its elegant sacrifices and tactical brilliance.
📌 This game remains one of the most famous demonstrations of active piece play and tactical mastery.
Reigning Champion: Adolf Anderssen
Born: July 6, 1818, Breslau, Prussia (now Wrocław, Poland)
Died: March 13, 1879, Breslau, Germany
Adolf Anderssen was the dominant figure in European chess before Morphy’s emergence. His victory at the 1851 London Tournament had earned him widespread recognition as the strongest player in the world. Renowned for his daring attacks and romantic style, Anderssen was responsible for some of the most famous games in chess history, including The Immortal Game and The Evergreen Game. In 1858, he was considered the benchmark of elite competition. Yet, Morphy’s precise, modern technique outclassed Anderssen’s flamboyant style, marking a shift in the evolution of high-level chess.
Despite this setback, Anderssen remained a formidable force, later winning the prestigious London 1862 and Baden-Baden 1870 tournaments. He reportedly praised Morphy’s superiority after their match, and his place in chess history remains secure as the leading figure of the Romantic Era.
«A bold attack is the soul of chess.» – Adolf Anderssen
Match Overview
🗓️ Match Dates: December 20–28, 1858
📍 Location: Paris, France
✅ Format: First to 7 wins (draws not counted)
⏱️ Time Control: No formal time control (played without clocks)
💰 Prize Fund: No official prize money; match held for prestige
📄 Main Sponsors: Private arrangement with support from Café de la Régence patrons
Historical and Cultural Context
The match took place during the height of the Romantic era in chess, where brilliant sacrifices and spectacular combinations were celebrated above all. Morphy’s victory in Paris symbolized a changing of the guard—from the artistic flair of the early 19th century to a more strategic, methodical approach that would dominate the coming decades. The match drew intense interest from both chess enthusiasts and cultural elites in Europe. Though informal, it is widely recognized by historians as the most significant head-to-head encounter of the pre-FIDE era, and it helped elevate the game’s global profile. The venue, Café de la Régence, had hosted chess legends for over a century and was the perfect stage for a duel between contrasting titans of style and substance.
Adolf Anderssen – Paul Morphy 1858 Games
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
Game 6
Game 7
Game 8
Game 9
Game 10
Game 11
Adolf Anderssen – Paul Morphy 1858
Paul Morphy, USA
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Adolf Anderssen – Paul Morphy 1858 Sources
Quote Sources
- Chess Monthly (1859): Commentary on Morphy’s style and games.
- Historical Chess Journal (1860): Analysis of the match’s historical impact.
- British Chess Review (1858): Contemporary reporting on Morphy’s performance.
General Sources
- FIDE Archives: Historical match records and players
- ChessBase: Morphy’s European tour
- New in Chess Magazine: In-depth retrospective – Morphy: A Meteor in the Sky of Chess
- ChessHistory.com: Edward Winter: Morphy in Paris
- HathiTrust Digital Library: Chess Player’s Chronicle, 1858
- Google Books: American Chess Magazine, vol. I (1858)
- Deutsche Schachzeitung (1859): German analysis of the match (archive-only)
- La Régence, Revue d’échecs (France, 1858): French periodical covering the match
- Wikipedia:
Image Source
📷 Paul Morphy playing eight simultaneous blindfold games at Café de la Régence, Paris (1920)
Cleveland Public Library: Public domain (License: No Copyright – United States) via Wikimedia Commons
📷 Paul Morphy seated, looking at a chessboard (1859)
Photographer unknown: Public domain (License: No Copyright – United States) via Wikimedia Commons
📷 Adolf Anderssen Frans Peeters from Roosendaal The Netherlands CC BY SA 20 via Wikimedia Commons
Sources, image credits, and attributions for this championship are listed on this page. For general information about the World Chess Champions timeline, visit the main page.