The Opera Game
Morphy – Duke of Brunswick, Paris 1858 · 1–0 · 3 songs · 5:34
- 0:00 Overture
- 0:22 ♫ Leave the Pawn, Bring the Knight
- 1:28 Interlude
- 1:42 ♫ The Duke Can Hardly Move
- 2:56 Interlude
- 3:06 ♫ The Queen Bows Out
- 5:06 Finale
Overture
Paris, the second of November, eighteen fifty-eight. Paul Morphy plays White against the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard, consulting together. Black's solid Philidor Defence, an early pin, the bishop pair given up, and White's queen is already out.
Leave the Pawn, Bring the Knight
sung from White's side
Chorus
Bishop to c4, f7 in my glance 6.Bc4
Queen to b3, two hits at once 6...Nf6 7.Qb3
Leave the b7 pawn, knight to c3 7...Qe7 8.Nc3
Every piece must join the dance
Verse
His queen guards f7 and sets a snare
Go back: queen takes on b7, beware 8.Qxb7
Check on b4, queen takes, queens trade 8...Qb4+ 9.Qxb4
A safe extra pawn, an endgame made
I keep the queens and attack instead
His b8 knight is still in bed
Chorus
Bishop to c4, f7 in my glance 6.Bc4
Queen to b3, two hits at once 6...Nf6 7.Qb3
Leave the b7 pawn, knight to c3 7...Qe7 8.Nc3
Every piece must join the dance
Interlude
Black props up the queenside with a pawn, and Morphy answers with another developing move that carries a threat: his bishop pins the knight on f6 to the queen. Black's bishop and rook are still at home.
The Duke Can Hardly Move
sung from Black's side
Chorus
Every piece must join the dance
Not pawn to b5, that rash advance 9...b5
His knight takes on b5, no retreat 10.Nxb5
Open lines are the attacker's treat
Verse
I take his knight, b-file flung wide 10...cxb5
His bishop takes b5, check, I hide 11.Bxb5+
My knight to d7 walks into the pin 11...Nbd7
My knights pinned, hardly move a limb
Go back, queen to b4, check, instead 10...Qb4+
Trade the queens, the sting has fled 11.Qxb4 Bxb4+
Chorus
Every piece must join the dance
Not pawn to b5, that rash advance 9...b5
His knight takes on b5, no retreat 10.Nxb5
Open lines are the attacker's treat
Interlude
Black brings a rook to the d-file to stand behind the pinned knight. Every defender is tied down, and White's second rook is still waiting in its corner.
The Queen Bows Out
sung from White's side
Verse 1
His knight on d7 guards the door,
Rook takes on d7, who keeps score? 13.Rxd7 Rxd7
Rook to d1, my last guest in, 14.Rd1
His rook on d7 feels the pin.
His queen to e6, wrong, too late, 14...Qe6
Bishop takes on d7, now wait 15.Bxd7+ Nxd7
Chorus
Every piece must join the dance,
Queen to b8, his knight must take, 16.Qb8+ Nxb8
The d-file opens in her wake,
Rook to d8, and that is mate, 17.Rd8#
My bishop on g5 guards d8.
Verse 2
Encore, back to the start we go,
Rook takes on d7, the guard laid low, 13.Rxd7 Rxd7
Rook to d1, all mine in play, 14.Rd1
His f8 bishop, h8 rook stay.
His queen to e6, wrong, frees his knight, 14...Qe6
Bishop takes on d7, mate's in sight. 15.Bxd7+ Nxd7
Chorus
Every piece must join the dance,
Queen to b8, his knight must take, 16.Qb8+ Nxb8
The d-file opens in her wake,
Rook to d8, and that is mate, 17.Rd8#
My bishop on g5 guards d8.
Finale
Checkmate, and Paul Morphy wins. Black ends with more material, but the rook and bishop that never moved took no part. The Opera Game remains the textbook example of rapid development, open lines and pins.
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