The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-10-23
The Che.. Battle In France.

The London Times Paris correspondent gives
an Interesting account of the late chess match
there, in which Paul Morphy, the American, van.
quished eight picked French players. He says:
The Cafe de la ReRence, at which this sx.raor
diuary feat occurred, has two large ro rms On Tho
ground floor. 10 the first room, which Is full of
marble tables, were seated the eight sdvarss ries
of Mr. Morphy. In the second room, in which are
two billiard tables was seated the single pIsyer
large portion of this room including the billiard
tables, was shut Of from the crowd by a cord and
behind the table, ia q large arm chair, sat Mr.
Morphy, with his back nearly directed to the
crowd Two gentlemen reporters for the press
kept the game, and two other gentlemen, Messrs.
Tournoud and A us de Ri,i.re, cried ont the
moves, or rather carried them from one rooom TO
the other. The adversaries of Mr.. Morrhy were
Messrs Baucher. Bierwitb, Barnemsnu, Leauesae.
(he distinguished scuiptor,) Potter Preti and Sc
GUM They we're all either old middieaged
men, and superior players, while Mr. Morphy ia bur
twenty>o years of age. The boards of the eight
players were numbered 2 3, &c, in the order of
which have given the names OF the gentlemen
At l2l2 O'Clock the game commenced, Mr. Nor
ply playing first and Calling cut the same move
conducted in Eroncb, Mr.. Morpby speaking
FreDch perfectly) att O'Clock No.7 was beat.
en- with unlocked for checkmate. Soon after
O'Clock No. 6 abandoned the game as hopeless.
aud hail an hour later NJ. Leqnesbe, No. S play cd
for and gained draw game. Nos. !, and were
soon after beaten.
At 10 o'clock No. 4 made the blind player accept
3 draw game, but it was 10% o'clock before H.
Seguim, No. S,a very old gentleman who contended
with great desperation, WAS beaten. Thus he beat
six, while, two, who acted on the defensive aud
only sought draw game, effected their purpose;
hut draw game, under such circumstances, ought
to be considered equivalent to q beat
Daring the entire game, which lasted just ten
hours, Mr. Morphy sat with his knees aud eyes
agsinst the bare wall, never rising or looking
toward tho audience, nor even taking particle Of
drink other reresbment. His only IN vspeDts
we're those of crossing his legs frcm aide To side,
and occasionally thumping tune with his fingers
on the arms OF the fdnteail. lie cried ont his
moves without turning his head. Against /, z, 3,
and and 7. who were not up to the standard %
the other three players, he frequently made his
move instantaneously after receiving theirs He
was calm throughout, and never made . mistake,
nor did he call n move twice. 1t must be Iecolecr-
ed, moreover, that Morphy played "agaipst the
feld"-iB other words, that around each Of the
eight boards there WAS large collection OF excel.
lent chess players who gave their advice freely,
aud who had eight times longer to study their
play In then the single player.
He played certainly against ffty men. and they
never ceased for . moment making supposed
moves and studying their game most thoroughly
during the long Intervals that necessarily fell TO
each board. And yet Morphy Who was ont OF sight
of these eight boards, saw the game palmer on
each than those who surrounded them. / could
scarcely have believed the thing possible II had
not eeeu IL. At the end Of the game there Was
shout from the three hundred throats present,
which made one believe he was back again In old
Tammapy HsIii The fact is, there wss consider
able number Of EngIishmen aud Americans prss-
cot, (smoug the latter was Professor Morse, who
took deep interest in this extraordinary gamsD
bat much the larger nsmber were French. Nor
ply did not seem st oil fstigned, and appeared 30
modest that the frenzy aud admiration Of the
Freuch knew no bounds. He was shaken BY the
hand and complimented till be hung down his
head ia confusion. One grsy-baired old man, an
octogenaran chess player, stroked his hair with
bis hspds, as he would child Of bis own, and
shoxered him with tsrms ofendesrment
Morphy has no beard yet, aud looks more like 2
school boy than worlds champion. He escaped
from ths excited crowd soon possible ana
sit, with soms frtsuds, To get somsthiug 10 cal
It 10 not nscssssry TO point out 70 chess players
the imnsDstty Of ths iutellsctnsl feat, evsry ops
will admit that Il borders upsn Tie 1aixacalsua,