Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-11-16
Prom The Pl.iladerpbia American
A Remark able Scene---Paul Norphy
Plays 4 our flames OF Chess Blind
folded.


A Remarkable Scene---Pau1 Uorphy
Plays four esa5nes OF Chess Blind
folded.
At the Academy of Music, last night, came
of scene entirely novel to philadelphia. 1t
was the first appearance TO Philadelphia
public OF Mr.. Paul Morphy, as the champion
chess player. Mr.. Morphy on this occasion
played four games at one tine, feat which
shows him 10 be the 7possessor Of memory
equal in retentiveness to that of dozen or
binary persons.
The contest came off at the Academy of
Music. The spectators were comparatively
few. but were seal tered over the entire house.
TIE four antagonists to Mr.. -Morphy were
MesSrs. Vim. G. Thomas. B. C. Tilgbman;
Samuel Smyth and Samuel Tillen. These
gentlemen, with chess boards upon small Ia
Dles, sas at the front of the stage. Mr.. Nor
ply occupied an easy chair to the rear of the
stage, sitting with his face averted from the
players. The record of the game was kept
by Mr.. Wells, and the moves on either side
were announced to the audience by Mr.. r.
III. Jones. Mr.. Lewis Elkin acted umpire.
Mr.. Morpby wore pumps. white kid gloves
aud plain suit of glossy black.
The utmost silence was preserved by the
spectators. every individual of whom we
take for granted was a chess player. Each
move as announced seemed but to intensity
the interest of the audience, aud as the games
drew near TO a close you might have heard
the slight rustic of a cambria handkerchief
Mr.. Morphy took the first move, and made
the same one on all the boards. Messrs
Thomas and Tilghman played an open game,
while Messrs. Smytb and Tillen played close
one on the defensive. Mr.. Morphy,s memory
is something which borders upon the prodig-
iOus. A prodigy We think him, and nothing
else. As though the four boards were da-
guerrc0typed upon his mind, and as plainly
before his mental vision ds to the ocular yis-
ion of his antagonists, he announced his
moves with scarcely Il moments hesitation,
and in some instances as soon as those of his
adversary We're announced.
The game commenced at quarter past six
o'clock, and by half past eight tweaty-three
rounds had been fought. By this time 1t be-
came evident that two of the players would
soon be wound up, unless Mr.. Morphy made a
blunder. DIR. Tillen. although he beat Nor
ply last week, with the odds of knight,
and Is very strong player, became very
much worsted. Mr.. Thomas exhibited the
greatest prowess thus far, and sat at his
table like the owl in the desert saying moth
ing, but keeping up n powerful thinking
Mr.. Smytb sat like statue. and so absorbed
in his game that a six FOUNDER fired upon
his chair would probably have had no
more Effect upon his tympani than the chirp
of a cricket.
At the 25th move Mr. Tilghman resigned
to save a checkmate. Mr.. T. WAS very badly
beaten, but united in the capping of hand:
on tbe part Of the audience which greeted
this portion Of the victory. The fact that
Mr.. Smyth outllvcd Tilghman was regarded ID;
quite feather in the cap of that gentleman
At the 25th move, Dr. Tillen's board was
StrnnaH nf oil fhn nianee mhila Mr.
Morphys remained master OF the board
Dr. Iillen now resigned, to save the newt
able checkmate, and again the spectators
applauded the victor.
TIE game was ROW shortened perccptibly
though the two remaining players appeared
to have little chance for success. What they
lacked in this respect, however. they made
up in pluck, and held on tooth and nail un
til vanquishcd. At the 29h move, Mr.
Thomas last piece, of any value, was taken
away, and by a piece of strategy which
startled that gentleman as much as though
his coat-tail had spontaneously "combusted
a queen, upon which Mr.. Thomas relied fol-
great services, was snapped up in manne'
so exceedingly clrcumlucutOry as to astonish
the audience no less than Mr.. Thomas.
At the 33d moVe Mr.. Thomas was van
qushed all his available men were gone
and he resigned. AT the next move Morphy
announced mate in three moves on the third
board, +" and Mr.. Smyth's colors were gone
he was checkmated That he held out sC
long is something marvellous. Mr.. Smy tn, al
the 23d move, thought he had moved about
two hundred times; while each of the players
Mr.. MOrphy alone excepted, appeared Il
have nerves strung to concert pitch, if moi
higher.
At the conclusion of the game, Mr.. Morphy
was surrounded by cOngratulaIing friends
the vanquished players among the number
while every pair of hands in the Academy
testified their applause.
From Watching the manner in which Mr.
Morphy plays his game, we Can only uLpos,
/ that he possesses The faculty of hopping be
| fore his mental vision an indefinite number
| Of games, and that he plays a number o
| them with as much facility as be plays
! single one. As be can beat any other playe
| now extant, il is certain that no combination
can avail against him. If he does not st,
all the boards before him, how comes it tina
he knows every piece as it stands upon tn,
! board, and the precise position that it occu
pies 10 all the rest? When questioned as Il
the secret OF his wonderful powers, Mr.
| Morphy expresses an inability TO explain til,
rationale. He merely knows that he pos >esse
| the power, but cannot tell how it l. exercis
ed. Like the faculty possessed by mathema
teal prodIgies, Of adding long columns Q
| figures without previous calculation, Mr.
MUrphy appears TO be cndOw ed with facult,
for chess playing with any number of antagU
nIsts.