Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-22
THE GREATEST CHESS PLAYER.
Paul MOrphy and His Wonderful
Achievements Mt Home and Abroad.
Tudor Jpnks in Ct Nicbo1os

raul MOrphy and His Wonderful
Achievements mt Home and Abroad.
Tudor jerks in st. Nicholas.
The greatest Of chess players was yet
boy when, having easily won the champion
ship OF America, he crossed the ocean to
meet the experts of the old world. Before
the end of his twenty-first year he return
ed in triumph. having defeated all who
ventured to meet him on even terms, and
having in vain offered a challenge to meet
any player at odds.
When, in 1858, the American chess play
ers wrote to the holder Of the champion
ship, the Englishman, Howard Staunton
and invited him to visit America and play
their boy champion, Paul Morphy Of New
Orleans, foreign chess players We're anus
ed To them this bold young player SEEM
ed new Ivahhoe. advancing to strike his
lance point against the shield of the vet
eran Brian de Bots Gilbert. While their
feeling was partly amusement, it was part
ly irritation. Stanton printed brief note
in a London paper, for which he edited
chess column, saying that if Mr.. Morphy
were "desfrotfs to Win his spurs among the
chess chivalry of Europe he must cross
the ocean and enter the lists.
The Americans Had confidence in the
young player and raised money to pay his
expenses. They had learned of his exploits
from Paulsen, a noted chess player of To-
wa. and had seen. Paulsen's prediction
that Mcrphy would win the American tour
nament-more than fulfilled. Before that
contest little was, known about the Lou
isiana boy.
Morphy's grandfather was Spanish ma
tive eftiMadrid, whp had emigrated to the
United States. Panl's father was a sue
cessful lawyer and became a judge. Paul
learned chess at ten years of age. and by
the time he was thirteen he was winning
many games from the strongest players of
his own city. When the little player was
twelve, Mr.. Lowenthal. celebrated cham
pion. came to visit Judge Morphy. and was
glad to test the skill of the infant phe-
nomenon. They played three games. Paul
won two. and the grown-up expert could
secure only a draw game But he did not
care to be a professional player. He went
to school and college until he was eighteen.
and played chess only as an amusement,
until there was tournament in New York
during 1851 Like a tiny julius Caesar,
Paul came, played and conquered. No one
could stand against him
Much good ink and paper has been vast
ed upon the question why Stanton and
Morphy did not reach match; but it
seems sufficient to say that Morphy was
always eager to play. ard that Stanton,
for one reason or another, avoided match.
The Birmingham tournament was won by
Lowenthal, who beat Stanton twice. So
1t may be argued that Morphy was more
than match for the English champions.
Crossing the English channel, he defeated
the Prussian, HarrwitZ. the strongest play
er in France and Andersen. also a Prus-
sian who had won the last international
tournament: then, returning to England.
he beat the president of the London Chess
Club seven games out Of eight, the first
having been a draw.
Having thus scored victory like that of
Admiral Dewey at Manila, Morphy played
no more serious matches. The rest Of his
tour abroad was merely of triumph
and sightseeing. At a banquet given to
him in Paris his bust was crowned with
laurel and everywhere he was hailed as
the unquestioned champion of the world.
After his return to America the proud
chess players of his native land gave him
a rosewood chess board with gold and sill
yer chessmen.