Paul Charles Morphy (1837-1884) fue uno de los ms celebres casos de nio prodigio, adquiriendo fama al derrotar en una

serie de partidas a Lwenthal, con tan solo doce aos. En 1857 y tras vencer a Louis Paulsen se proclama campen oficioso de Norteamrica. Al ao siguiente realiza una gira triunfal por Europa, barriendo del tablero a cuantos maestros le salen al paso: Lwenthal, Harrwitz, Mongredien y hasta el gran Anderssen, que sucumbe por el aplastante tanteo de 7-2 y 2 tablas. Desde ese momento se le considera el mejor ajedrecista del mundo, cuyos fulgurantes ataques y espectaculares combinaciones deslumbran, a pesar de que no son sino la consecuencia de una estrategia superior. Nunca se consider a si mismo un profesional del ajedrez, ofendindose cuando, al encasillarlo en tal categora, un prestigioso peridico lo incluye entre los diez hombres ms celebres de Estados Unidos. Gradualmente se va alejando del ajedrez, acosado por delirios persecutorios y emprende pleitos por diversas cuestiones legales, aunque en realidad son pleitos contra sus propios fantasmas. Fallece, vctima de una apopleja, en Nueva Orleans, la ciudad donde haba nacido.

Paul Charles Morphy (Nueva Orleans, Luisiana, el 22 de junio de 1837 10 de julio de 1884) fue un jugador de ajedrez estadounidense, y es considerado el jugador ms importante de su tiempo, y a la vez campen mundial, aunque ese ttulo no exista en su poca. Algunos grandes maestros consideran que Morphy ha sido el ms grande jugador que ha existido. Adems fue el primer jugador de ajedrez estadounidense que se convirti en una gran figura del ajedrez internacional. Creci en una aristocrtica familia criolla de origen hispano/irlands, y madre francesa. El ajedrez en la familia de Paul siempre fue una prctica de hombres, sus abuelos, padre, hermanos y tos, practicaban el juego regularmente. Comenz a jugar al ajedrez a los diez aos, y a los 12 ya era uno de los mejores jugadores de la localidad. Despus hizo giras por todo Estados Unidos derrotando a todos sus adversarios. Lleg a dominar muy bien el ingls, el espaol, el francs y el alemn. Termin la universidad muy joven a los 20 aos y como no poda practicar la abogaca, (era necesario tener 21 aos para hacerlo) se tom un ao para jugar con los mejores jugadores de Europa, vencindolos a todos. En 1867, la salud mental de l, comenz a empeorar, lleg hasta cierto punto, a sufrir ficticias persecuciones e inclusive a odiar el Ajedrez, en 1882, unos periodistas fueron a su hogar, comunicndole que l sera incluido en un libro de los Grandes Personajes de su ciudad natal, por su dedicacin y esfuerzo al ajedrez, Paul se enfureci, y dijo "Slo he tenido un empleo ficticio, y no tengo nada que valorar en incluir en este libro", Paul Morphy muri el 10 de julio de 1884, tras sufrir un ataque de apopleja, tras ducharse con agua fra El Rey es la pieza ms dbil. El ajedrez ha de ser primordialmente una recreacin y no debe practicarse en detrimento de otras y ms serias actividades. Como un simple juego, como un descanso de actividades importantes en la vida, merece la ms alta recomendacin.
Me siento con ms fuerzas, confirmando la creencia de que el tiempo dedicado al ajedrez es literalmente malgastado.

Ayudad a vuestras piezas para que os ayuden. El ajedrez es eminentemente y enfticamente el filsofo del juego.

El pen es el ms importante instrumento de la victoria.

Paul Charles Morphy, una estrella fugaz

Paul Charles Morphy naci el 22 de Junio de 1837, en New Orleans (Estados Unidos). Falleci el 10 de Julio de 1884, en su ciudad natal. Se dice que Morphy tena ascendencia espaola, ya que su abuelo emigr de Madrid a Estados Unidos, aunque esto no ha sido probado. Morphy fue un nio prodigio (lleg a hablar 4 idiomas: ingls, francs, alemn y espaol), aunque no aprendi a jugar al ajedrez hasta los 10 aos. El encargado de ensearle el movimiento de las piezas fue su padre, Alonzo Morphy, aunque quien le ense a profundizar en el juego fue su to, Ernest Morphy. Rpidamente consigui vencer a sus dos familiares, y a los 12 aos ya derrotaba a los jugadores ms importantes de su ciudad. En 1849 se enfrent a un fuerte jugador francs: Eugene Rousseau, que resida en New Orleans. Jug con l en 50 ocasiones, venciendo Morphy en un 90% de las partidas, ms o menos. Una de las partidas jugadas contra Rousseau hara que el nombre Morphy empezase a ser conocido, incluso fuera de los Estados Unidos. Su to envo dicha partida a la revista de ajedrez ms famosa de la poca, "La Regence" de Pars, y fue publicada inmediatamente con comentarios del jugador Kieseritzky (director de la revista), con muchos elogios para Morphy. Podis ver la carta que envi Ernest Morphy y tambin esta famosa partida ( Ver carta). Ernest Morphy fue un gran apoyo para su sobrino, adems de un buen jugador de ajedrez como demuestra la siguiente partida (Ernest Morphy). Tras estos xitos iniciales, Morphy no pone freno a su progresin y logra vencer a los jugadores norteamericanos ms destacados. Incluso lleg a derrotar al gran jugador hngaro Jakob Lowenthal, que se encontraba temporalmente en el pas. Morphy no era ms que un adolescente, pero su fama creca sin cesar. Su dominio en Estados Unidos se culmin al ganar el Torneo de New York de 1857, donde se dieron cita los jugadores ms fuertes del pas, adems de Louis Paulsen. Estados Unidos se haba quedado pequeo para Morphy, all no existan rivales que estuviesen a su altura, por lo que decidi que haba llegado el momento de buscar nuevos

retos. La nica forma de mostrar al mundo su talento era cruzar el Atlntico en busca de los famosos ajedrecistas europeos y as lo hizo. Su primer destino fue Liverpool, donde lleg para enfrentarse al campen ingls Howard Staunton. Pero su fama le preceda y Staunton rehus jugar contra l, claramente acobardado. Este miedo no fue algo transitorio, ya que ms adelante rechaz todas las propuestas que Morphy le hizo. Slo llegaron a enfrentarse una vez y no lo hicieron de forma directa, sino a travs de una partida en consulta con otros dos jugadores (Owen y Barnes). Ocurri en el Torneo de Londres, donde Morphy no particip pero si accedi a disputar dicha partida no oficial, podis ver como transcurri la pequea venganza de Morphy en: (Ver partida). Tras esto Staunton llev ms all su cobarda y se dedic a escribir duras crticas contra Morphy en revistas y peridicos de ajedrez. El paso de Morphy por Europa fue devastador, tanto en resultados como por lo genial de su juego. Venci en matches a todos los rivales que se cruzaron en su camino: Von der Lasa, Lowenthal (9 victorias, 2 tablas y 3 derrotas), John Owen (dndole un pen de ventaja, 5 victorias , 2 tablas, 0 derrotas), Daniel Harrwitz (5 victorias, 1 tablas, 2 derrotas), ste ltimo era el jugador ms fuerte del famoso caf La Regence de Pars. Pero el match ms esperado fue el que enfrent a Morphy con Anderssen. Ambos eran los jugadores ms admirados de la poca, tanto por el pblico como por la mayora de sus rivales. En aqulla poca Anderssen estaba retirado en Breslau, su ciudad natal, donde daba clase de Matemticas en un instituto. El venerable profesor ya no se dedicaba al ajedrez de competicin, por lo que su nivel ajedrecstico haba descendido. Morphy se ofreci a pagar el viaje a Anderssen, bonito gesto que estaba en contraposicin con un artculo de Staunton donde comentaba que Morphy slo haba venido a Europa en busca de dinero. Anderssen acept y viaj a Pars durante las vacaciones de Navidad, donde quedaba liberado de sus obligaciones en el instituto. Morphy gan con facilidad al alemn con 7 victorias, 2 tablas y 2 derrotas. Con esto el estadounidense certificaba su superioridad sobre cualquier jugador de la poca. El ltimo match que disput Morphy en Europa fue contra Mongredien, con 7 victorias y 1 empate. Morphy dio algunas exhibiciones a la ciega y alguna sesin de simultaneas por Inglaterra. Sin ms obstculos que superar, decidi volver a su pas tras su fulgurante paso por Europa e inexplicablemente se retir casi por completo del ajedrez. Tras su regreso a New Orleans, Morphy se dedic a la abogaca, aunque sin mucho xito. El motivo principal de esta temprana retirada del ajedrez hay que buscarlo en los prejuicios existentes en su ciudad natal. New Orleans era una ciudad conservadora, donde estaba muy mal visto dedicarse a algo 'tan poco serio' como el ajedrez. Morphy no pudo soportar esta presin y lleg a renegar del juego que tanta gloria le haba reportado. Morphy tuvo que abandonar su pas tras la Guerra de Secesin, estuvo en Cuba, Espaa y Francia para terminar regresando a New Orleans. Durante ese tiempo volvi a jugar algn match, pero no de una forma seria. Est demostrado que en esa poca la salud mental de Morphy estaba muy deteriorada y comenz a padecer mana persecutoria y otras ideas obsesivas. Se ha especulado mucho sobre el origen de la locura de Morphy, pero la tesis ms creble es que no pudo soportar el peso de su fama tras su meterica carrera que le llevo a la cima en muy pocos aos. De hecho Morphy termin odiando el ajedrez y no permita que se le mencionase nada relacionado con este tema. Ni siquiera acept los premios y reconocimientos que se le dieron por su carrera. Pero hablemos del Morphy ajedrecista, que es lo que verdaderamente nos importa. Su xito se bas en la superioridad que demostraba en el juego abierto, en aqulla poca este tipo de aperturas estaban en boga y resultaban ideales para los jugadores con talento. Adems, Morphy posea una comprensin de la posicin muy superior al resto, lo que le permita salir de la apertura con ventaja para luego poder combinar a su antojo y acabar llevndose la partida. Para explicar lo que es una posicin abierta, diremos que se da cuando se han cambiado varios peones del centro, lo que hace que queden diagonales y columnas libres para el resto de piezas. Esto suele ocurrir en las aperturas que comienzan por 1.e4 e5 (salir con 1.d4 da una posicin cerrada, donde el

juego se hace lento y posicional). Las posiciones abiertas facilitan el desarrollo rpido de las piezas, por lo que se pueden lanzar ataques espectaculares, con sacrificios de pieza, para buscar la victoria. Morphy dominaba esta situacin a la perfeccin y nunca lanzaba ataques precipitados (muy comn en otros jugadores) porque daba mucha importancia a un correcto desarrollo de sus piezas. Es una pena no haber podido disfrutar del juego de Morphy durante unos aos ms, de hecho slo nos ha dejado 376 partidas de las cuales gan 197, perdiendo 23 y entablando 156. Lo que da un porcentaje del 86'4%. Sus resultados en torneos simplemente no existen, porque en la poca de Morphy se disputaban muy pocos, slo jug dos en toda su carrera. Podis ver su palmars, compuesto bsicamente por matches individuales, en: (Ver Palmars). A continuacin 4 partidas donde Morphy desarrolla su fino estilo de ataque: Paulsen - Morphy, New York 1857 Morphy - Meek, Mobile 1855 Schulten - Morphy, New York 1857 Barnes - Morphy, Londres 1858

Biografa de Paul Morphy Paul Morphy (1837-1884) fue un jugador de ajedrez norteamericano considerado el mejor del mundo entre 1858 y su retirada de los tableros en 1863. Naci el 22 de Junio de 1837 en Nueva Orleans, Louisiana, en el seno de una familia aristocrtica criolla. Su padre, de profesin juez del tribunal supremo de Lousiana, era espaol de origen irlands y su madre era francesa. Morphy creci en un ambiente donde la msica y el ajedrez estaban muy presentes. Aprendi a jugar l slo, observando a sus familiares. Morphy tuvo un amigo en la niez, Charles Maurian, que mantendra toda su vida y al que enseaba y daba ventaja de peones, pieza o incluso torre, pero que mejor tanto su juego a lo largo de su vida, que muchos aos ms tarde, acab jugando con l sin darle ventaja. A la edad de 9 aos, Morphy ya era uno de los mejores jugadores de Nueva Orleans, y con 12 derrot al maestro hngaro Johann Lowenthal en 3 partidas consecutivas. Los aos siguientes los dedic a estudiar, no practicando demasiado el ajedrez y en 1857, con 20 aos es admitido para cursar leyes en la Universidad de Louisiana. Como se necesitaban 21 aos para empezar los estudios, Morphy se encuentra con un ao libre y decide jugar en el primer Congreso Americano de Ajedrez. All derrota a todos sus rivales entre los que se encontraban el mejor jugador nacional hasta el momento, Charles Stanley, y el maestro alemn Louis Paulsen. Aunque esto supone ser el campen de ajedrez de Estados Unidos, Morphy no le da demasiada importancia y adems no acepta los premios en metlico, ya que l nunca quiso ser considerado como jugador profesional de ajedrez. En 1858 es invitado al Torneo Internacional de Birmingham, y como todava no tena la edad para entrar en la Universidad, decide empezar su aventura europea. En vez de jugar el torneo, se dedica a derrotar a todos los maestros ingleses en una serie de matches excepto a Howard Staunton, que rehuye el encuentro con l. Despus de meses

de intentos y cansado de las excusas de Staunton para evitar el duelo, Morphy viaja a Pars y derrota a Lowenthal y a Harrwitz en el Caf de la Regence. A pesar de estar enfermo y muy debilitado, juega un match con Adolf Anderssen y le derrota por +7 -2 =2. Aunque Anderssen llevaba aos sin jugar reconoce que Morphy es un jugador ms fuerte y que le haba superado justamente. El ao siguiente, Morphy juega varias exhibiciones de simultaneas a la ciega en Inglaterra y Francia, derrotando a 8 contrincantes a la vez. Ya es considerado por todos como el campen del mundo. Su superioridad sobre el resto de jugadores es tal, que suele jugar dndoles ventaja de material. Incluso jug unas simultneas contra 5 maestros (Jules Arnous de Riviere, Samuel Boden, Thomas Barnes, Lowenthal, y Henry Bird) ganando dos partidas, empatando otras dos y perdiendo una.

A finales de 1859 vuelve a Estados Unidos y reta a cualquier jugador del mundo a un match dndole ventaja de pen y salida. Como nadie responde a su reto, deja definitivamente el ajedrez. Por desgracia, la carrera de leyes de Morphy es interrumpida por la guerra civil americana en 1861. Se opone a la secesin, por lo que no luch junto al ejrcito del sur. Viaj a Cuba y a Pars en 1863, volviendo a Nueva Orleans al ao siguiente. Posiblemente su posicin contra la guerra, le perjudica y no consigue rehacer su carrera como hombre de leyes. Sus intentos de abrir un despacho de abogados, son infructuosos, ya que todo el mundo quiere hablar con l de ajedrez, no de problemas legales, hasta tal punto que llega a odiar el juego. Morphy consideraba el ajedrez como una actividad amateur, no merecedora de ser considerada una ocupacin seria. Esta mentalidad era tpica de la poca, y no fu hasta muchos aos despus que apareciera el ajedrez profesional. En 1867 su estado mental empieza a ser alarmante y pasa 18 meses en Pars. Sus ltimos aos fueron trgicos, hundido en la depresin, la paranoia y manas persecutorias. El 10 de julio de 1884, muere por un accidente cerebrovascular, tomando un bao en su casa, a la edad de 47 aos.

Paul Morphy
Paul Charles Morphy (June 22, 1837 July 10, 1884), was an American chess player. He is considered to have been the greatest chess master of his era and an unofficial World Chess Champion.[1] He was a chess prodigy and called "The Pride and Sorrow of Chess".[2]
Early life

Morphy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to a wealthy and distinguished family. His father, Alonzo Michael Morphy, a lawyer, served as a Louisiana state legislator, attorney general, and Supreme Court Justice. Alonzo, who held Spanish nationality, was of Spanish, Portuguese, and Irish ancestry. Morphy's mother, Louise Thrse Flicit Thelcide Le Carpentier, was the musically-talented daughter of a prominent French Creole family. Morphy grew up in an atmosphere of genteel civility and culture where chess and music were the typical highlights of a Sunday home gathering.[3] According to his uncle, Ernest Morphy, no one formally taught Morphy how to play chess; rather, Morphy learned on his own as a young child simply from watching others play. After silently watching a lengthy game between Ernest and Alonzo, which they abandoned as drawn, young Paul surprised them by stating that Ernest should have won. His father and uncle had not realized that Paul knew the moves, let alone any chess strategy. They were even more surprised when Paul proved his claim by resetting the pieces and demonstrating the win his uncle had missed.
Childhood victories

After that incident Morphy's family recognized him as a precocious talent and encouraged him to play at family gatherings and local chess milieus. By the age of nine, he was considered one of the best players in New Orleans. In 1846, General Winfield Scott visited the city, and let his hosts know that he desired an evening of chess with a strong local player. Chess was an infrequent pastime of Scott's, but he enjoyed the game and considered himself a formidable player. After dinner, the chess pieces were set up and Scott's opponent was brought in: diminutive, nine-year-old Morphy. Scott was at first offended, thinking he was being made fun of, but he consented to play after being assured that his wishes had been scrupulously obeyed and that the boy was a "chess prodigy" who would tax his skill. Morphy beat him easily not once, but twice, the second time announcing a forced checkmate after only six moves. As two losses against a small boy was all General Scott's ego could stand, he declined further games and retired for the night, never to play Morphy again. In 1850, when Morphy was twelve, the strong professional Hungarian chess master Johann Lwenthal visited New Orleans. Lwenthal, who had often played and defeated talented youngsters, considered the informal match a waste of time but accepted the offer as a courtesy to the well-to-do judge. When Lwenthal met Morphy, he patted him on the head in a patronizing manner. By about the twelfth move in the first game, Lwenthal realized he was up against something formidable. Each time Morphy made a good move, Lwenthal's eyebrows

shot up in a manner described by Ernest Morphy as "comique". Lwenthal played three games with Paul Morphy during his New Orleans stay, scoring two losses and one draw (according to another source - losing all three).[4]
Schooling and the First American Chess Congress

After 1850, Morphy did not play much chess for a long time. Studying diligently, he graduated from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, in 1854. He then stayed on an extra year, studying mathematics and philosophy. He was awarded an A.M. degree with the highest honors in May 1855. He next was accepted to the University of Louisiana (now Tulane University) to study law. He received an L.L.B. degree on April 7, 1857, in preparation for which he is said to have memorized the complete Louisiana book of codes and laws.[5] Not yet of legal age to begin the practice of law, Morphy found himself with free time. He received an invitation to participate in the First American Chess Congress, to be held in New York from October 6 to November 10, 1857. He at first declined, but at the urging of his uncle eventually decided to play. He defeated each of his rivals, including James Thompson, Alexander Beaufort Meek, and two strong German masters, Theodor Lichtenhein and Louis Paulsen, the latter two in the semifinal and final rounds. Morphy was hailed as the chess champion of the United States, but he appeared unaffected by his sudden fame. According to the December 1857 issue of Chess Monthly, "his genial disposition, his unaffected modesty and gentlemanly courtesy have endeared him to all his acquaintances." In the fall of 1857, staying in New York, Morphy played 261 games, both regular and at odds. His overall score in regular games was 87 wins, 8 draws, and 5 losses.[6]
Europe

Soon after returning to New Orleans he was invited to attend an international chess tournament to be held in Birmingham, England in the summer of 1858. Still too young to start his law career, he accepted the challenge and traveled to England. He arrived in Liverpool on June 21, 1858.[7] Instead of playing in the tournament, however, he ended up playing and easily winning a series of chess matches against all the leading English masters except the veteran Howard Staunton, who was well past his prime, and who initially promised a match but eventually declined after witnessing Morphy's play.[8] Staunton was later criticised for avoiding a match with Morphy. Staunton is known to have been working on his edition of the complete works of Shakespeare at the time, but he also competed in a chess tournament during Morphy's visit. Staunton later blamed Morphy for the failure to have a match, suggesting among other things that Morphy lacked the funds required for match stakesa most unlikely charge given Morphy's popularity. Seeking new opponents, Morphy crossed the English Channel to France. At the Caf de la Rgence in Paris, the center of chess in France, he played a match against Daniel Harrwitz, the resident chess professional, soundly defeating him.

In Paris, Morphy suffered from a bout of intestinal influenza. In accordance with the medical wisdom of the time, he was treated with leeches, resulting in his losing a significant amount of blood. Although too weak to stand up unaided, Morphy insisted on going ahead with a match against the visiting German master Adolf Anderssen, considered by many to be Europe's leading player. Despite his illness Morphy triumphed easily, winning seven while losing two, with two draws. When asked about his defeat, Anderssen claimed to be out of practice, but also admitted that Morphy was in any event the stronger player and that he was fairly beaten. Anderssen also attested that in his opinion, Morphy was the strongest player ever to play the game, even stronger than the famous French champion La Bourdonnais. Both in England and France, Morphy gave numerous simultaneous exhibitions, including displays of blindfold chess in which he regularly played and defeated eight opponents at a time. Morphy played a well-known casual game against the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard at the Italian Opera House in Paris.
World Champion

Still only twenty-one, Morphy was now quite famous. While in Paris, he was sitting in his hotel room one evening, chatting with his companion Frederick Edge, when they had an unexpected visitor. "I am Prince Galitzine; I wish to see Mr. Morphy," the visitor said, according to Edge. Morphy identified himself to the visitor. "No, it is not possible!" the prince exclaimed, "You are too young!" Prince Galitzine then explained that he was in the frontiers of Siberia when he had first heard of Morphy's "wonderful deeds." He explained, "One of my suite had a copy of the chess paper published in Berlin, the Schachzeitung, and ever since that time I have been wanting to see you." He then told Morphy that he must go to Saint Petersburg, Russia, because the chess club in the Imperial Palace would receive him with enthusiasm. In Europe, Morphy was generally hailed as world chess champion. In Paris, at a banquet held in his honor on April 4, 1859, a laurel wreath was placed over the head of a bust of Morphy, carved by the sculptor Eugne-Louis Lequesne. At a similar gathering in London, where he returned in the spring of 1859, Morphy was again proclaimed "the Champion of the World". He was also invited to a private audience with Queen Victoria. So dominant was Morphy that even masters could not seriously challenge him in play without some kind of handicap. At a simultaneous match against five masters, Morphy won two games against Jules Arnous de Rivire and Henry Edward Bird, drew two games with Samuel Boden and Johann Jacob Lwenthal, and lost one to Thomas Wilson Barnes.[9] Upon his return to America, the accolades continued as Morphy toured the major cities on his way home. At the University of the City of New York, on May 29, 1859, John Van Buren, son of President Martin Van Buren, ended a testimonial presentation by proclaiming, "Paul Morphy, Chess Champion of the World". In Boston, at a banquet attended by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Louis Agassiz, Boston mayor Frederic W. Lincoln, Jr., Harvard president James Walker, and other luminaries, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes toasted "Paul Morphy, the World Chess Champion". Morphy's celebrity drew manufacturers who sought his endorsements, newspapers asked him to write chess columns, and a baseball club was named after him.

Abandonment of chess

Having vanquished virtually all serious opposition, Morphy reportedly declared that he would play no more matches without giving odds of pawn and move.[10] After returning home he declared himself retired from the game and, with a few exceptions, gave up public competition. Morphy's embryonic law career was disrupted in 1861 by the outbreak of the American Civil War. Morphys brother Edward had at the very start joined the army of the confederacy, whereas his mother and sisters emigrated to Paris.[11] Paul Morphys Civil War service is a rather gray area. David Lawson states "it may be that he was on Beauregards staff (Confederate Army) for a short while and that he had been seen at Manassas as had been reported." (Pride and Sorrow, pp. 2689). Lawson also recounts a story by a resident of Richmond in 1861 who describes Morphy as then being "an officer on Beauregards staff." Other sources indicate that general Pierre Beauregard considered Morphy unqualified, but that Morphy had indeed applied to him.[12] During the war he lived partly in New Orleans and partly abroad, spending time in Havana (1862, 1864)[13] and Paris (1863, 1867).[14] Morphy was unable to successfully build a law practice after the war ended. His attempts to open a law office failed; when he had visitors, they invariably wanted to talk about chess, not their legal affairs. Financially secure thanks to his family fortune, Morphy essentially spent the rest of his life in idleness. Asked by admirers to return to chess competition, he refused. In accord with the prevailing sentiment of the time, Morphy esteemed chess only as an amateur activity, considering the game unworthy of pursuit as a serious occupation. Chess professionals were viewed in the same light as professional gamblers. It was not until decades later that the age of the professional chess player arrived.[15]
Death

On the afternoon of July 10, 1884, Morphy was found dead in his bathtub at the age of forty-seven. According to the autopsy, Morphy had suffered a stroke brought on by entering cold water after a long walk in the midday heat. The Morphy mansion, sold by the family in 1891, is today the site of Brennan's, a famous New Orleans restaurant.

Playing style
Today many amateurs think of Morphy as a dazzling combinative player, who excelled in sacrificing his queen and checkmating his opponent a few brilliant moves later. One reason for this impression is that chess books like to reprint his flashy games. There are games where he did do this, but it was not the basis of his chess style. In fact, the masters of his day considered his style to be on the conservative side compared to some of the flashy older masters like La Bourdonnais and Anderssen. Morphy can be considered the first modern player. Some of his games do not look modern because he did not need the sort of slow positional systems that modern grandmasters use, or that Staunton, Paulsen, and later Steinitz developed. His opponents had not yet mastered the open game, so he played it against them and he preferred open positions because they brought quick success. He played open games almost to perfection, but he also could handle any sort of position, having a complete grasp of

chess that was years ahead of his time. Morphy was a player who intuitively knew what was best, and in this regard he has been likened to Capablanca. He was, like Capablanca, a child prodigy; he played quickly and he was hard to beat. Lwenthal and Anderssen both later remarked that he was indeed hard to beat since he knew how to defend and would draw or even win games despite getting into bad positions. At the same time, he was deadly when given a promising position. Anderssen especially commented on this, saying that after one bad move against Morphy one might as well resign. "I win my games in seventy moves but Mr. Morphy wins his in twenty, but that is only natural..." Anderssen said, explaining his poor results against Morphy. Of Morphy's 59 "serious" games those played in matches and the 1857 New York tournament he won 42, drew 9, and lost 8.[16] While Bobby Fischer considered Morphy to be the greatest player of all time,[17] some commentators disagree.[18][19] "Morphy and Capablanca had enormous talent," Bobby Fischer, Icelandic Radio Interview, 2006.[20]