Re:Paul Morphy, The Greatest Chessplayer In History - 2008/12/30 06:47Thanks Shotgun. I didn't want you to just take my word for it, but back it up with the links to the players' games and profiles. That way you could always play through some of their wonderful games.
Also, this isn't a knock on any player on the list. It's just to emphasize just how great the gap was between Morphy and everyone else in his era and in other eras. That percentage included every great player in the world at the time except for Staunton, who was washed up. Adolf Anderssen crushed Staunton in a large tournament and Paul Morphy destroyed Adolf Anderssen. And Morphy and partner crushed Staunton and partner in doubles chess. If Morphy knew how underhanded Staunton was, he would have been more devious and lost horribly to Staunton, thereby making him think that he was a total patzer. He should have played up how ignorant he was and deliberately played badly in exhibitions in London. And once he got a commitment from Staunton, then he could pounce and destroy him.
And how does Paul Morphy learn to play like that when everyone in the world and every game listed in books is in a different dominant style? How does someone like him come to be? Even his father and uncle played in the romantic style and that was the first one he probably learned. That's what has always fascinated me about him. That he was so different. Not just a little, but totally and radically different from everything that had come before him.
Re:Paul Morphy, The Greatest Chessplayer In History - 2008/12/30 23:47Do you have any books pertaining to herr Morphy? How are they? Just wondering. Thanks.
Re:Paul Morphy, The Greatest Chessplayer In History - 2008/12/31 08:01Morphy's Games of Chess by Philip W. Sergeant & Fred Reinfeld, Dover; June 1989 is what got me started.
The Chess Genius of Paul Morphy by Max Lange is the European view of him.
Frederick Milne Edge: Paul Morphy, the Chess Champion. An Account of His Career in America and Europe. New York 1859 is by his confidante, buddy, butler, friend, servant, chess fan, biographer. It's the closest thing to a fly on the wall that we will ever get, since he was always with him.
Paul Morphy, The Pride and Sorrow of Chess by David Lawson, 424 pages; Mckay,1976 is the only full book length biography of him. Out of print.
The Chess Players by Frances Parkinson Keyes, Farrar, Straus and Cudahy; 1960 is fiction based on him. I haven't read it all the way through. It isn't bad. Not great fiction though and who could write fiction better than reality when it comes to Morphy, the first American World Champion?
The Pride and the Sorrow by Matt Fullerty, 2008 is a recent biographical novelization. Haven't read it.
ketchuplover wrote: Do you have any books pertaining to herr Morphy? How are they? Just wondering. Thanks.
Re:Paul Morphy, The Greatest Chessplayer In History - 2009/05/02 02:57An excellent thread indeed. I've only begun to hear about Paul Morphy. It was suggested to me the other night on yahoo, to find some of his games on youtube. And now I find this tremendous resource, plus the knowledge that I share birthdays with the legendary Morphy... I couldn't thank You enough. ---------
"To seek freedom is the only driving force I know. Freedom to fly off into that infinity out there. Freedom to dissolve; to lift off; to be like the flame of a candle, which, in spite of being up against the light of a billion stars, remains intact, because it never pretended to be more than what it is: a mere candle." -Carlos Castaneda
Re:Paul Morphy, The Greatest Chessplayer In Histor - 2009/05/02 20:20Thanx fer the welcome, milady I believe these forums truly are Heaven Sent & I am very grateful for all the work and dedication You Admins put into bringing the Chess communinty that much closer.
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I could be wrong here, but it almost seems as if Morphy was using Evans Gambit as a humble way of opening his position, while at the same time offering tempting options to his opponent that surrendered the center to Morphys will. ---------
"To seek freedom is the only driving force I know. Freedom to fly off into that infinity out there. Freedom to dissolve; to lift off; to be like the flame of a candle, which, in spite of being up against the light of a billion stars, remains intact, because it never pretended to be more than what it is: a mere candle." -Carlos Castaneda
Re:Paul Morphy, The Greatest Chessplayer In Histor - 2009/05/13 04:52In one game Morphy played b5 as Black in a reverse Evan's Gambit! However, Morphy played more Ruy Lopezes. When you can play like Morphy, you can play anything and make it exciting.
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Very well thought out and over. Thank you! 
I believe these forums truly are Heaven Sent & I am very grateful for all the work and dedication You Admins put into bringing the Chess communinty that much closer.