The brilliant American chess master Paul Morphy (1837-84) had a dazzling gift for attacking play that is admired to the present day. In this book, Chris Ward undertakes a fascinating examination of Morphy's games and style of play, providing a revealing insight into how Morphy was able to dominate his contemporaries. The recent return in popularity of the swashbuckling Evans Gambit, one of the daring opening variations associated with Morphy, shows there are many modern-day lessons to be learned from the chess visionaries of the past.

A First Book of Morphy aims to illustrate the teachings of three great chessplayers with games played by the first American chess champion, Paul Morphy. The book presents more than 60 of Morphy's brilliant and instructive games in demonstration of basic chess principles written by grandmasters Reuben Fine and Cecil Purdy.

"Paul Morphy: The Pride and Sorrow of Chess" is the only full-length biography of Paul Morphy, the antebellum chess prodigy who launched United States participation in international chess and is still generally acknowledged as the greatest American chess player of all time. But Morphy was more than a player. He was a shy, retiring lawyer who had been taught that such games were no way to make a living. The strain of his fame and the pull of his domineering family led Morphy to set another precedent: chess madness. Morphy's mental descent after retiring from chess became a part of his lore, made all the more magnanimous by a spate of twentieth-century examples. "The Pride and Sorrow of Chess" tells the full known story of the life of Paul Morphy, from his privileged upbrining in New Orleans to his dominance of the chess world, to the later tragedy of his demise. This new edition of David Lawson's seminal work, still the principal source for all Morphy biographical presentations, also includes new biographical material about the biographer himself, telling the story of the author, his opus, and the previously unknown life that brought him to the research.

In 1857, a soft-spoken genius from New Orleans burst upon the chess scene. Paul Morphy dazzled the chess world with breathtaking combinations that seemed to arise from thin air. In his brief chess career, he was universally recognized as the best in the world. International grandmaster Valeri Beim takes a close look at the play of the mid-19th century champion, putting his games under a modern, 21st-century analytical microscope. The result is a fresh and instructive look at the strategy and tactics of the American legend, and their relevance to the modern approach to the royal game. It is a very interesting book and may well change the reader's preconceived ideas in the same way. Game annotations are the main component but there is also background information on Morphy. -- John Saunders, British Chess Magazine, October 2005

Paul Morphy is a chess legend and without doubt one of the greatest players in the history of the game. His understanding of the game was years ahead of his time and in his era he was easily the best player in the world. His chess career was brief but brilliant and he influenced all the great champions who came after him. His legacy includes a treasure trove of wonderful strategic and attacking games which are highly instructive for all aspiring chess players. In this book, Grandmaster Zenón Franco examines in detail Morphy’s chess style, selects and studies his favourite Morphy games, and demonstrates how we can all improve our chess by learning from Morphy’s masterpieces. Move by Move provides an ideal platform to study chess. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to improve your chess skills and knowledge. * Learn from the games of a chess legend Important ideas absorbed by continued practice *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study

Based on the life of Paul Morphy.