Hi there.
In this lecture, let's review the classic opera game.
This was between Paul Morphy and Count is a Want and also Duke.
Oh, so this was played in an opera in 1858, Paris.
So it's a very well celebrated game.
Let's look at it from the perspective of the king in the sense of what that really means.
So we see E4 from Paul Morphy, E5 from both of the noble gentlemen, Knight, F3 from Paul Morphy,
a Philidor defense default.
We have Bishop G4.
And now D takes E5 already.
Black is suffering in the opening here.
They can't really take on E5 because of Queen Takes the eight Jack and then taking out the center pawn.
And so they have to give up their light square bishop And this means they are light.
They aren't on the light squares much more vulnerable.
There are a lot of line square targets.
And why has this bishop without a counterpart?
So the attacking ingredients are here for having a numerical superiority, sometimes on the line squares.
We have d tanks, E5 and a bishop C4.
So in immediate France against F7 we have f6 shielding f7 but Queen B3 renews an attack on F7 but it
also hits B7.
They play Queen E seven offering queen tanks B seven.
Now that is a move, but not C4 is played.
Paul Morphy wants to watch the opera.
He doesn't want to have the game dragging on.
If the queens get exchanged off.
If he took on B seven Queen B for Shaq and yes, he has an advantage, but the game could drag on for
several more moves.
With this continuation, it's much more dangerous.
The Queen's on means the chance of a quick knockout is increased.
Actually, in general, we see C six shielding.
Well, rather protecting the pawn on B7.
If Queen B for her.
Bishop takes F seven, check.
Queen E six.
This situation.
There is a bit of black wanting the queen's off but Queen D free shank and Bishop G5 could spell the
end to that.
So one has a huge advantage here.
So C six was played Bishop G5 and now five.
So the thing to note here, what are the actual downsides of the king in the center from an attacking
players point of view?
One thing is here that this rook on an H8 and Bishop's not great at the moment, but this rook in particular
on H eight is not participating.
So it's like White's Rooks potentially should be able to do damage on a certain square without this
rook participating.
And what would you play here?
I mean, if you haven't seen this game, it's a classic game.
So hopefully you don't play a move like Bishop E too, because then you're giving.
The opponent.
The chance unwinds here, for example, 1987.
And actually this is annoying for 95.
If White Castle was 95, this would be a waste of of the king in the center because black could get
just a decent enough position.
Get the queen's off.
That's even if you go to do free hair.
Black can untangle hair with age six.
If this exchange is off, that opens up the bishop, which means the king could castle and you know
black's going to be in good shape.
Black sash are going to be slightly better hair.
These are ridiculous scenarios considering the golden opportunity of the King and center and what that
really represents.
It's like black is a rook down by not casting.
Actually, you're not bringing the rook into the game.
So certain squares might be actually more difficult to defend.
And in fact, Knight takes B5, tries to amplify that idea.
We have three takes b5 if queen b4 check white can just take care and then the move C three is a big
advantage for white.
If C tanks B five bishop tanks B five check C tanks B four Weight has a huge edge.
If the bishop went back here, there's 97 check.
That's a bit of a snag.
If it went to A5, there's a bit of a snag.
It doesn't protect D6.
We compound since d6 check take out f seven castle queenside.
It's a huge advantage.
So anyway C tanks tank's B5 was played so the queens remain on Bishop B five, shank knight BD seven
and now white cancels queenside install much better than castling kingside here because we want pressure
on D7 so there's a major threat of bishop takes to take on D7 with either bishop or rook.
We have rook the eight if rook b ain't rook 27 And what does black do?
Knight takes, They're going to lose the queen.
So yeah, this is totally vicious.
And all this with the rook on not doing anything.
Queen b4 there's Bishop takes f6 hare and on Queen takes b3 we insert, Bishop takes D7 and that's checkmate.
So yes, that's quite vicious if G takes her Bishop 67 check.
So that's vicious as well.
This situation, Black's really had it so Rook D eight was tried and now, yes, black is playing by
square rook down.
That is one symptom of the king and the centre and.
Guess what white plays here.
So yes, Rook takes D7, Rook takes the E7 and bringing the other rook.
So all of this with this spectator piece on H8, which wasn't able to participate in the battle.
We have Queen E6, but now a beautiful finish.
Bishop takes D7 check, Knight takes D7 and guess what White plays here.
400 points, especially if you haven't seen this before.
So okay, Queen B eight check is played to get that common square root.
The eight is champ mate.
Yes, opera mate pattern as well.
So this whole construction here became also a mating pattern.
So, yes, it's a classic example worth revisiting from time to time.
So some key observations.
Keeping the king in the center isn't just about the king being weak, it's about the rook not being
developed into the game, which means it's like White has an extra rook to play with.
And that was really demonstrated vividly by this beautiful game masterpiece.
So yeah, there are some lessons there.
Also, there is also the element in the opening of the square.
Bishop Without a counterpart, there's also an element of forcing moves there which restrict the opponents
replies all the time, but that really not didn't get a game to even attack anything except for B5,
which led to access routes to the king.
This diagonal, this bouncy road of attack to the king is a key thing.
When the king is in the center, look out for these roads that are king.
Sometimes it might, you know, in another game, sometimes it's like that.
But here, yeah, this bouncy road to the king is amplified and this beautiful mating combination crowns
all of the efforts, the attacking efforts.
So, yes, a lot to learn from this classic game.
Nice to revisit it.
So I hope that makes you think maybe a little bit more about this classic iconic game and the importance
of the King Castling to actually also develop a rook to help King safety, to help the opponent have
a game.
Generally, it's good to be able to castle.
Okay, Thanks very much.