Paul Morphy: The Pride and Sorrow of Chess

By David Lawson

Book Overview

Paul Morphy: The Pride and Sorrow of Chess tells the full known story of the life of Paul Morphy, from his privileged upbringing in New Orleans to his dominance of the chess world, to the later... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1887366970
• ISBN13: 9781887366977
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: University of Louisiana
• Length: 398 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

The Definitive Morphy Biography

This is a 424 page biography of the 19th century American chess genius, Paul Charles Morphy.It is complete and lavishly illustrated with rare photos of him and his contempories written by David Lawson, one of the foremost experts on Morphy.Morphy was born in New Orleans in 1837 of an upper middle class background.His father Alonzo was a judge of the Supreme Court of Louisiana and he had an elder brother, Edward and two sisters Malvina and Helena.He was exceptionally academic (though short of stature) and qualified at 20 for the American Legal Bar.As he could not practice until he was 21, he occupied his time winning the first American Congress of New York 1857.Following this success he went onto Europe and beat all the champions of the old world including Adolph Anderssen, winner of the first ever international chess tournament held in London in 1851.Due to Morphy's fame as a chess player no one would take him seriously as a qualified lawyer and he failed to establish a legal practice in America.He had increasing mental problems of paranoia, never married and died in New Orleans in 1884 aged just 47.He was "World Chess Champion" before this title was coined being easily the strongest player in the civilised world but curiously from the time of his return from Europe in 1859 and after issuing a challenge to the known chess world without response he dramatically scaled down his play to just games with friends and exhibitions of simultaneous play both viz a viz and blindfold.Had he lived today he would undountedly have been world chess champion, another Bobby Fischer who was at his peak in 1972.This book covers his whole life from the origin of the Morphy clan of mixed Irish/Spanish/French stock through to his education at Spring Hill Academy in Alabama and adult chess years in New York and Europe.One of the great might - have - been - stories was his inability to arrange a match with Englishman, Howard Staunton the organiser of the 1851 International Chess Tournament, who evaded Morphy's challenge.The book is packed with games and many photographs of Morphy's comtempories and illustrations.Definitely a must have for all Morphy chess enthusiasts.

The Best Biography of Morphy

As a game collection, this may not be the best book on Morphy, although it has its points. As a biography, it is unmatchable. Lawson has researched the primary sources thoroughly, and the result is the fullest and most accurate account available of Morphy's life. A number of myths and misconceptions, still being perpetuated in other works, are corrected here. Unlike many chess biographies, this reads like a serious work of scholarship, with meticulous documentation of the positions that the author takes. The sixty unannotated games given here are no substitute for Sergeant's books on Morphy, but they do add some additional information. Take the games which Morphy played against Löwenthal when he, Morphy, was only twelve. We learn that Löwenthal changed the last few moves of one of these games to make it appear that it had been drawn, when it reality it was won by Morphy. In another famous game, the anonymous amateur who Morphy checkmated by castling, turns out to have been his father, and there are other revelations. It's too bad that this book is out of print; it would be a great candidate for decent quality paperback reprint. If you can get a good copy of the original hardcover, snap it up.

The Most Underrated Prodigy In History

This is the one of the most exciting books I have ever read! Paul Morphy, chess champion extroidinaire, the pride of New Orleans, was the most profound chess player in the history of the world...Robert J. Fischer not withstanding. Among the best biographies ever written. A must read for every chess enthusiast and lovers of American heroes.

The best bio of a chess player i have ever read

Found the book to be well written, also found a real hero in Paul Morphy. I highly recomend this book, great storys about Morphy's ability as well as letters and photo's from the time. Really a great read.