Paul Morphy: The Pride and Sorrow of Chess

by David Lawson

  On February 4, 1863, Morphy replied to a letter from Fiske bearing an invitation from the Vienna Chess Club:

  My dear Fiske,

  Pray, do not be too prompt in condemning the tardiness of my reply, for in this case at least, it can be justified. I have purposely abstained from returning an immediate answer to your favor, in the hope of being enabled to take a trip to Vienna, not for the sake of chess playing, but activated by the very natural desire to see you after such a lapse of time as has gone by since my last visit to New York, and inquire about old friends and associations made doubly dear by the sad events that are transpiring in our distracted America. Much as I would enjoy a visit to Germany for these and other reasons, I am sorry to say that it will not be in my power to leave Paris at present. I am here with my brother-in-law and part of my family, the remainder being in New Orleans. We are all following with intense anxiety the fortunes of the tremendous conflict now raging beyond the Atlantic, for upon the issue depends our all in life. Under such circumstances you will readily understand that I should feel little disposed to engage in the objectless strife of the chess board. Besides you will remember that as far back as two years ago I stated to you in New York my firm determination to abandon chess altogether. I am more strongly confirmed than ever in the belief that the time devoted to chess is literally frittered away. It is, to be sure, a most exhilarating sport, but it is only a sport; and it is not to be wondered at that such as have been passionately addicted to the charming pastime, should one day ask themselves whether sober reason does not advise its utter dereliction. I have, for my own part, resolved not to be moved from my purpose of not engaging in chess hereafter. The few games that I have played here have been altogether private and sans façon.

  I never patronize the Café de la Régence; it is a low, and, to borrow a Gallicism, ill frequented establishment.

  Hoping that you will excuse my dilatoriness, and wishing you health and happiness,

  I remain, Yours truly

  Paul Morphy

  P.S.—Sybrandt begs to be kindly remembered to you.

  In his hour of distress, Morphy was thinking of some very disagreeable moments he had at La Régence with Harrwitz; otherwise, his was the respect and adulation of its frequenters. And again it would have been the same had he chosen to meet Petroff or others there. And there still hangs on the wall of the Café de La Régence these many decades later his likeness, as he gave Paris its sensation of 1858, as he conquered without seeing. Of one of the games, George Walker wrote that it was “worthy of being written in letters of gold on the walls of the London Chess Club.” Later Fiske mentioned Morphy’s letter in writing to Professor George Allen:

  Did I write you that I had received a letter from Morphy? He answered one which I wrote him (to my great surprise) about his coming to Vienna at the invitation of the Club. . . . Sybrandt, his brother-in-law, who met a friend of mine in Rome, says that P.M. is as lazy as ever, and will not do anything. My offer to him on the part of the Schachgesellscheft was 1500 francs for a two weeks’ visit, and his expenses could not have exceeded five or six hundred.

  Morphy’s “laziness” at this time might well be attributed to the “intense anxiety” mentioned in his letter to Fiske, which probably had a numbing effect; but it might also have been due to something more personal than worries over the outcome of the Civil War. Due to the war, the Morphy family’s pecuniary condition was much reduced. Yet Paul was unwilling to profit from his chess skill— that he associated with professionalism and gambling—as his refusal to consider the profitable Vienna Chess Club invitation proves.

  However, he had a watch and chain valued at over two hundred dollars which he placed with Rivière as collateral for a large loan. The watch was never redeemed. We next hear of it in 1886, two years after Morphy’s death, when Rivière showed it to W. J. A. Fuller at La Régence. Upon seeing it, Fuller said ( European Correspondence of November 13, 1886), “I have seen this before, for it was I who had the honor to make the speech on the occasion of the presentation of this watch and chain to Morphy, a quarter of a century ago.” In 1921, the watch was offered at 6,000 francs to A. W. Mongredien, the son of August Mongredien, with whom Morphy had played his last match in France. At the present time, someone unknown has the watch, minus its red and black Caïssan countenance, which noted the passing hours with Kings and Queens each having their Castles, Bishops, Knights and lowly pawns.

  Some practical person, upon acquiring the watch, substituted more readily understood symbols for the time of day, and ultimately the dial became a part of the Dr. Barclay Stephens Horology Collection at the Academy of Science, San Francisco, where it is to be seen on display in its glass case.

  One of Morphy’s more pleasant and interesting experiences during this period in Paris was his meeting with Alexander D. Petroff, the “Northern Philidor” and the first great Russian chess master.

  Petroff had written to Morphy in 1859, expressing his admiration and enclosing a problem he had dedicated to him. Both were printed in the July issue of the Chess Monthly of that year. The problem, dedicated to Morphy in the form of an “M,” can also be found in J. M. Linder’s biography of Petroff.

  In A. D. Petroff, Linder mentions that Prince Urusoff also wrote Morphy at the same time, and in an article in Shakhmatny Listok of December 1859 the Prince wrote:

  I consider it absolutely necessary to call our Russian players out of obscurity because we Russians in my opinion have out-stripped the foreigners in the art of chess. I have decided to get Petroff and myself the chance to measure ourselves with the strongest player of our time, Morphy. If Morphy comes to Russia and accepts my challenge then after me undoubtedly Petroff will also come to grips with him; he [Petroff] has already mentioned before many witnesses his willingness to play.

  Urusoff said that he was ready to pay all the expenses of the match, and beyond that, expressed his confidence that many of his countrymen would bet on Petroff. As Linder quotes him, Urusoff said, “My letter to Morphy in which I challenged him to a match has already been mailed to him.” Nothing further is known about the challenge or the correspondence. Urusoff also said, “Petroff is tireless, and that is a great virtue; he is not nervous like Harrwitz and he does not yawn like Anderssen [Anderssen did not yawn while playing Morphy]. He is like Morphy in everything but has an advantage over him in years.” In 1859 Petroff was sixty-five years old.

  On Petroff ’s arrival in Paris there were great hopes and expectations that a public chess contest might take place between him and Morphy. La Nouvelle Régence of July 1863 observed: “We have heard talk about the coming encounter between Morphy and Petroff. This will truly be one of the most remarkable battles which has ever taken place. This will be a splendid day for chess.”

  Staunton commented in his chess column in The Illustrated London News of November 7, 1863:

  One of the oldest and most accomplished chess masters, Mr.Petroff (now 69 years old), has lately enlivened the Chess circles of Paris by his presence. His stay, for the moment, was a brief one; but he intends, it is said, to return to the French capital in a few weeks and make it his home for the winter. Should he do so, expectations are entertained that Mr. Morphy, who is still in Paris, will be tempted to break a lance with the Nestor of Russian chess. In that case we may anticipate the pleasure of recording some of the finest games which have been played since the great combats of twenty or five and twenty years ago. During his recent sojourn in Paris, Mr. Petroff was a frequent visitor to the Café de la Régence [and played with Journoud and others].

  Petroff himself was a willing adversary. As Linder quotes him, “I never refused and I never will refuse to play all comers. As far as a match with Morphy is concerned, then why not play? And I am ready to play whenever they will back me.” This he said in 1859, but there is no doubt it was equally true in 1863. As we know, Morphy had no time for additional matches in 1859 after his brother-in-law came for him, nor was he well enough to travel to Russia at that tim
e. A public match between Petroff and Morphy then or in 1863 would have been an historic meeting.

  However, an encounter of some sort did occur between Morphy and Petroff in 1863. Of this meeting with Morphy, Petroff wrote Mikhailov, editor of Shakhmatny Listok, “I visited Morphy twice and he visited me. Doazan says that he has absolutely given up the game.” It is likely, nevertheless, that some chess, their great common interest, took place between them at these meetings, although nothing is known.

  During 1863 Morphy also played a few games with St. Leon and Mongredien, and a good many with Rivière. But he and his family were getting restless for New Orleans. Perhaps they had a sense of what the inevitable ending of the war between the states would be. The South was fast being drained of its manhood and its hope. Morphy planned to return and salvage all possible, and he left Paris at the end of January 1864.

  CHAPTER 22

  Paul Morphy, Attorney at Law

  On the morning of February 16, 1864, El Siglo of Havana announced:

  Morphy:—Today, should arrive at this city this celebrated chess player from New Orleans, who visits us for the second time. He arrived at Santiago de Cuba in the steamship from Europe “without having found anyone who could beat him.” According to a newspaper in Cuba, he should continue his trip to Havana in the steamer “Aguila,” that is expected at any time now.

  Morphy did arrive at Havana that day, February 16, and since he had been expected, Francisco Fesser had planned in advance an elaborate reception banquet for him. As it happened, Morphy’s stay this time was only two days, and he left on the eighteenth for New Orleans. In those two days he played a number of games with the Cuban champion Celso Golmayo, and others, always giving odds of the Knight. The Havana El Tiempo of February 18 reported the banquet evening:

  The rich banker, Mr. Francisco Fesser, gave a sumptuous banquet on Tuesday in honor of the celebrated chess player Mr.Morphy; who should be leaving today for New Orleans. Naturally the greater part of the invited guests were enthusiasts of the noble game in which Mr. Morphy recognizes no rival, but this was no reason why we could not count many and very beautiful ladies of our high society. Before the dinner he played a game with Mr. Sicre, giving him a Knight. Later he played alternately several games with Messrs. Dominguez, Golmayo and Sicre, by memory, while carrying on at the same time an animated conversation with the estimable family of Mr. Fesser. On all the games he came out winner, being applauded each time that his fatigued opponents gave up their games and asked for grace. . . . Among the invited guests we could count Messrs. Villergas, Golmayo, Sicre, Dominguez and Palmer, very well known because of their affection for the difficult game, and the Messrs. Valdes, Cespedes, La Calle, Diaz, Albertini and others.

  Years later, in the Charleston Chess Chronicle of April 1888, Celso Golmayo recalled playing with Morphy, comparing him to Steinitz: “In many games with Morphy at the odds of a Knight, I became hopelessly bewildered by the brilliancy and intricacy of his combinations, but when I sit down with Steinitz on even terms I feel as though I had a very respectable chance to win.”

  But the fact remains that out of five games between them, Golmayo won three to Morphy’s two. Always quick to compliment his winning opponent, Morphy gave him full credit, to the great satisfaction of Golmayo’s compatriots, as reported by El Moro Muza:

  Mr. Morphy having played several times with Señor Golmayo, to whom he gave a Knight, has come to confess frankly that Señor Golmayo is too strong to receive a Knight from him and that the most he could give him would be a Pawn and two moves, a declaration that places Señor Golmayo at a very high level amongst Chess players.

  Morphy arrived in New Orleans during the last week of February 1864. Presumably he was allowed to use the family home on Royal Street, but little is known of him until November. Although the city was occupied by Union troops, the citizens of New Orleans enjoyed much freedom of speech and movement. The Daily Picayune of November 5, 1864, for instance, devoted half its front page to war news, referring to the Union Army as the enemy and conceding no sign of defeat for the Confederacy. Also, its front page carried a “Proclamation” by Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, which ended by calling on Almighty God for victory.

  Now, at last, Morphy decided to set up his law office. Elsewhere it is stated erroneously that he opened a law office soon after his return in 1859, but this was his first time to establish himself at his profession, even if he says below “having resumed,” and the same Picayune of November 5 displayed on its front page, under “BUSINESS CARDS,” the following short notice:

  At the same time, Morphy had 5 x 8 circulars printed, mentioning the special service and facilities offered (see in the Appendix). The above notice in the Picayune was continued for some weeks.

  It is not known to what extent, if any, Morphy profited from his profession. It is almost certain that his success at the chessboard worked against his success at the bar. As learned as Morphy was, and in the best tradition of the Southern gentleman, he was recognized first and foremost as a celebrated chess player. No wonder he liked Paris. There at least his company was sought for all of himself.

  Another factor militated strongly against him in New Orleans at this time. After the outbreak of the Civil War, the Bar of Public Opinion questioned his loyalty to the Confederacy; clearly he had no time to set up a law office. And then it would be remembered that during her need the South did not have his help. But at any rate, he was the great chess player before whom the world bowed, and when people came to see him this latter fact blotted out all mundane matters.

  To what extent was Morphy fitted for the bar, for the role of advocate pleading before judge and jury? One wonders. Presumably he had chosen the legal profession with his father’s example before him, and perhaps at his suggestion. Perhaps he had more than the legal requirements, a fine classical background and other intangibles, but was he temperamentally and psychologically suited? Again one wonders, even if chess and the time were not against him, whether he would have done as well in later life as attorney at law as he did as Portia in The Merchant of Venice, that Commencement of 1852 at Spring Hill College.

  However, with the odds against him, Morphy now, in 1864, endeavored to put all chess behind him, and to retrieve his fortune through his profession, for the Morphys were now in reduced circumstances.

  New York papers soon heard of Morphy and his law office, and Wilkes’ Spirit of the Times, on December 3, 1864, printed his circular with the following comment:

  The gentleman who handed us the circular is one of our leading citizens bearing an irreproachable character, and advocating the strongest Union sentiments. He emphatically denied any rebel proclivities which had been assigned to Paul Morphy. Coming from such a source, and without having in the least broached the subject with the gentleman, we can but say, to use his own earnest and strong expressions, that Paul Morphy is no “rebel or traitor,” as willfully published as such in some few journals, to our knowledge. Thus, lies will ever recoil upon the slanderer!

  Now, with the silencing of the guns after Grant and Lee met at Appo-mattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Morphy had a plan. He would edit a book of all his games, but to get the book published he would have to go North. He reached New York about July 25 and saw Fiske and Marache at once. Wilkes’ Spirit of the Times, of which Napoleon Marache was chess editor, reported on August 5, 1865:

  PAUL MORPHY—We learn from authentic sources that the visit of this gifted Chess genius to this metropolis is likely to be one of very great importance and interest to the Chess-loving community. One of his specialties in coming North is to make arrangements with one of the leading New York publishers (either Appleton or the Harpers) to publish in book form the whole of his games, carefully annotated by himself. Such a publication, from the pen of the greatest Chess phenomenon the world ever saw, would indeed be a valuable prize, both for the lovers of Chess and publishers. We will joyfully hail the appearance of the work.

 
With Marache acting as secretary and Charles A. Gilberg working closely with Morphy, the three set to work collecting and annotating all games to be found. Gustave Reichhelm of Philadelphia, who had started collecting Morphy games in 1863 and continued indefatigably doing so down to the 1880s, was able to contribute some not generally known. The work went on for weeks, and Gilberg says in The Fifth American Chess Congress that “it was the writer’s privilege during that period to be in almost daily intercourse with Mr. Morphy. He took a lively interest in the chess news of the day, analyzed games and unraveled the intricacies of chess puzzles with an avidity and swiftness that was astonishing.”

  Morphy himself wrote out his plan and expectations, presumably for the press:

  Mr. Morphy, who has been engaged for several years in the practice of his profession (the law) in New Orleans, and is now in New York on professional business, devotes his leisure time to the preparation of a chess work which his friends here and elsewhere have often urged him to publish. It is a complete collection of every recorded game of his, played both in Europe and America, with full variations, annotations, etc. The book will probably be the standard work on the subject and will, no doubt, supercede Lowenthal’s and Staunton’s collections, the analyses of which will be carefully reviewed in the forthcoming volume.

  Confident of publication, Morphy was doomed to disappointment, and not just as explained by Gilberg in the Fifth American Chess Congress, who wrote that Morphy

  spent several weeks in New York with the avowed purpose of preparing and bequeathing to the chess world a complete and extensively annotated edition of his games; but the financial depression which resulted from the long national struggle had seriously affected the trade of literature, and publishers were found unwilling to place a work of its character upon the market at a cost that would have warranted him in devoting the necessary time and labor to its completing, and the project was, in consequence, ultimately abandoned.