Paul Morphy

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Lore & Background

Morphy was born in New Orleans to a prominent wealthy family. His father Alonzo Morphy, of Spanish and Irish ancestry, was a lawyer who later served as a Louisiana state legislator, Attorney General, and a Louisiana State Supreme Court Justice. His mother, Louise Thérèse Felicitie Thelcide Le Carpentier, was a musically talented woman from a prominent French Creole family. Sources differ about when and how Morphy learned to play chess. According to his uncle Ernest Morphy, no one formally taught the young Morphy how to play chess; rather, he simply learned by watching others play. After observing Ernest and Alonzo abandon what had been a lengthy game, conceding that it was a draw—Paul spoke up, stating that Ernest should have won. This surprised the two men, who had not realized that Paul knew the rules of the game, let alone any notion of strategy. They were even more surprised when Paul proved his claim by resetting the pieces and demonstrating the win his uncle had missed. Biographer Frederick Milnes Edge dismisses this anecdote as apocryphal, however. By 1846, the nine-year-old Morphy was considered one of the best players in New Orleans. That year, General Winfield Scott visited the city while on his way to the war with Mexico. When Morphy was brought in, Scott initially took offense to a child being offered as his opponent, believing he was being made fun of. After being assured that Morphy was a chess prodigy who would prove his skill, Scott agreed to play. Morphy easily defeated Scott in both of the games they played, ending the second game by announcing a forced checkmate after only six moves. During 1848 and 1849, Morphy competed against the leading players in New Orleans. He played at least fifty games against Eugène Rousseau, considered to be the strongest of Morphy's opponents during this era, and lost at most five. In 1850, Hungarian chess master Johann Löwenthal visited New Orleans. Löwenthal accepted an invitation to Judge Morphy's house to play against Paul, now twelve years old. Löwenthal soon realized he was facing a formidable opponent: each time Morphy made a good move, Löwenthal's eyebrows shot up in a manner described by Ernest Morphy as 'comique'. Löwenthal played three games against Morphy during his stay in New Orleans, with sources recording him as either having two losses and one draw, or as losing all three games.

Reader's Guide

Paul Morphy's significance lies in his brief but dominant career, during which he was acknowledged as the world's greatest chess master. His victories at the First American Chess Congress and against leading European players, including Adolf Anderssen, established his reputation. Later commentators have concluded that he was far ahead of his time. Despite his early retirement from competitive chess, his legacy endures as a prodigy who reshaped the game's standards. The article notes that European opinion initially held that the quality of his American opponents was low, but his European tour proved his superiority. Morphy's life also illustrates the tension between genius and public life: after returning to the United States in 1859, he abandoned chess and receded from view. His story is preserved through accounts of his childhood victories, such as defeating General Winfield Scott at age nine, and his matches against Johann Löwenthal. The article does not provide details of his later years or death beyond the dates.

Did You Know?

• Morphy's father Alonzo Morphy served as a Louisiana state legislator, Attorney General, and a Louisiana State Supreme Court Justice.
• At age nine, Morphy defeated General Winfield Scott in two games, ending the second by announcing a forced checkmate after only six moves.
• During 1848 and 1849, Morphy played at least fifty games against Eugène Rousseau and lost at most five.
• In 1850, Hungarian chess master Johann Löwenthal played three games against the twelve-year-old Morphy, with sources recording either two losses and one draw or three losses.
• Morphy received an LL.B. degree from the University of Louisiana (now Tulane University) on April 7, 1857.