Opera Game

The American master Paul Morphy played against two amateurs: the German noble Karl II, Duke of Brunswick, and the French aristocrat Comte Isouard de Vauvenargues.

It was played as a consultation game, with Duke Karl and Count Isouard jointly deciding each move for the black pieces, while Morphy controlled the white pieces by himself.

The game was played in a box while an opera was performed on stage.

[4] The game is often used by chess instructors to teach the importance of piece development, the value of sacrifices in mating combinations, and other concepts.

White: Paul Morphy   Black: Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard   Opening: Philidor Defence (ECO C41) Paris, October/November[1][3] 1858 1. e4 e5 2.

[6] Other than the king, all of White's remaining pieces play a role in the checkmate.

Animation of the Opera Game