Beloved by players of all ages, the 1858 Opera Box game that saw American chess prodigy Paul Morphy face off against the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard is widely believed to be the most famous chess game of all time. The game received its name from the setting it was played in: a theatre box during the performance of an opera, though which opera the trio was watching remains unclear.
In this battle of two against one, Morphy demonstrates how following the opening principles–particularly early and rapid piece development–can provide players with a significant advantage over an opponent who fails to do the same.
Morphy's Magic Game
Paul Morphy played as White, while the Duke and Count teamed up as Black. In his first few moves, we see Morphy vie for control of the center and quickly develop his pieces, including an early queen development that produces a series of checkmating threats. By the time the Duke and Count have neutralized these threats, Morphy has out-developed them and is in total control of the game:
The Duke and Count attempt to put some pressure on Morphy’s queenside pieces by attacking with their b-pawn, but Morphy sacrifices his knight to maintain the upper hand and further constricts Black’s position through the use of pins:
Morphy’s adherence to the opening principles–center control, piece development, and castling–set him up for success from the start, and his willingness to make carefully calculated sacrifices ultimately earned him the win.
Conclusion
Analyzing master games is one of the best ways to improve at chess. To see more games by Morphy and modern chess masters, students can join our online Academy program, which serves students from all 50 states and produced 11 state champions in 2025.
