Paul Morphy helped to put New Orleans on the map by playing chess. He was outwitting top international chess players when he was 12.
“Although the official title of World Champion did not exist in his time, Morphy was and is widely regarded as the strongest player of his day,” Chess Games states. “Even today his games are studied for their principles of open lines and quick development, and his influence on the modern game is undeniable.”
Morphy was born in New Orleans in 1837. During his Creole family’s Sunday gatherings, Morphy learned to play chess by watching his father and other adults play. He soon became the best player in the city.
“While at first an observer, Morphy would eventually participate in the matches,” the Historic New Orleans Collection states. “His reputation as a worthy opponent grew, and at the age of 10 he began a three-year win streak that culminated with Morphy decisively beating the Hungarian master Janos J. Löwenthal when he visited New Orleans.”
In the 1850s, Morphy played less chess while he sought an education. He earned his law degree in 1857. That same year, he was invited to the first National Chess Congress, and became this country’s first chess champion.
“Morphy’s championship victory brought him instant fame,” 64 Parishes states. “Paul traveled throughout Europe … performing never-before-seen acts of chess mastery,” such as playing while blindfolded. He even played a game during an opera performance in Paris.
By 1870, Morphy had stopped playing competitively. He was 47 when he was found dead in his bathtub in 1884.
“Morphy’s dominance in the late 1850s has remained a legacy,” 64 Parishes states. “Past and present grandmasters of chess continue to use his annotated recorded games as a canon of study nearly a century and a half following his exploits.”
For more tales from New Orleans history, visit the Back in the Day archives.
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