So Who Taught Morphy?

Originally posted by greenpawn34
It's not too 'official' this is just the ravings of an unqulaified
Morphy fan. I'm coming fro the angle that all chess generations
learn from the previous genration and a lot of it stops at Morphy.

It is fun to specualte what paths chess may have taken without
one of the great players.

Remove Alekhine and chess may lost a lot popularity as Capab ...[text shortened]... l be playing in musty church halls
for £100 1st prize.

I wonder if Morphy ever got laid?

If he was, it was by Frederick Edge.

“What you are outside of chess, I have made you. Your tremendous laziness, but for me, would have obliterated all your acts. I have taken your hundreds of letters out of your pockets even, and answered them, because you would have made every man your enemy by not replying. I made you stay and play Anderssen, when you wanted to leave. I nursed you when ill, carrying you in my arms like a child. I have been a lover, a brother, a mother to you; I have made you an idol, a god - and now that you are gone, I never -- but I will not finish."

http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/edge.html

On balance it seems more likely thet Morphy was a "confirmed batchelor", ifyouknowwhatimeanandithinkyoudo.

Pictures were still quite rare in those days so you often get these
marvelous descriptions of players in the 1800's.

Morhpy was always described as being rather effeminate.

Not bothered either way if Morphy was gay or not.

The first British Champion. Cecil Valentine de Vere
(born Scotland - Montrose) was possibly gay.

He is often referred to as - 'The English Morphy' (sic)
Wikepedia who state he's Scottish and call him 'The English Morphy'

I recall helping David Hooper research his birth back in 1981.
We spent two days in St.Andrews house looking for his birth cert.

David told me then he suspect he was gay and this 'Dark Secret'
was brought to light in the Dundee congress of 1867.

Thr 'Dark Secret' was all it mentioned in the OB in 'The Chess Players
Chronicle.' Interesting coincidence.

"He was fairly well off so would have had all the chess books that
were printed then, but remember he had nothing like the choice
the avarage player has today. We are talking Pre-Steinitz."

He did have Lange's 'SchachPartien'. He won the 3rd game in his match against Anderssen (remember he was 1-0 down at the time) by following analysis by Lange which Anderssen was unaware of. Anderssen had not played for some time and had to squeeze the match against Morphy into his holidays (unlike Morphy, Anderssen had to work for a living).

But did he read these books - a lot of writers call him lazy.

He often lost the 1st game of a match (to give his opponents a chance).

'Anderssen had to work for a living'

He taught sums - which is hardly work. Especially back then when
the larger numbers we know today did not exist. 🙂

Originally posted by Fat Lady
On balance it seems more likely thet Morphy was a "confirmed batchelor", ifyouknowwhatimeanandithinkyoudo.

Fat Mama, the same conclusion arises in your situation. You too look like a confirmed bachelor or a confirmed spinster.

Originally posted by CCNoob
Fat Mama, the same conclusion arises in your situation. You too look like a confirmed bachelor or a confirmed spinster.

u seem to really have it in for fat lady