Morphy changed the game because he was the first to understand and demonstrate strategic principles rather than premature attacks just for the sake of attacking. Nevertheless, he often conducted spectacular attacks and his games are full of brilliant sacrifices.
Morphy's first serious test in international play was his match against Johann Jacob Lowenthal (1810-1876) of Hungary. Between 1842 and1862 he was a member of the elite and he was capable of defeating the best players of his day. It’s interesting to see Frotz 19’s tactical analysis evaluation chart of this game. Ut shows that even Morphy was not perfect. He was outplayed positionally, but unfortunately for Lowenthal he couldn't put his opponent away and Morphy’s reputation of invincibility remained in tact for another game. See the Fritz 19 tactical analysis chart.
Chessmetrics estimates his highest ever rating to have been 2616 in 1859 and his best world rank to have been #2 on several occasions in 1858 and 1859. Morphy was rated over 100 points ahead of him.
By the way, it is important to note that these ratings do not equate to the equivalent rating of today. Ratings measure results, not ability. Naturally the strongest players have the best results, but a case in point was the infamous Claude F. Bloodgood III who, in 1996 as a prisoner in the Virginia State Penitentiary, manipulated his rating to over 2700 by holding rated tournaments containing a small pool of prison players.
On the rating list for 1858, Chess metrics assigns Lowenthal a rating of 2597 placing him at #2 in the world behind Morphy. In their match Morph scored a decisive victory with a score of +9 -3 =2.
[Event "Match, London"]
[Site ""]
[Date "1858.07.20"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Paul Morphy"]
[Black "Johann Loewenthal"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C30"]
[Annotator "Stockfish 17.1"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventDate "1858.07.19"]
[Source "(London) Field, "]
{C30: King's Gambit Declined} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 {This is the classical way to
decline the gambit.} 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 Bg4 5. Bc4 Bxf3 {This unprovoked exchange
has little to recommend it. Developing with 5...Nc6 is more logical.} 6. Qxf3
Nf6 (6... Nc6 7. b4 Bb6 8. b5 Na5 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. fxe5+ Ke8 11. Rf1 Qe7 12.
d4 g6 $4 13. Bg5 Qg7 14. Qh3 Ne7 15. Bf6 Qg8 16. e6 h5 17. Bxh8 Qxh8 18. Rf7
Bxd4 19. cxd4 Qxd4 20. Nc3 Nc4 21. Rd1 {1-0 Kosmac,B (2149)-Malnar,A (1918)
Kranj op 1st 2004}) 7. b4 (7. d4 {leads to complications unfavorable to black
after} exd4 8. e5 dxe5 9. fxe5 Qe7 10. Kd1 Nfd7 11. e6 fxe6 12. Qxb7 O-O 13.
Qe4 {os equal/} (13. Qxa8 Nb6 14. Qe4 Nxc4 {with compensation for the exchange}
)) (7. fxe5 dxe5 8. d3 O-O 9. Nd2 {with a solid position.}) 7... Bb6 8. d3 Nbd7
{White should now consider 9.Be3 eliminatiin that annoying B that is
preventing him from playing O-O} 9. f5 {With this move white's center becomes
immobile and, as a resukt, black is able to lainch a counterattack against it
with ...d5. Also, as a result of the advance of the f-Pawn white can no longer
open the f-file which would have given him attacking possibilities..} Qe7 10.
g4 {With careful defense the coming Pawn advance on the K-side has no danger
to black because of the aforementioned possinility of a counter in the center
with ...d5} h6 (10... d5 {at once was also possible.} 11. Bb3 (11. exd5 {
os forcefull met by} e4 {with a huge advantage.}) 11... h6 12. h4 O-O-O {
White's advance on the K-side has come to nothing and hid K is not comfortable
in the center.}) 11. Ke2 {This is just bad move because it leaves his K
precariously y positioned.} (11. g5 {was worth a try, but after} hxg5 12. Bxg5
c6 13. Nd2 d5 {black has excellent play.}) 11... c6 {This is unnecessary
preparation..} (11... d5 12. Bxd5 (12. exd5 {results in serious consequences
after} e4) 12... Nxd5 13. exd5 {Now black cannot play ...e4 because the N on
f6 has disappeared.} Nf6 14. Nd2 a5 (14... O-O {is too risky!} 15. g5 hxg5 16.
Ne4 Nxe4 17. dxe4 f6 {Black is OK, but he is still facing an attack against
his K.}) 15. bxa5 Rxa5 {Black has switched operations to the Q-side and white
can only play defensively.}) (11... a5 {White an immediate central advance
does not accomplish much, this excellent move swutching attention to the
Q-side keeps black's initiative going.} 12. bxa5 Bxa5 13. h4 d5 14. Bxd5 Nxd5
15. exd5 Nf6 {is differnt than in the previous analysi because white can;t
play Nd2} 16. Nd2 (16. g5 e4 17. dxe4 hxg5 18. Bxg5 Qxe4+ 19. Qxe4+ Nxe4 {
with a distinct advantage.}) 16... Bxc3 17. Rb1 Rxa2) 12. g5 {Somewhat better
would have been 12.h4} hxg5 13. Bxg5 d5 {[%mdl 512] Black now has a sizeable
advantage and he can be optomistic about the future.} 14. Bb3 Qd6 15. Nd2 a5 {
Excellent!} 16. bxa5 Rxa5 17. h4 Nh5 {[%mdl 32]} 18. Nf1 {This do nothing move
is an indication that Morphy has been outplayed positionally.What's odd is
that this N will meander back home to b1 and win the game!} Nc5 19. Bc2 Rb5 (
19... Ra3 $142 {attacking the c-Pawn was even better. 20.Bd2 Ba5 White is
positionally lost.} 20. Bd2 Ba5 {White is positionally lost.}) 20. Bc1 dxe4 (
20... Ba5 {was even better.} 21. Bd2 Nf4+ 22. Ke1 Rb2 23. Kd1 dxe4 24. dxe4 b5
{White is about to get torn apart.}) 21. dxe4 {This is a critical position.
After 21...Bf4 white can't leave the N there so has to exvhange it and that
allows the R to go to b2 which should be enough to score the point.} Rb2 {
[Loewenthal has played excellently until now, but this overzealous move allows
white to turn the tables and now black lost.} (21... Nf4+ {would win.} 22. Ke1
(22. Bxf4 exf4 23. Nd2 Rb2 24. Rac1 Rxa2) 22... Ncd3+ {White has no hope.}) 22.
Bxb2 Nf4+ 23. Ke1 {[%mdl 32]} Ncd3+ 24. Bxd3 Nxd3+ 25. Kd2 Nxb2+ 26. Kc2 {
The N has to skedaddle if black wants to play on, so he should try 26...Nc4}
Qa3 {Loewenthal has cpmpletely his way.} 27. Nd2 Bc7 28. Nb1 {[%mdl 64] Black
resigned. After the Q retreat white picks up the N with 29. Kxb2} 1-0
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