Alexander Meek vs. Paul Morphy
Dramatic end game at New Orleans, 1885. Alexander Beaufort Meek with whites was playing against Paul Morphy with the blacks. The puzzle illustrates the Morphy’s way to win in 4. Can you find this solution?
Roll over to see the solution: 1... Bxg2 2. Qh8+ Kxh8 3. Bg5 Qxg5 4. Rfe1 Nf3#
FEN: Q7/p1p1q1pk/3p2rp/4n3/3bP3/7b/PP3PPK/R1B2R2 b - - 0 1
About the players
Alexander Beaufort Meek (1814-1865) was a prominent American politician, writer, poet, layer, judge, and chess player. 
Paul Charles Morphy (1837-1884)
American chess player, considered the greatest of his time and unofficial World Chess Champion.
Bobby Fischer ranked him among the 10th best chess players of all time, "The Pride and Sorrow of Chess".
Qe7-h4
2. g2-g3 Ne5-f3+
3. Kh2-h1 Rg6xg3
4. f2xg3 Qh4xg3
5. Qa8-g8+ Kh7xg8
6. Rf1-d1 Qg3-g2#
1. Rh8-d8+ Qe7xd8
2. Qf5-e6+ Kd6-c5
3. Nd4-b3+ Kc5-b4
4. Qe6-e4#
1. ……..,Bh3xg2
2. Bc1-g5 Qe7xg5
3. Qa8-f8 Qg5-h4+
4. Kh2-g1 Bg2-f3#
1. ……..,Bh3xg2
2. Bc1-g5 Qe7xg5
3. Qa8-f8 Qg5-h4+
4. Kh2-g1 Bg2-f3#
it’s ok
but instead 3. Qa8-f8: 3. Qa8-h8+ (or g8+) Kxh8 (or Kxg8)
4. f2-f4 (if 4. … Nf3+ 5. Rxf3)
4. … Qg5-h4+
5. Kh2-g1 Bg2-f3#
Mate in 5 moves and not 4!
This was not a puzzle. It was blunder for white to move the rook and queen and the bishop. He is basically giving black free moves.
Picking up on Andreas’s first move, may I suggest:
1. … Qe7-h4
2. g2-g3 Ne5-f3+
3. Kh2-h1 Bh3xRf1+
4. g3xQh4 Rg6-g1#
A more elegant outcome, in my eyes, especially with the Queen sac. However, White could spoil the 4-move target with the ‘spite’ check 2. Qa8-g8+.
If 2. Qf8 (preventing Black’s Nf3+), then
2. … Bh3xg2+ still leads to a 4-move mate.
An enjoyable puzzle.
Bxg2 Bg5
Qxg5 Qf8
Nf3+ Qxf3
Bxf3 Rg1
Qh4#
The easier one so far. I didn’t see this version.
Qa5 Bb4
Rxb4 Qb1+
Kxb1 d6
Bxb7 Kb8
Qa8#
1. Bxg2 Bg5
2. Qxg5 Qf8
3. Qh4+ Kg1
4. Bxe4#