Morphy, Paul

Paul Morphy of New Orleans was perhaps the greatest natural chess talent the world has ever seen, learning the game simply by watching others play as a child. During a meteoric two-year career in 1857-1859, he demolished every top player in America and Europe by wide margins, establishing principles of rapid development and open play that transformed chess theory. Bobby Fischer called him "perhaps the most accurate player who ever lived," yet Morphy retired from the game at just 22.