This position comes from the most frequently played over game in chess history. Every chess teacher on the planet Earth plays over this game with their students. We feel obligated to make sure everyone coming here can say they've seen it. You'll be able to see the whole game in the solution.

Solution:

This is the famous "Opera" game from 1858 where American genius Morphy supposedly had his back to the show while playing the Count Isouard and Duke of Brunswick. He no doubt wanted to get the game over quickly so he could see what was happening onstage. Here's the whole game, well worth playing over if you've never seen it. It teaches the value of development and the importance of not leaving your king in the center of the board: Morphy,Paul - Isouard,Carl Paris, 1858

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Bg4 4.dxe5 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 dxe5 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Qb3 Qe7 8.Nc3 c6 9.Bg5 b5 10.Nxb5 cxb5 11.Bxb5+ Nbd7 12.0–0–0 Rd8 13.Rxd7 Rxd7 14.Rd1 Qe6

And now the solution:

15.Bxd7+ Nxd7 16.Qb8+ Nxb8 17.Rd8#

BTW, the two gentlemen obviously had no stomach for 15...Qxd7 16.Qb8+ Ke7 17.Qxe5+ Kd8 (17...Qe6 18.Qc7+ Qd7 (18...Ke8 19.Rd8#) 19.Qxd7#) 18.Bxf6+ gxf6 19.Qxf6+ Kc8 20.Rxd7 Kxd7 21.Qxh8

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