International Journal of Psycho-Analysis

Jones, Ernest. The Problem of Paul Morphy. Pp. 1-23.

Sharpe, Ella Freeman. The Technique of Psycho-Analysis. Pp. 24-60.

Bernfeld, Siegfried, and Feitelberg, Sergie. Principle of Entropy and the Death Instinct. Pp. 61-81.

Kann, Reginald O. Comments on Previous Paper. Pp. 82-86.

Penrose, L. S. Freud's Theory of Instinct and Other Psychobiological Theories. Pp. 87-97.

Book Reviews, Bulletin, etc.

Jones, E. Psychoanalysis of Chess.—Dr. Jones has written a delightful article on Paul Morphy, the champion chess player, with a full discussion of his development as a chess player, his decline and the psychological factors involved in this. Paul Morphy was a child chess prodigy; at twelve he defeated a champion uncle blindfolded. He then played but little until eighteen, while going through school. At twenty he was an international champion. Next year, visiting Paris and London, he created a great furor, defeating eight adversaries at one time, blindfolded. He defeated the entire Versailles Chess Club blindfolded. He challenged the world and finding no takers gave up chess for law, his father's profession. He was skilled but not successful and became more and more paranoid and finally died of “apoplexy “at forty-seven as had his father.

Jones would put the problem whether his tragic neurosis bore any relation to his supreme activities as exemplified in the game of chess? To answer this some consideration of the process of sublimation is desirable. Chess is a play substitute for the art of war and many of military preeminence from William of Normandy to Napoleon have played it. The deep unconscious motive is that of father destruction even if the present goal is one of rendering him (the King) immobile. The history of the game shows some interesting points. Its home was India and in Sanscrit its name equals “four members” or “army.” By the time it had passed to Persia the name was Scha—King. Check mate—the king is dead. In Arabian philology, the king is paralyzed, de