Paul Morphy's brief but illustrious career as a chess genius started in New Orleans when, in 1850 just before his thirteenth birthday, Morphy defeated the Hungarian chess master Jacob Lowenthal. Morphy not only excelled at chess, but went on to law school graduating with the highest honors ever bestowed on an individual by Spring Hills College in Alabama. News of his mastery had spread up the east coast and he was asked to participate in the First National Chess Congress of America in New York in 1857. The long journey and the grueling match paid off with a first prize win at the tournament along with instant notoreity. Morphy sailed to Europe and was able to beat the most renowned chess professionals including Daniel Harrwitz of France. Upon his return to the United States, Morphy was dubbed the chess champion of the world, and "Morphy-mania" had set in with the availabilty of Morphy hats and Morphy cigars. Despite his extraordinary talents, Morphy never considered chess more than a game, and was reluctant to continue as a professional. Morphy astounded the chess world in the two years he played extensively and was discouraged to find that he could not return to a life of normalcy back home. His fame came in the way of returning to law, and he was unable to escape his reputation. Fifteen years after he had renounced chess, Morphy became paranoid and apparently suffered from delusions. He died in 1884 sad and alone. (William Hartston, The Kings of Chess, Harper & Row, 1985).