Passion and Destruction

Who is Paul Morphy? Paul Morphy is a real person, a child prodigy born into a wealthy Creole family in the French Quarter in 1837. He grows up to become the unofficial chess world champion, 'breaking' Europe while only twenty-one. He defeats all chess challengers, performing miraculous blindfold feats along the way. No one dares play him.

After astounding Paris and London, he returns to New Orleans, lionized, but misunderstood. Rooted in Paul is an irrational obsession for the red-light district crib-girl, Clara. Paul abandons chess and grows reclusive in his love. A strict amateur on the board, off the board he develops a misconceived love for a professional working girl who cannot understand his world, or he hers.