Great Players

Harry Nelson Pillsbury:

A tall, handsome American from Somerville, Massachusetts, Harry Nelson Pillsbury was an instant chess legend. He learned the moves late at age sixteen, but mastered the game quickly. Although he had no international experience, he gained an invitation to the Hastings Tournament of 1895.

The lineup included the greatest players of the day, including the new World Champion, Emanuel Lasker, the former champion Steinitz, Tarrasch, Burn, Mieses, and many others.

Here is Pillsbury's game against Amos Burn, a memorable attack. Pillsbury won the event, 1/2 point ahead of Tarrasch and a full point ahead of Lasker!

Pillsbury,H - Burn,A [D55]
Hastings Hastings (16), 1895

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0-0 6.Nf3 b6 7.Rc1 Bb7 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Nxd5 Bxd5 11.Bd3 Rc8 12.e4 Bb7 13.0-0 Nd7 14.Qe2 a6 15.Rc3 c6 16.Rfc1 b5 17.Qe3 Rc7 18.Qf4 Rac8 19.e5 c5 Diagram

20.Bxh7+ Kxh7 21.Ng5+ Kg8 [21...Kg6 22.Rg3 f6 23.Nxe6+ Kh7 24.Qh4+ Kg8 25.Nxg7 Qxg7 26.exf6+-] 22.Rh3 Qe8 [22...Nf6 23.Qh4+-] 23.Qh4 Kf8 24.Nh7+ Kg8 25.Nf6+ Kf8 [25...gxf6 26.Qh8#; 25...Nxf6 26.Qh8#] 26.Nxe8 [26.Qg5! gxf6 27.exf6 Nxf6 28.Qxf6 e5 29.Rh8#] 26...Kxe8 27.Qg5 cxd4 28.Rh8+ [28.Rxc7 Rxc7 29.Rh8+ Nf8 30.Rxf8+ Kxf8 31.Qd8#] 1-0

Here are all of Pillsbury's games at Hastings.

Pillsbury's Chess Career:

Books about Pillsbury