50 games you should know: Pillsbury vs Lasker, 1896

by Johannes Fischer
11/21/2017 – Emanuel Lasker, World Champion from 1894 to 1921, was a strong defender who kept his cool in bad positions and always seemed to find ways to pose his opponents problems. But Lasker was also an excellent attacker and tactician. Lasker's perhaps most brilliant attacking game is his victory against Harry Nelson Pillsbury, played at the St. Petersburg tournament 1895/1896. A brilliancy in a crucial moment. | Photo: Cleveland Public Library

Master Class Vol.5: Emanuel Lasker Master Class Vol.5: Emanuel Lasker

The name Emanuel Lasker will always be linked with his incredible 27 years reign on the throne of world chess. In 1894, at the age of 25, he had already won the world title from Wilhelm Steinitz and his record number of years on the throne did not end till 1921 when Lasker had to accept the superiority of Jose Raul Capablanca. But not only had the only German world champion so far seen off all challengers for many years, he had also won the greatest tournaments of his age, sometimes with an enormous lead. The fascinating question is, how did he manage that?

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A crucial win

After winning the World Championship match against Wilhelm Steinitz in 1894 Lasker was new World Champion. But in his first tournament after winning the title Lasker was unable to show that he was also the world's best player. In Hastings 1895, he finished third behind Harry Nelson Pillsbury [pictured at right] and Mikhail Chigorin.

Harry Nelson Pillsbury

At the end of 1895, at the match tournament in St. Petersburg 1895/1896, Lasker played Steinitz, Pillsbury and Chigorin again. In a prestigious and long tournament: the four masters played no less than six games against each other and the winner of this tournament had good reason to claim that he was the world's best player, World Champion or not.

But Lasker did not start well and in the very first round he suffered a crushing defeat against Pillsbury. Lasker also lost the second game against Pillsbury, this time in an endgame. The third game between these two ended in a draw.

Against the other players Lasker was more successful but at the half-way mark, after 9 of 18 rounds, he was trailing Pillsbury by a full point.

Standings after 9 of 18 rounds

Rg. Name Country         Points
1 Harry Nelson Pillsbury
 
   11½ 0½½ 111 6½ / 9
2 Emanuel Lasker
 
 00½   11½ 1½1 5½ / 9
3 William Steinitz
 
 1½½ 00½   011 4½ / 9
4 Mikhail Chigorin
 
 000 0½0 100   1½ / 9

In round ten Lasker had to play his fourth game against Pillsbury. And in this crucial moment Lasker showed his best chess and won a brilliant attacking game.

 
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1.e41,161,23254%2421---
1.d4943,61155%2434---
1.Nf3280,29556%2441---
1.c4181,39556%2442---
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1.Nh38866%2510---
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1.Na34063%2477---
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c5 5.Bg5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Qh4 Be7 8.0-0-0 Qa5 9.e3 Bd7 10.Kb1 h6 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Nd4 0-0 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Qh5 Nxd4 15.exd4 Be6 16.f4 Rac8 17.f5
White opted for a sharp and double-edged attacking strategy. Now Black counters and seizes the initiative with an exchange sacrifice. Modern engines point out that Black would also be better after the less violent and natural retreat 17...Bd7. 17...Rxc3! 18.fxe6 White cannot take the rook. After 18.bxc3 Black wins with Rc8 19.fxe6 or 19.Rd3 Bd7 20.Qf3 Qb6+ 21.Kc2 Ba4+ 22.Kd2 Re8 19...Qxc3 20.exf7+ Kf8 21.Qe2 after 21.Bb5 Black has Qb4+ 22.Ka1 Rc1+ 23.Rxc1 Bxd4+ 24.Rc3 Bxc3# 21...Bxd4 and White cannot adequately defend against Black's mating threats. 18...Ra3! White did not take the rook when it was on c3 but now White has to take the rook because Black threatens ...Rxa2 with a devastating attack. 19.exf7+? This is a mistake because now Black's rook on f8 will soon join the attack against White's king. It was better to take the rook on a3 immediately. The position is complicated and full of tactical possibilities but the best continuation after 19.bxa3 seems to be Qb6+ 20.Bb5! Qxb5+ 21.Ka1 fxe6 Black has a pawn for the exchange but the exposed position of the white king guarantees Black more than enough compensation. However, White is not lost — the engines only claim a slight advantage for Black. 19...Rxf7 20.bxa3 Qb6+ 21.Bb5 Forced. After 21.Kc2 Rc7+ 22.Kd2 Qxd4+ 23.Ke1 Qc3+ 24.Rd2 Re7+ 25.Be2 Bg5 Black's black-squared bishop can again show its strength. and after 21.Ka1 Black wins immediately with Bxd4+ 21...Qxb5+ 22.Ka1 Rc7? An inaccuracy in a complicated position. Later analyses showed that Black could have won immediately with 22...Qc4 e.g. 23.Qg4 Re7! and White has no adequate defense against Black's threat 24...Re2, e.g. 24.Qh3 Bxd4+ 25.Kb1 Re2 26.Qb3 Rb2+ 27.Qxb2 Bxb2 28.Kxb2 Qe2+ 29.Ka1 Qxg2 and the queen and the two pawns are better than the two rooks. 23.Rd2 Rc4 24.Rhd1? Another error — which shows how complicated this position is. The surprising counterattack 24.Re1 would have drawn the game: Qa5 24...Rxd4 fails to 25.Re8+ Kh7 26.Qf5+ g6 27.Qxf6 25.Re8+ Kh7 26.Qf5+ g6 and now 27.Re7+ but not 27.Qxf6 Rc1+ 28.Kb2 Qc3# 27...Bxe7 28.Qf7+ Kh8 29.Qe8+ Kg7 30.Qxe7+ with a perpetual. 24...Rc3?! Lasker again misses the best continuation and gives White a chance to consolidate. Better was 24...Qc6! 25.Kb1 Bg5 and Black regains the exchange (the rook on d2 cannot move because of the mate on c1) and remains with the better position. 25.Qf5 Qc4 26.Kb2?
But after 26.Kb1 Black has difficulties to continue the attack, e.g. Rxa3 27.Rc1 Qb5+ 28.Rb2 and it is Black who has to fight for a draw. 26...Rxa3! After offering an exchange sacrifice on c3 and sacrificing one rook on a3 Black now sacrifices his second rook on a3 — a rare and aesthetically pleasing motif. 27.Qe6+ Kh7 More precise was the immediate 27...Kh8 28.Kxa3 After 28.Qf5+ Kg8 29.Qe6+ Black corrects his previous move and avoids the perpetual with Kh8 aus. 28...Qc3+ 29.Ka4 b5+ 30.Kxb5 Qc4+ 31.Ka5 Bd8+ 32.Qb6 Bxb6# A brilliant attacking game, despite the inaccuracies from both sides — which are much, much easier to see after the game (and with help from the computer) than at the board. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Pillsbury,H-Lasker,E-0–11896D50St Petersburg Four Masters4.1

How to play the Queen's Gambit

Garry Kasparov took to the Queen’s Gambit at a relatively late stage of his chess career, but then had the best training anyone could imagine: in his first match for the world championship against Anatoly Karpov, this opening appeared on the board no less than 19 times. Now he shares his knowledge with you.

After this defeat Pillsbury collapsed. In the eight remaining rounds he scored only 1½, and in the end he finished third with 8.0/18. Lasker, however, finished the tournament in style and won with 11½/18. Second place went to Steinitz with 9½/18.

Final result

Rg. Name Country 1 2 3 4 Points
1 Emanuel Lasker
 
   11½01½ 00½1½½ 1½11½1 11½ / 18
2 William Steinitz
 
 00½10½   1½½111 01100½ 9½ / 18
3 Harry Nelson Pillsbury
 
 11½0½½ 0½½000   11100½ 8½ / 18
4 Mikhail Chigorin
 
 0½00½0 10011½ 00011½   7½ / 18

With this victory Lasker showed that he was not only World Champion but also the world's best player. And he showed that crucial moments brought out the best in him.

St. Petersburg 1895/1896 - All games

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Be7 7.0-0 Nc6 8.Re1 Bg4 9.c3 f5 10.Qb3 0-0 11.Bf4 11.Nbd2 11...Bxf3 12.gxf3 Ng5 13.Kg2 Qd7 14.Qc2 14.Bxg5 Bxg5 15.Na3 Bf4 16.Nc2 Ne7 16...Qd6 17.Ne3 17.Qxb7 Rab8 18.Qa6 Qh6 17...Ne7 18.Qxb7 Bxh2 16...Rab8 17.Ne3 Ne7 17.Qxb7 Rab8 17...Ng6 18.Nb4 18.Qxa7 Ng6 19.Kh1 Nh4 14.Qxb7 Ne6 15.Bb5 15.Bd2 15...Nxf4+ 16.Kf1 Qd8 17.Qxc6 17.Bxc6 Rb8 17...Bd6 14...Ne6 15.Bc1 15.Be5 Nxe5 16.dxe5 16.Rxe5 Nf4+ 17.Kh1 g6 17...Nxd3 18.Qxd3 Bd6 19.Re1 19.Rxd5 Qf7 20.c4 Qh5 19...Qd8 20.Nd2 Qh4 21.Nf1 c6 18.Nd2 Bd6 19.Re3 Qd8 16...Nf4+ 17.Kh1 Rae8 18.Nd2 Bc5 19.Nb3 Bxf2 20.Qxf2 Nxd3 15.Qd2 g5 16.Be5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Nf4+ 18.Kh1 Kh8 15...Bd6 16.Nd2 Rae8 17.Nf1 Nexd4 18.Qd1 Rxe1 19.Qxe1 Nxf3 20.Kxf3 f4 21.Qd1 Ne5+ 22.Ke2 22.Kg2 f3+ 23.Kh1 Qh3 22...Qg4+ 23.Kd2 Qxd1+ 24.Kxd1 Nxd3 25.Ke2 Ne5 26.f3 Re8 27.b3 Ng4+ 28.Kd2 Ne3 29.Bb2 Ng2 30.h3 Bc5 31.Nh2 Bf2 32.c4 dxc4 33.bxc4 h5 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Lasker,E-Pillsbury,H-0–11895C42St Petersburg Four Masters1.1
Steinitz,W-Chigorin,M-0–11895D37St Petersburg Four Masters1.1
Chigorin,M-Pillsbury,H-0–11895C49St Petersburg Four Masters1.2
Lasker,E-Steinitz,W-1–01895C87St Petersburg Four Masters1.2
Steinitz,W-Pillsbury,H-1–01895C43St Petersburg Four Masters1.3
Chigorin,M-Lasker,E-0–11895C52St Petersburg Four Masters1.3
Steinitz,W-Lasker,E-0–11895D35St Petersburg Four Masters2.1
Pillsbury,H-Chigorin,M-1–01895D07St Petersburg Four Masters2.1
Lasker,E-Chigorin,M-½–½1895C84St Petersburg Four Masters2.2
Pillsbury,H-Steinitz,W-½–½1895D26St Petersburg Four Masters2.2
Pillsbury,H-Lasker,E-1–01895C67St Petersburg Four Masters2.3
Chigorin,M-Steinitz,W-0–11895C52St Petersburg Four Masters2.3
Chigorin,M-Lasker,E-0–11895C54St Petersburg Four Masters3.1
Steinitz,W-Pillsbury,H-½–½1895C43St Petersburg Four Masters3.1
Lasker,E-Pillsbury,H-½–½1895C42St Petersburg Four Masters3.2
Steinitz,W-Chigorin,M-1–01895D26St Petersburg Four Masters3.2
Chigorin,M-Pillsbury,H-0–11896C43St Petersburg Four Masters3.3
Lasker,E-Steinitz,W-½–½1896C64St Petersburg Four Masters3.3
Pillsbury,H-Lasker,E-0–11896D50St Petersburg Four Masters4.1
Chigorin,M-Steinitz,W-1–01896C52St Petersburg Four Masters4.1
Steinitz,W-Lasker,E-1–01896D35St Petersburg Four Masters4.2
Pillsbury,H-Chigorin,M-0–11896D07St Petersburg Four Masters4.2
Pillsbury,H-Steinitz,W-0–11896D26St Petersburg Four Masters4.3
Lasker,E-Chigorin,M-1–01896C79St Petersburg Four Masters4.3
Chigorin,M-Pillsbury,H-1–01896C60St Petersburg Four Masters5.1
Lasker,E-Steinitz,W-1–01896C62St Petersburg Four Masters5.1
Steinitz,W-Pillsbury,H-1–01896C43St Petersburg Four Masters5.2
Chigorin,M-Lasker,E-½–½1896C54St Petersburg Four Masters5.2
Steinitz,W-Chigorin,M-0–11896D46St Petersburg Four Masters5.3
Lasker,E-Pillsbury,H-½–½1896E14St Petersburg Four Masters5.3
Pillsbury,H-Steinitz,W-0–11896D26St Petersburg Four Masters6.1
Lasker,E-Chigorin,M-1–01896D02St Petersburg Four Masters6.1
Chigorin,M-Steinitz,W-½–½1896C52St Petersburg Four Masters6.2
Pillsbury,H-Lasker,E-½–½1896C67St Petersburg Four Masters6.2
Pillsbury,H-Chigorin,M-½–½1896D07St Petersburg Four Masters6.3
Steinitz,W-Lasker,E-½–½1896D35St Petersburg Four Masters6.3

Master Class Vol.5: Emanuel Lasker

The name Emanuel Lasker will always be linked with his incredible 27 years reign on the throne of world chess. In 1894, at the age of 25, he had already won the world title from Wilhelm Steinitz and his record number of years on the throne did not end till 1921 when Lasker had to accept the superiority of Jose Raul Capablanca. But not only had the only German world champion so far seen off all challengers for many years, he had also won the greatest tournaments of his age, sometimes with an enormous lead. The fascinating question is, how did he manage that?

50 games every chessplayer should know...

  1. McDonnell vs. Labourdonnais
  2. Anderssen vs. Kieseritzky, The Immortal Game
  3. Morphy vs Duke of Brunswick, Count Isouard
  4. Steinitz vs von Bardeleben

 

Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

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