The American Harry Nelson Pillsbury was one of the brightest stars to ever sparkle in the chess firmament. He never played in a world championship match, but for a year he was considered the future of the game. His sensational victory in his international debut at the Hastings tournament 1895/96, ahead of the newly crowned world champion Lasker, won him a place amongst the very best players. At the time there was an uncertainty about the true hierarchy at the top of the chess world, which made new contests inevitable. To clarify the situation five of the best players in the world were invited to a tournament in St. Petersburg in 1896: Lasker, Steinitz, Pillsbury, Chigorin and Tarrasch (at the last moment Tarrasch cancelled his attendance because of his duties as a medical practitioner). Each player played six games against each of the others. After three rounds Pillsbury was in the lead and Lasker was second, but even he was badly losing his micro-match against Pillsbury 2 1/2 : 1/2. It was only due to Steinitz' successful performance against the leader that Lasker managed to remain in contention, just one point behind Pillsbury. The following game was played in the fourth round. If Pillsbury would win, the outcome of the tournament would be more or less clear. And then the chess world would call into question the legitimacy of Lasker's title, forcing him to play a new match for the world championship with this young energetic opponent under very unfavourable circumstances.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Bg5 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 7. Qh4 Be7 8. O-O-O Qa5 9. e3 Bd7 10. Kb1 h6 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Nd4 O-O 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Qh5 Nxd4 15. exd4 Be6 16. f4 Rac8 17. f5

As you can see, both opponents were in a real fighting mood. After the "normal" 17...Bd7 18.Qf3 the position remains double-edged. But here Lasker unleashes a beautiful, deeply calculated combination that any great player of today would be proud to have found. 17... Rxc3!! 18. fxe6? Objectively Objektiv war 18. bxc3 Qxc3 19. Qf3 was better, but Pillsbury doesn't yet understand why he should head for a worse endgame. 18... Ra3!! This paradoxical rook sacrifice drives White's king out into the fight, where he will meet his destiny. 19. exf7+ Lasker's ingenious idea proved to be correct in all variations: 19. bxa3 Qb6+ 20. Ka1 (20. Kc2 Rc8+ 21. Kd2 Qxd4+ 22. Ke1 (22. Bd3 Rc2+!! 23. Kxc2 Qb2#) 22... Qc3+ 23. Ke2 Qc2+ 24. Rd2 (24. Ke3 Bg5+) 24... Qe4+ 25. Kf2 Bd4+ 26. Kg3 Rc3+ etc.) 20... Bxd4+ 21. Rxd4 Qxd4+ 22. Kb1 fxe6 23. Be2 Qe4+ 24. Ka1 Rf2 with a decisive attack. 19. e7!? looks stronger, but it doesn't break the co-ordination of Black's pieces: 19... Re8! (19... Rc8?? 20. Qf5! and the queen comes back to the defence ) 20. bxa3 Qb6+ 21. Kc2 Rc8+ 22. Kd2 Bxd4 and after this deadly quiet move White is defenceless, e.g. 23. Ke2 Qe6+ 24. Kf3 Qe3+ 25. Kg4 g6! 26. Qxd5 h5+ with mate to follow. It would be interesting to know whether a computer can come close to executing such a great combination. 19... Rxf7 20. bxa3 Qb6+ 21. Bb5! The best chance. Die beste Chance. 21. Ka1 Bxd4+ 21. Kc2 Rc7+ both lose as above. 21... Qxb5+ 22. Ka1 Rc7? A pity. After spending so much energy and creativity to reach this position Lasker, under heavy time pressure, misses the simple win: 22... Qc4 23. Qg4 Re7! threatening Re4 and Re2, e.g. 24. Rhe1 Bxd4+ 25. Qxd4 Rxe1 26. Qxc4 (26. Qd2 Rxd1+ 27. Qxd1) 26... Rxd1+ 23. Rd2 Rc4 24. Rhd1? Losing again. Verliert wieder. 24. Re1! would lead to a nice draw: hätte zu einem schönen Remis geführt: 24... Qa5! 25. Re8+ Kh7 26. Qf5+ g6 27. Re7+!! (27. Qxf6?? Rc1+ 28. Kb2 Qc3#) 27... Bxe7 28. Qf7+ Kh8 29. Qe8+ Kg7 30. Qxe7+ with perpetual check. mit Dauerschach. 24... Rc3? A very serious mistake that could change everything dramatically 24... Qc6! gives Black an easy win. 25. Qf5 25. Re1! was more energetic, forcing Black to retreat: 25... Rc8 and White has a clear advantage. und Weiß hat einen klaren Vorteil. 25... Qc4 26. Kb2?

Lasker's time trouble is making Pillsbury nervous! He feels that his opponent has lost the thread of the game, but he himself cannot keep up with the pace. 26. Kb1! would pose serious problems for Black, e.g. 26... Rxa3 27. Rc1! and chess history would have gone a different route. und die Schachgeschichte hätte einen anderen Weg eingeschlagen. 26... Rxa3!! In the magical world of chess lightening can hit the same place twice! I wonder if Pillsbury could believe his eyes - here the horror comes again! 27. Qe6+ Kh7 28. Kxa3?? Exhausted by the black hurricane Pillsbury succumbs to a mating threat. 28. Kb1 was also losing: führte auch zum Verlust: 28... Bxd4! 29. Qf5+ g6! 30. Qd7+ Bg7 but the immediate aber sofortiges 28. Qf5+! would have saved half a point: 28... Kh8 29. Kb1! Rxa2! (29... Bxd4 30. Qf8+ Kh7 31. Qxa3) 30. Rxa2 Qb3+ 31. Kc1 Bg5+ (31... Qxa2 32. Qc8+ Kh7 33. Qc2+) 32. Rad2 Qc3+ 33. Qc2 Qa1+ 34. Qb1 Qc3+ and draw. 28... Qc3+ 29. Ka4 b5+! The final touch. 30. Kxb5 Qc4+ 31. Ka5 Bd8+ 32. Qb6 Bxb6# mate ended this fascinating human drama. "Too many mistakes" you say? Please don't rush to write off this game. Remember its unique historical importance! That day Caissa chose Lasker, and as we know today, the chess goddess did not err. Her cruel decision marked a fork in the lievs of both players. Lasker, inspired by this victory, won the tournament convincingly. Later that year he crushed Steinitz in a rematch and kept his title for 25 more years! Pillsbury, after the above disaster, collapsed and lost five games out of the remaining eight, ending up third behind Steinitz. He never achieved the same peak of playing strength as in that magnificent year and died eight years later at the age of 34. Who know how often Harry Nelson Pillsbury remembered that traumatic day in St. Petersburg and the chances he had missed - chances that would have changed his entire life and the course of chess history. 0-1 [Kasparov]