Standing: Albin, Schlechter, Janowski, Marco, Blackburne, Maróczy, Schiffers, Gunsberg, Burn, Tinsley. Seated: Vergani, Steinitz, Chigorin, Lasker, Pillsbury, Tarrasch, Mieses, Teichmann. Not present: von Bardeleben, Mason, Walbrodt, Pollock, Bird
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The 1895 Hastings Chess Tournament is one of the most significant and celebrated tournaments in chess history. It was held in Hastings, England, from August 5 to September 2, 1895. It was a round-robin tournament where the world's leading chess players at the time competed.
Emanuel Lasker (Germany) – Reigning World Chess Champion.
Wilhelm Steinitz (Austria-Hungary) – Former World Champion.
Siegbert Tarrasch (Germany) – One of the leading chess theoreticians at that time.
Mikhail Chigorin (Russia) – World Championship Challenger in 1889 and 1892.
Other notable participants were Curt von Bardeleben (Germany), Richard Teichmann (Germany), Carl Schlechter (Austria), Joseph Henry Blackburne (England) and Henry Bird (England).
The surprise winner of the tournament was 22 year old American Harry Nelson Pillsbury.
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Long before Bobby Fischer dominated the chess scene, Harry Nelson Pillsbury was a rising chess contender for the World Championship title. However, he died young in 1906 and didn't realize his full potential.
In the tournament, he scored 16.5 points, with 15 wins, 3 losses and 3 draws. In the last round, to ensure he wins the tournament, he forced a win in a drawish end game against Gunsberg.
After 25 moves, the game is drawish then Pillsbury realized that he needed a win to ensure winning the tournament as Chigorin was catching up. There follows 25....Bxc5? giving White a dangerous passed pawn. 26. bxc5 Nb8 intending to blockade with Nf6 but Pillsbury saw a winning endgame. 27. f5!
Black answered with 27....g5 to prevent the Knight from jumping to f4. 28. Nb4 a5 29. c6!
Black cannot take the Knight or else he loses to c7. 29....Kd6 30. fxe6!
Still, the Knight cannot be taken. axb4 losses to e7 Kxe7 c7! 30....Nxc6 31. Nxc6 Kxc6.
Finally Black is safe and can capture the e-pawn after d6 but White has other ideas. 32. e4! Now Kd6 will be met by exd5. 32....dxe4 33. d5+ Kd6. White has a protected passed pawn and Black's King is stuck preventing the pawn from promoting. The game is over and Black resigned a few moves later.
The 1895 Hastings Tournament can be compared to today's super chess tournaments where the top players of the world compete. To this day, players study the games in that tournament for their instructive and entertainment value.
