Play Chess Against Harry Pillsbury

Harry Pillsbury (1872-1906), the American who conquered Hastings 1895 and played whole rooms blindfolded, sits across the board. Set the strength, clock, color and starting position, then press Start game.

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Portrait of Harry Nelson Pillsbury — Harry Nelson Pillsbury, 1872-1906.

Black · Harry Pillsbury10:00

Choose the settings, then press Start game.

White · You10:00

Harry Pillsburyhistorical player

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Set the game on the right. Start unlocks the board and starts the side-to-move clock.

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Harry Pillsbury stays selected. Choose the playing strength, clock, color and starting position.

OpponentHarry PillsburyStrength1500Clock10+5You playWhite

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Harry Pillsbury1872-1906

Playing strength

Legend playing strength100-point steps

1500

1500Pillsbury, 1500 Elo target2600

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About Harry Pillsbury

Harry Pillsbury playing Jean Taubenhaus in 1893

Harry Pillsbury (1872-1906) announced himself by winning Hastings 1895, one of the strongest tournaments of the nineteenth century, ahead of Chigorin, Lasker and Tarrasch. His play married deep strategy to fierce kingside attacks, and his Queen's Gambit setup with Ne5 and f4 is still called the Pillsbury Attack. Away from competition he gave astonishing blindfold exhibitions on more than twenty boards at once, feats of memory that made him famous far beyond chess. He died at only 33, and historians still wonder how far he might have gone.

Hastings 1895 winnerWon one of the strongest tournaments ever held, ahead of Chigorin, Lasker and Tarrasch

United States championBeat Jackson Showalter for the national title in 1897 and held it until his death

Blindfold marvelGave blindfold exhibitions on more than twenty boards at a time across America and Europe

The Pillsbury AttackHis Queen's Gambit setup with Ne5 and f4 remains a named attacking system

1872
Born in Somerville
Harry Nelson Pillsbury was born on 5 December 1872 in Somerville, Massachusetts.
1888
A late start
Learned the game at sixteen and within a few years was beating the strongest players in Boston.
1895
Hastings sensation
As a virtual unknown he won Hastings 1895, ahead of Chigorin, Lasker and Tarrasch, in one of the strongest fields ever assembled.
1896
St Petersburg quadrangular
In the elite four-man event with Lasker, Steinitz and Chigorin he produced his most famous game, a kingside masterpiece against Lasker.
1897
US champion
Won the United States championship match against Jackson Showalter. He kept the title for the rest of his life.
1900
Second in Paris
Finished runner-up to Lasker at the Paris tournament, confirming his place among the world's best.
1902
Blindfold feats
His blindfold simultaneous displays on twenty or more boards, in Europe and America, made him a public sensation.
1904
Cambridge Springs farewell
Already seriously ill, he played his last major tournament at Cambridge Springs.
1906
Death at 33
Died in Philadelphia on 17 June 1906. Many contemporaries believed a world title match had only been a matter of time.