The first Hastings tournament in 1895 was the strongest tournament up to that time. Every top player was invited and they all turned up: World Champion Lasker, ex-champion Steinitz, Steinitz' challengers Chigorin and Gunsberg, Lasker's future challengers Schlechter and Janowsky, the old British Champions Bird, Blackburne and Burn, and the new US Champion, Pillsbury, whom no-one knew much about, but he has been taking lessons from Steinitz...

In the end, Pillsbury won in a thrilling finish. Here are four Pillsbury games, two where he showed the power of his approach to the Queen's Gambit, and then his thriller against Tarrasch where he was clearly worse at times but kept going on the King's-side then eventually got through.

Before the last round, Pillsbury was half-a-point ahead, and didn't push so hard against Gunsberg... but then it looked like Chigorin was winning and could catch up, so Pillsbury had to win what seemed to be a pretty even endgame, and did so with an amazing breakthrough...

Pillsbury badgers the backward c-pawn:

[Event "Logical Chess, Move by Move #17"]
[Site "Hastings ENG"]
[Date "1895.??.??"]
[Round "17"]
[White "Pillsbury"]
[Black "Mason"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "D53"]
[PlyCount "71"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nf3 b6 {[%tqu "Choose White's next
move  ","","",e3,"",10]} 6. e3 $14 (6. g3 $11 dxc4) (6. Rc1 $14) 6... Bb7 {
[%tqu "Choose White's next move","","",Rc1,"",10]} 7. Rc1 $14 (7. Bd3 $11 dxc4)
(7. Qc2 $14) 7... dxc4 8. Bxc4 Nbd7 9. O-O O-O {[%tqu "Choose White's next
move","","",Qe2,"",10]} 10. Qe2 $16 (10. Qd3 $14) 10... Nd5 {[%tqu "Choose
White's next move","","",Bxe7,"",10]} 11. Bxe7 $14 (11. Bxd5 $11) (11. Nxd5 $14
) 11... Qxe7 {[%tqu "Choose White's next move","","",Nxd5,"",10]} 12. Nxd5 $14
(12. Bxd5 $11) (12. e4 $11) 12... exd5 {[%tqu "Choose White's next move","","",
Bb5,"",10]} 13. Bb5 (13. Bd3 c5) 13... Qd6 (13... c5 14. Bxd7 Qxd7 15. dxc5 $16
) {[%tqu "Choose White's next move","","",Rc2,"",10]} 14. Rc2 $14 c6 {[%tqu
"Choose White's next move","","",Bd3,"",10]} 15. Bd3 (15. Ba6 Bxa6 16. Qxa6
Rfc8 $11) 15... Nf6 $16 (15... c5 $14) 16. Rfc1 Rac8 {[%tqu "Choose White's
next move","","",Ba6,"",10]} 17. Ba6 $14 (17. Ne5 c5) 17... Bxa6 18. Qxa6 Rc7
$2 {[%tqu "Choose White's next move","","",Ne5,"",10]} 19. Ne5 $16 c5 $2 (19...
Rfc8 20. Rxc6 Rxc6 21. Qxc8+ Rxc8 22. Rxc8+ Qf8 23. Rxf8+ Kxf8 24. f3) {[%tqu
"Choose White's next move","","",Rxc5,"",10]} 20. Rxc5 $1 $18 (20. Nd3 $11 c4
21. b3 $2 (21. Ne5) 21... cxd3 22. Rxc7 d2 $1 $19) 20... Rxc5 21. Rxc5 Nd7 {
[%tqu "Choose White's next move","","",Rc6,"",10]} 22. Rc6 $1 Nb8 23. Rxd6 Nxa6
{[%tqu "Choose White's next move","","",Nc6,"",10]} 24. Nc6 $1 (24. Rxd5 Nb4
25. Rb5 Rc8 $1) 24... g6 (24... Rc8 25. Ne7+) 25. Nxa7 Ra8 26. Nc6 Kg7 27. a3
Rc8 28. g4 Nc7 {[%tqu "Choose White's next move","","",Ne7,"",10]} 29. Ne7 $1
Rb8 30. Rd7 Ne6 31. Nxd5 Rc8 32. Nxb6 Rc2 {[%tqu "Choose White's next move","",
"",b4,"",10]} 33. b4 $1 Ng5 34. a4 Ne4 35. a5 Nxf2 36. a6 {[%csl Ga7,Ga8]} *

An awesome attack with a formation Pillsbury made his own:

[Event "Logical Chess, Move by Move #22"]
[Site "Paris FRA"]
[Date "1900.??.??"]
[Round "22"]
[White "Pillsbury"]
[Black "Marco"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D55"]
[PlyCount "55"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 b6 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. cxd5
exd5 9. Ne5 Nbd7 10. f4 c5 11. O-O c4 12. Bc2 a6 13. Qf3 b5 14. Qh3 g6 15. f5
b4 16. fxg6 hxg6 17. Qh4 bxc3 18. Nxd7 Qxd7 19. Rxf6 a5 20. Raf1 Ra6 21. Bxg6
fxg6 {White now demonstrated mate in 7} 22. Rxf8+ Bxf8 23. Rxf8+ Kxf8 24. Qh8+
Kf7 25. Qh7+ Kf8 26. Qxd7 cxb2 {Or any} 27. Bh6+ Kg8 28. Qg7# 1-0

The thriller against Tarrasch: Black's Queen's-side attack seems triumphant, but Pillsbury sneaks through with limited space on the other side

[Event "Hastings"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1895.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pillsbury, Harry"]
[Black "Tarrasch, S."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D55"]
[PlyCount "103"]
[EventDate "1895.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 (3... c5 {! Tarrasch}) 4. Bg5 {[#] This game went
a long way to popularising the Queen's Gambit} Be7 5. Nf3 Nbd7 (5... Ne4) 6.
Rc1 O-O 7. e3 b6 (7... c6) (7... Re8) 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. O-O c5 11.
Re1 $6 (11. Qe2 $1 Ne4 12. Bf4 Nxc3 13. bxc3 c4 14. Bf5 g6 15. Bxd7 (15. Bb1 b5
16. e4 dxe4 17. Bxe4 Bxe4 18. Qxe4 Nf6 19. Qc6 Qd5 20. Qxd5 Nxd5 21. Bd2 Rfc8
$17) 15... Qxd7 16. Ne5 Qe6 17. Bh6 $16 {Tartakover}) (11. Ne5 $5) 11... c4 (
11... Ne4 12. Bf4 Nxc3 13. bxc3 c4 14. Bf5 g6 15. Bb1 b5 16. e4 dxe4 17. Bxe4
Bxe4 18. Rxe4 Nf6 $13 {Tartakover}) 12. Bb1 a6 13. Ne5 b5 (13... Nxe5 $6 14.
dxe5 Nd7 (14... Ne8 15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. Nxd5) (14... Ne4 15. Bxe7 Nxc3 16. Bxh7+
$18) 15. Bf4 Nc5 16. Qd2 b5 17. Rcd1 $16 {Tartakover}) 14. f4 {[#]The
Pillsbury Attack} Re8 15. Qf3 Nf8 16. Ne2 $6 (16. a3 Ne4 17. Bxe7 Rxe7 18. Nxe4
dxe4 19. Bxe4 Bxe4 20. Qxe4 f6 $19) 16... Ne4 {/\ f5} 17. Bxe7 Rxe7 18. Bxe4
dxe4 19. Qg3 (19. Qh3 f6 20. Ng4 Bc8 {Tartakover}) 19... f6 20. Ng4 Kh8 (20...
f5 21. Nh6+ Kh8 22. Nxf5 {Tartakover}) 21. f5 Qd7 22. Rf1 Rd8 $2 (22... Rae8)
23. Rf4 Qd6 24. Qh4 Rde8 25. Nc3 Bd5 26. Nf2 (26. Nxd5 Qxd5 27. Nxf6 gxf6 28.
Qxf6+ Rg7 29. Qxa6 $15) 26... Qc6 27. Rf1 b4 28. Ne2 Qa4 $2 (28... c3 $19 29.
bxc3 bxc3 30. Rc1 c2 31. a4 Rb7 32. a5 Rb1) 29. Ng4 Nd7 (29... Qxa2 $2 30. Nxf6
$18) 30. R4f2 $1 {/\ 31.Nf4} Kg8 (30... Qxa2 31. Nf4 Bf7 32. d5 (32. Ng6+ Kg8
$44 (32... Bxg6 33. fxg6 Nf8 (33... h6 34. Nxh6 $1 (34. Rxf6 gxf6 35. Nxh6)
34... gxh6 35. Qxh6+ Kg8 36. Rf4 $18) 34. Nxf6 gxf6 35. Rxf6 Nd7 (35... Kg8)
36. Rf7 $18)) 32... Ne5 33. Nxf6 gxf6 34. Qxf6+ Kg8 35. d6 Rd7 36. Ne6 $19 {
Tartakover}) 31. Nc1 c3 32. b3 Qc6 33. h3 a5 34. Nh2 a4 35. g4 axb3 $6 (35...
h6 $5 $13) 36. axb3 Ra8 37. g5 Ra3 $2 (37... fxg5 38. Qxg5 Nf6 $13 (38... Qf6
$13 {Tartakover})) 38. Ng4 Bxb3 (38... Kh8 {Tartakover}) 39. Rg2 $1 Kh8 (39...
fxg5 40. Qxg5 Kf8 41. f6 $18 {Tartakover}) 40. gxf6 gxf6 (40... Nxf6 41. Ne5)
41. Nxb3 Rxb3 42. Nh6 Rg7 (42... Qc8 43. Qg4 $18) (42... Qd5 43. Qg4 $18) 43.
Rxg7 Kxg7 44. Qg3+ (44. Kh1 Qc4 45. Rg1+ Kf8 46. Rg8+ Qxg8 47. Nxg8 c2 $19)
44... Kxh6 (44... Kf8 45. Qg8+ Ke7 46. Qxb3 $18) 45. Kh1 (45. Rf4 $2 $10 Rb1+
46. Kg2 Rb2+ 47. Kg1) 45... Qd5 (45... c2 46. Rg1 c1=Q 47. Qh4# {Tartakover}) (
45... Nf8 46. Rg1 Qe8 47. Qg7+ Kh5 48. Qxf6 Ne6 49. fxe6 $18) 46. Rg1 Qxf5 47.
Qh4+ Qh5 48. Qf4+ Qg5 49. Rxg5 fxg5 50. Qd6+ Kh5 51. Qxd7 c2 $6 (51... Rb1+ 52.
Kh2 Rb2+ 53. Kg3 Kg6 $18) 52. Qxh7# (52. Qf7+ $4 Kh4 53. Qxb3 $4 (53. Kh2 g4
54. Qf4 Kh5 55. Qxg4+ Kh6 56. h4 c1=Q 57. Qg5#) 53... c1=Q+ $19 {Tartakover})
1-0

And the last round breakthrough:

[Event "Hastings"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1895.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pillsbury, Harry"]
[Black "Gunsberg, I."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D94"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "1895.??.??"]

{[%mdl 4097] With minimum material and maximum drama, a Pillsbury breakthrough
that we now see as typical for him} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5.
Nf3 Nf6 6. Bd3 O-O 7. Ne5 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Nd5 9. f4 Be6 10. Qb3 b5 11. Bxd5 Bxd5
12. Nxd5 Qxd5 13. Qxd5 cxd5 14. Nd3 Nd7 15. Bd2 Rfc8 16. Ke2 e6 17. Rhc1 Bf8
18. Rxc8 Rxc8 19. Rc1 Rxc1 20. Bxc1 Bd6 21. Bd2 Kf8 22. Bb4 Ke7 23. Bc5 a6 24.
b4 f6 25. g4 Bxc5 26. bxc5 Nb8 {[#] Pillsbury has kept the draw in hand, but now finds he needs to win.} 27. f5 {[%csl Ge6]} g5 28. Nb4 a5 29. c6
Kd6 (29... axb4 30. c7 Kd7 31. cxb8=Q) 30. fxe6 Nxc6 (30... axb4 31. e7 Kxe7
32. c7) 31. Nxc6 Kxc6 {[#]} 32. e4 dxe4 33. d5+ Kd6 34. Ke3 b4 35. Kxe4 a4 36.
Kd4 h5 (36... b3 37. Kc3 (37. axb3 a3 38. Kc3 a2 39. Kb2) 37... bxa2 38. Kb2) (
36... f5 37. gxf5 h5 38. f6) 37. gxh5 a3 38. Kc4 f5 39. h6 f4 40. h7 {1-0 (40)
Pillsbury,H-Gunsberg, I Hastings 1895} 1-0

The most famous game from this tournament was actually played by Steinitz. At this point in the tournament, von Bardeleben was leading the tournament, while Steinitz was struggling to show his form, and was upset by a loss to Lasker, and found it hard to sleep.

Rhoda Bowles, chess editor of Womanhood, met Steinitz after this game. 'Oh, Madam Bowles what shall I do?' he said. 'I have just lost my game to Lasker and that is my fourth successive loss, I shall never win again...I am utterly broken down.' The next day she pinned a flower to his coat saying she had come to turn his luck and expected a win. 'The change in his look was startling; from a haggard expression he developed an eager look of desire for his opponent'...

[Event "Hastings"]
[Site "Hastings"]
[Date "1895.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Steinitz, Wilhelm"]
[Black "Von Bardeleben, C."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C54"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "1895.??.??"]
[EventType "corr"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 d5 8.
exd5 Nxd5 9. O-O Be6 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Bxd5 Bxd5 12. Nxd5 Qxd5 13. Bxe7 Nxe7 14.
Re1 f6 15. Qe2 {Trapping the King in the middle.} Qd7 16. Rac1 c6 17. d5 cxd5
18. Nd4 Kf7 19. Ne6 Rhc8 20. Qg4 g6 21. Ng5+ Ke8 {#} 22. Rxe7+ $3 Kf8 (22... Kxe7
23. Re1+ Kd6 24. Qb4+ Rc5 (24... Kc7 25. Ne6+ Kb8 26. Qf4+) 25. Re6+) 23. Rf7+
Kg8 24. Rg7+ $3 Kh8 25. Rxh7+ (25. Rxh7+ Kg8 26.Rg7+ Kh8 27.Qh4+ Kxg7 28.Qh7+ Kf8 29.Qh8+ Ke7 30.Qg7+ Ke8 31.Qg8+ Ke7 32.Qf7+ Kd8 33.Qf8+ Qe8 34.Nf7+ Kd7 35.Qd6#) 1-0

von Bardeleben simply left the tournament hall, letting his time run out. Steinitz demonstrated for the spectators how the game might have continued, who, having waited to see the flag fall, burst into applause.