Harry Pillsbury vs Jacques Mieses (1902)

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Harry Pillsbury vs Jacques Mieses
Monte Carlo (1902), Monte Carlo MNC, rd 16, Feb-28
Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit. Normal Line (D08) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Feb-21-02		knight: It seems to be that black acquired an excellent position from the opening as White had trouble developing his kingside. Black's 17...Bb4+ would have left him with a good attack if white had taken the bishop.But Pillsbury's 18.Kd1! left him with two pieces under attack and he lost quickly.

Sep-06-23		KEG: This game was, as <knight> suggests, pretty much about one move (17...Bb4+?) after which Mieses was pretty much lost. And after 18...Bd6?, the wrap-up was child's play for Pillsbury. I also agree that before his 17th move blunder, Mieses had decent chances with Pillsbury reduced to the sort of cramped position he rarely let himself get as White. But it must be recalled that Pillsbury had an extra pawn and only got somewhat the worst of the position with his weak 16th move. But Mieses' edge was fleeting, and Pillsbury pounced when given the chance. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 The Albin-Counter Gambit which was popular at the time. 3. dxe5 d4 When the same players crossed swords at Monte Carlo 1903, Mieses (in his game as Black against Pillsbury) played 3...dxc4 here (and lost that game as well). 3...d4 is far more popular, but both moves are playable and both leave White with the edge. 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. a3 click for larger view The soundness of this move was questioned by Sergeant-Watts in their commentary on this game, but both that and 5. g3 are the most popular lines, and the text--preparing both attack and defense on the Queen-side--looks quite good. Another good option is 5. Nbd2 as recommended by Sergeant-Watts. 5... Bg4 The most aggressive choice, as would be expected from Mieses. Soundest is probably 5...Nge7 or maybe 5...g6 or 5...Bf5. As a practical matter, Pillsbury got flustered by 5...Bg4 and soon relinquished the edge he had enjoyed because of his extra pawn. 6. Bf4 Playable, but 6. Qb3 or 6. Qd3 or 6. h3 or 6. Nbd2 all seem better ways for White to retain his advantage. 6... Nge7 7. Nbd2 Ng6 8. Bg3 click for larger view A double-edged position which generally suited the styles of both Pillsbury and Mieses. White was still somewhat better with his extra pawn compensating for his shut-in light-square Bishop. 8... a5?! "With a view to Bc5." (Sergeant-Watts) "To prevent b4 and make Bc5 possible) (Hoffer/Bachmann). 8...Qd7 or 8...Qe7 were sounder, but the text had the virtue of putting Pillsbury on the defensive, and for once he faltered. 9. h3 Weakening and loss of time (since Pillsbury played h4 three moves later). 9. h4 or 9. Qa4 were better and what I would have expected from Pillsbury. 9... BxN 10. NxB Pillsbury could have avoided a lot of grief with 10. exB. His game now became increasingly cramped. 10... Bc5 All according to plan. This left: click for larger view Not a very Pillsbury-like opening formation as White. White's bottled up f1 Bishop is an eye-sore. Pillsbury obviously was not comfortable handling this set-up and soon found himself with a small disadvantage despite his extra pawn. He could not have had any inkling at this point of the fireworks that would yield him a won game within the next seven to eight moves.

Sep-07-23		KEG: Post II 11. Qd3 A surprisingly tame effort by Pillsbury. I would have expected 11. e6 from the usually ferocious American world-beater, or maybe 11. Qb3. The text was not a blunder, and Pillsbury still had his extra pawn, but his cramped position was becoming more and more a serious liability. 11... 0-0 Meanwhile, Mieses' forces were aligning themselves nicely. 12. h4 Not going quietly, but White's game is still sorry looking. 12... Qe7 13. Qf5 click for larger view 13... f6 13...Rfe8 was also good. In addition, 13...Rad8 was playable. The analysis of this latter move by Sergeant-Watts in their book on Pillsbury was flawed. They give 14. h5 (14. e6 would surely be better and would give White a small plus) which allows Black excellent chances. But then after 14...Ngxe5 White has nothing better than 15. 0-0-0 with at best equal chances. Sergeant-Watts gave 15. Ng5 as being in White's favor, but then Black wins easily: 15...g6! 16. hxg6 [everything else is worse] fxg6 17. Qh3 [sad but best] Nd3+ 18. Kd2 Nxf2 19. Qxh7+ (again sad but best) QxQ 20. QxQ Be7 and White is busted. 14. exf6 Rxf6 15. Qd3 click for larger view "White is a pawn up but has a cramped game." (Hoffer/Bachmann). 15... Nge5 16. NxN? This at first blush looks like a natural freeing move, but the only clear way to equality was probably 16. Qe4 16. NxN 17. Qe4 17. BxN followed by 18. Rh3 was probably best, but--whatever the theoretical merits of Pillsbury's move--it prepares a nasty trap into which Mieses fell head-first, the position now being: click for larger view Pillsbury is still badly constricted. All that one can say for his position is that he was still a pawn to the good...and that he created a mirage of a chance for Black that proved irresistible. Black would plainly be better after 17...Re6! But Mieses could not resist: 17... Bb4+? Pretty, but it loses a piece, the position now being: click for larger view Perhaps Mieses thought Pillsbury would play the fatal 18. hxB which gets White annihilated after 18...Qxb4+ 19. Kd1 Nxc4 and White is toast. But--perhaps needless to say--Pillsbury did not allow any of this nonsense and simply wrapped up the game as I will discuss in my next post on this contest.

Sep-09-23		KEG: Post III 18. Kd1 Suddenly, Black is lost: click for larger view 18... Bd6 This loses quickly, but Mieses had nothing good here. Hoffer and Bachmann in the Tournament Book suggested 18...Bc5, but that gets crushed by 19. QxN Qf8 [what else?] 20. Kc2. 19. c5! click for larger view "Refuting Black's 17th move in fine style" (Hoffer and Bachmann) Now Black cannot save the loss of a piece and the game is over" (Sergeant'Watts) 19... Nc4 20. Qd5+ 20. Qxb7 is also crushing. 20... Kh8 21. cxB Nxd6 click for larger view The rest was now child's play for Pillsbury. 22. Rc1 He could equally well have played 22. BxN followed by 23. Qxb7. 22... Rd8 Desperation! 22...Ne4 was his best shot, but then 23. Rxc7 Nxf2+24. Kc2 Qf8 25. BxN RxB 26. Qxd4 would have given Pillsbury little trouble. 23. BxN RdxB 24. Qxb7 click for larger view The only remaining interest in the game was how and when Pillssbury would finally manage to free his long bottled-up f1 Bishop. 24... d3?! Now even this small problem was solved for Pillsbury. Mieses had nothing better here than 24...Rd7, but that was hardly have effected the outcome. 25. e3 25. exd3 was even simpler, but the text was more than sufficient, as would have been 25. e4. 25... Rxf2 With this lemon, Mieses seems to have mentally resigned the game. But the arguably "better" 25...Rd7 would ultimately have proven hopeless. 26. Rxc7 click for larger view Now, to add to his problems, Mieses faced back-rank mate problems. From here, the balance of the game was a massacre.

Sep-09-23		KEG: Post IV 26... Qf8 27. Rc8 Rd8 28. RxR QxR 29. Qe4 click for larger view 29... d2 29...Rxb2 30. Bxd3 would also not have been a success for Black. But now the White Bishop finally enters the fray while the Black pawn on d2 is no more of a protecting feature for White than any kind of a threat. 30. Bd3 Hello light-square Bishop. How nice of you to show up at long last! click for larger view With mate on the move threatened, Mieses was now reduced to scrambling. 30... Qg8 31. h5 Tightening the mating net. He could also have played 31. g4. 31... h6 32. Rh4 click for larger view Mieses might have spared himself the finale. 32... Rf6 32...Rf8 might have allowed Mieses to extent the game a few moves longer, but this could no longer have been much fun for him. 33. Rf4 Rb6 This shortened proceedings, but everything else was hopeless too. 34. Rf8 click for larger view Ouch! The White Rook obviously cannot be captured because of the mate on h7, so... 1-0 With this win, Pillsbury pulled to within a half-point of first-place Maroczy and a half-point ahead of third-place Marshall with five rounds to go. Marshall would fade, but the finish for Maroczy and Pillsbury would be thrilling as the American would just fall short of his biggest triumph since Hastings 1895.

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