Pillsbury's daring sacrifice of a pawn led to fascinating complications. This was a true positional sacrifice, and Pillsbury never recovered the pawn he lost on move 12. The question throughout the game was whether the Queen-side pressure and harassing of Burn's Queen were sufficient compensation. As Burn slowly improved his chances and reached a position by move 30 in which he seemed to have excellent winning prospects, the score ends (the balance allegedly being illegible) and the game was reportedly drawn shortly after move 30.

By drawing this 11th round game, Pillsbury fell a half-point behind Schlechter and into a tie with Maroczy with four rounds to go (counting Schlechter's 11th round game against Halprin--for which the score also seems to break off--as a win for him).

For Burn the draw left him a full point behind Marco in their battle for fourth place with four rounds to go (and only a half-point ahead of the charging Berger, who had won three in a row).

1. d4 d5
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 c6

As <offramp> has aptly noted, Pillsbury's handling of the Black side of this Semi-Slav opening shows he was "way ahead of his time." What a pity Pillsbury died young and never played a match against Lasker.

4. Nf3 dxc4

4...Nf6 is solid, but Pillsbury obviously knew what he was doing.

5. a5

"!"--(Tournament Book), (Sergeant-Watts--in their book on the games of Pillsbury).

"If 5. e3 b5" (Sergeant-Watts)

5... Bb4

5...Nf6 is also good (as is 5...c5), but Pillsbury, as usual, opted for the most complicated and aggressive variation.

6. Bd2

6. e3 is most usual here (and is the only move considered in MCO-13). The text, however, can also yield White some advantage and has been played by the likes of Gligoric, Euwe, and Lobron.

6... c5

Again selecting the most aggressive line. 6...Nf6 is solid and good here.

7. e3

7. cxd5 was probably best, but the text is also fine.

7... cxd4

7...Nf6 was also good. The text put the question to Burn: accept an isolated d-pawn or keep his d2 Bishop locked in by his pawn on e3 for a bit. Burn chose the latter option.

8. Nxd4 e5

Still going for the gold. 8...Nf6 was probably soundest, but Pillsbury probably already had his pawn sacrifice in mind, the position now being:

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9. Nf3

9. Nc2 looks better, but Burn may have decided to accept the coming pawn sacrifice by Pillsbury.

9... Nc6
10. Bxc4 Nf6

The position was now:

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11. Qb3

"!"--(Tournament Book)(Sergeant Watts)

This leads to the pawn sacrifice Pillsbury was obviously planning and a tough tactical struggle. Simpler and at least arguably better (especially against a tactical genius such as Pillsbury) were 11. Qc2, 11. Nb5 or 11. h3, all of which lead to approximate equality.

11... 0-0!

11...Qe7 would save the pawn, but was hardly in Pillsbury's style. The sacrifice offered with the text was far-sighted but probably sound, as the continuation suggests.

12. Nxe5

"White now gains a pawn but his Queen is in consequence considerably harassed." (Sergeant-Watts).

12. 0-0 or 12. Rd1 were perhaps safer, but by this point Burn had undoubtedly decided to take the offered pawn and deal with the coming attack.

12... NxN
13. QxB

The position was now:

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13... a5

Pillsbury's compensation for his sacrificed pawn was in large part his ability to harass the White Queen. The text is consistent with this strategy. 13...Nfg4 and 13...Bg4 were also reasonable options.

14. Qb5

14. Qc5 was another option.

14... Qc7

14...Re8 or 14...Qd6 were more accurate. The text eyes h2 and is a first step in the King-side attack Pillsbury was planning.

15. Be2

15. Nd5 QxB 16. Ne7+ Kh8 17. QxN leads to approximately even chances and would have been about as good as the text.

15... Bd7

This attack on the White Queen was doubtless attractive, but 15...Rd8 was probably best.

16. Qb3 Be6

16...Rfd8 was another option.

17. Qc2 Rfd8
18. 0-0

The position was now:

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How could Pillsbury justify the sacrificed pawn?

18... Nfg4

Threatening 19...Nf3+ followed by 20...Qxh2 mate (Tournament Book and Sergeant-Watts).

If not 19. Kh1 RxB! (and if then 20. QxR Nf3!! and White must allow the capture of his Queen to stave off mate).

19. f4

"!"--(Tournament Book).

19. g3 was the only other way to avoid immediate loss.

19... Nc4

This left:

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20. BxN(c4)

20. Nb1 (creating a pin on Black's c4 Knight) was probably best.

20... BxB

The position was now:

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21. Rf3

Awkward. 21. Nb1 (again exploiting the pin) or 21, Rfe1 (a better spot for the Rook) were both superior to the text.

21... Qb6

Eyeing b3 as an attacking point for his Bishop. But 21...Bd3 was much better.

22. h3

Inferior to 22. Nb5 or 22. b3.

22... Bb3

d3 was still a better spot for this Bishop, and thus 22...Bd3 was best.

23. Qc1 Nf6
24. Qe1

The position was now:

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24... Rd6

Doubling Rooks on the d-file was a doubtful plan. 24...Bc4 or 24...Bc2 would have maintained the balance and left Pillsbury with compensation for the sacrificed pawn.

25. Qf2

25. Rf2 and 25. Kh2 were better ways to deal with the pin.

25... Rad8

Continuing with his misguided plan. 25...Bd5 or 25...Re8 were better.

26. Be1!

The only move, but a good one. If 26. Bc1 Bd5 27. e4 [27. NxB RxN would be even worse] QxQ+ 28. e4 Bxe4 leaves Black with material equality and a dangerous attack.

26... Qc6

26...Bd5 would keep him in the game. 26...Bd1 was also a possibility. After the text, Pillsbury should have been in big trouble.

The position was now:

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27. Ra3

"?"--(Tournament Book").

"White had handled a difficult defense well and maintained his extra pawn; but 27. e4 was much better than the text move. (Sergeant-Watts).

With 27. e4!, White--still up a pawn--would rule the center. Perhaps Burn overlooked that after 27. e4 Nxe4? [27...Rd3 would be best] 28. NxN QxN the Black Bishop on b3 would be hanging.

27... Bd1

After Burn's weak 27th move, Pillsbury would have had more than ample compensation for his sacrificed pawn with 27...Bd5. Now White is fine.

28. Rg3

The position was now:

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28... h6

"!"--(Tournament Book)(Sergeant Watts)

I evaluate the position differently. Pillsbury should have played 28...b6 or perhaps 28...g6. After the text, Burn--in my minority view--had close to a won game.

29. e4!

"White now decides to give up his extra pawn and play for a draw." (Sergeant-Watts).

I don't understand this analysis at all. While Pillsbury now did (temporarily) win back his sacrificed pawn, his pressure on the White position was gone and the winning chances all lay with Burn.

29... Nxe4
30. NxN QxN

This left:

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"The Tournament Book says that the remaining record of the game was illegible." (Sergeant-Watts).

While we do not have the remaining score, we do know the result: a draw.

This seems daft to me. Doesn't 31. Bxa5 give White something close to a win? If then 31...Ra8? (31...R8d7 is probably best) Black gets crushed after 32. Rae3 Qc2 (I see nothing much better) 33. Bc3 QxQ+ 34. KxQ g6 (Rxg7+ was threatened). White would be up a pawn after 33. a5 with serious attacking chances on the King-side. The Bishops of opposite colors might give Burn drawing chances, but why not play on. A Fischer or a Carlsen would have tortured Pillsbury for the next 20 or 30 moves and make him struggle to survive.

Burn was a wimp here.

<The tournament book gave 24...Rd6 instead, but text move is far more plausible.>

<With the rook on d6 White would actually keep a safe extra pawn after 31.Bxa5, but with the rook on d3 the game peters out into stale equality: 31.Bxa5 Rxa3 32.Rxa3 Rd3 (or almost any other rook move).>

<We suppose that that 31.Bxa5 was played now, but we ask our dear readers to accept this hypothesis with reservations. From here on Mr. Burn's manuscript becomes incomprehensible and it could only be established that after a few moves the games was abandoned as a draw.>