Hi there.
In this lecture, we see Harry Nelson Pillsbury playing against the manual NASCAR.
So NASCAR, in my view, is slightly underestimated.
As an attacking player.
He could play beautiful attacking games.
And this is in a very high profile.
Tillman's the Saint Petersburg 1896 tournament.
So when Harry Nelson Pillsbury, he won the year before in the Hastings tournament, that great tournament
ahead of world class players, chagrin and the closing banquets of Hastings 1895, announced that the
top prizewinners had been invited to this St Petersburg 1896 tournament for a match tournament.
So they played several games against each other and the top finishers finishes of Hastings 1895 Pillsbury
Sugar in Lasker, plus fifth place finisher Steinitz agreed to play.
Fourth place finisher Tomasz declined.
So this tournament is a four player.
Tournament's all playable and it makes it a very, very strong tournament.
One of the strongest ever.
Basically this closed all play all and this was one of the epic encounters so Pillsbury, winner of
Hastings 1885, playing against Emanuel Laska, former world chess champion So Lasker place D5 C4.
We have e693969 f4 C5.
We have Bishop G5 here.
So here C takes the form which gets this tempo gain a 96 and it looks as I hold on.
What is Lasker doing here?
This Queen's kind of aggressively parked.
Isn't this going to be dangerous for H seven later or something?
It's not so clear actually.
An alternative instead of Queen H four was actually.
Bishop takes f6, but Black could play g tanks here and this position d take for it has been played
before in a high level game against Nitish in 2011.
That is actually a very interesting opening sequence.
I don't want to get too much into that game, but anyway, carried on and black one later.
So that's an alternative here, which isn't necessarily that great.
Bishop thanks so much for we have Bishop E seven white consoles Queenside, Quinn A5 and now e free.
If we look at the moment for c d5, what happens here?
Well, night 65 is possible.
If Knight 65 e takes the E5, Bishop takes seven 967 Black Scott and I say Queen's Pawn.
But look at the safety of White's King.
If Black had Bishop at five, it would be basically game over.
But it's White's move.
So King B1 is possible to tuck the king away in bear on A1 and actually ends up this is about even actually.
So yeah, fascinating stuff.
So C text E5 if it takes white could play bishop takes f6 of the bishop takes f6 queen G4 and this position
Bishop takes C3 is very very good for black so that would be a total disaster.
Bishop takes F6 and in fact E4 though is a slightly different story.
D4 maintains D4.
Black Castling might be free.
This is actually going to be a small edge for white.
The queens are looking at each other.
It's a small edge for white after all of that.
So anyway, fun stuff.
But anyway, E3 was played Bishop D7 so this prepares rook skates.
If H6 it's not really threatening anything you can see that that pin against the rook so C text is possible
here this position bishop takes bishop takes there is rook takes D5 counterattacking against the Queen,
but otherwise this is better If you know Bishop take C4 as a France.
What does White do here?
White's losing material If queen A4, that's a disaster.
The bishop takes E3 and we're protecting the Queen.
So that's like winning material.
So this is just desperate.
If wants to play Rook takes D5, Black's going to be much better here.
So yes, it's a tricky position.
So anyway,
so interesting variations but let's go to the game.
Bishop D seven, King b1 H six.
So it kind of forces the Queen to remain on H for here this move.
So any time the queen moves, it cites g free forces, the Queen's remaining file.
So Queen's Review, we're just going to say so we have C takes five.
Aged 65 and 94, and now we have this opposite side casting.
There are black councils.
Now here Bishop takes F6 is played.
You might be tempted in your game to a bishop takes 86, but there's a classic recipe I use quite often,
which if this position quite often the classic recipe.
But you need to be cynical about your classic recipes in particular positions.
But usually 97 is often good.
Not here, not here.
If 87 here.
Okay.
It does stop things like Queen G five but Bishop defray and five knight takes F five in this possession.
This is not good news this position for black, but actually we can do better against this piece with
94.
And the thing is, if each fall might be full and all of a sudden, look, we're threatening an attack
of our own.
Sometimes the best form of defence is attack.
So blacks on the offensive here.
So G4 might take three and our attack is significant.
G5 is covered by the bishop, so that's the way of playing it.
Beware of classic recipes.
But anyway.
Bishop takes F six is played not this unsound.
Bishop takes only six.
Bishop takes f6 Now Black does have an attacking ingredients don't square.
Bishop Without a counterpart, this can be a very important attacking ingredients.
An extreme imbalance, an extreme difference in position which you want to celebrate those extreme differences,
especially those extreme advantages you have.
So yes Knight takes the four is played here.
Immediate thing.
So this fix is a pawn on D4 and now Bishop e6 F4.
And now.
Yeah, it looks as though.
Hold on Will F5 looks dangerous for undermining D5 and maybe the Queen retreats to look at D5, but
it is a little bit slow.
That's the place.
A really amazing concept now against this F5.
So speed is of the essence sometimes for attacks when you have opposite side castling.
Before we go into F4, there was also Bishop C for using that pin, by the way.
So here the bishop could have dropped back to be free.
And this situation, Black still is doing very well.
Black still has an attack, in fact, this slow blacks in the driving seat.
But anyway, so F4 we have rook ACA in response and now F five is played.
If Bishop de free.
Route 63 is very quick to open up the white king and queen bee for Czech and Bishop 64, is looking
very bad for once.
King safety.
So f five is played.
But now the point is Rook take see free hair.
If the bishop had humbly retreated.
This is not so good.
But it's still.
It's still better for Black, though.
So this position be five and you can see that black can stabilize D5 and still have attacking potential
like this for example where Bishop B5 this this diagonal is interesting for black bishop.
C4 Yeah don't don't move or take it open up lines.
Just go with your own attack.
It's the best form of defense sometimes.
And here anyway, the force dropping fg6.
Okay, we can take that.
And this position ends up being a blank.
If we look at this again, if B takes C four, then we play B three ripping open very quickly lines
against the king.
So Queen takes Brooke behind.
We're winning here.
So, okay, Ruby, take C free, though, is even better.
The Bishop D seven, we have F twice, E six.
If B takes C three, what's the magic here?
Yeah, well, we just let the bishop go because we want to sacrifice material for time to get our attack
going around the king to get a mating net.
So after we've got time on our side here.
And anyway, once Brooke is asleep at the moment, so here Queen E to Bishop takes D4 presence immediately.
A1 champ, mate, even though we broke down, this is a wonderful possession.
And G.
Geoffrey Queen A1 is checkmate.
Yeah.
So.
Basically B take C phrase out of the question.
So it plays F takes E six.
But now a stunning move indeed.
Truly stunning.
Buy Alaska for 100 points.
Can you guess what Alaska plays here?
It's actually rock free using this battery to.
E takes F seven check is a mistake or an inaccuracy.
If B takes accepting, it is the best move technically.
But Queen Bees six Jack Bishop five is forced.
If King I won, the point would be Bishop takes the fall check, and here Queen takes the four shank.
King B one.
Even though black is a bishop down of the F tanks, he sings.
There are big frets like this with a common square and be too big.
France.
What does White do?
Queen.
He too will have to this position.
Does work.
Have sex.
We can go around this way.
There's two ways we can use a phone or a rank to get to the king.
And here, for example, we go into a winning end game.
Yeah, it's just.
It's just super dangerous, this whole possession if King won.
So let's imagine Bishop be five to get rid of coordination for a moment against the for King.
I won, King, I won.
F takes this position is going to be about even yeah so that's that's why that's why that was an accurate
way of playing it.
This possession just about black has a small edge, though.
If anyone has a small edge, it's black.
There's ample compensation for the exchange because the bishop is without a counterpart.
It's pointing potentially menacingly to help attacks.
So if anyone has a small edge, it's black there.
But anyway in the game.
He takes off seven was played instead of taking the rook.
We have rook tanks f seven and now taking on a three.
We have Queen B six, Jack Hare and Bishop B five played.
Now if King C to.
Roxy seven.
Jack Quinn 64.
Jack Quinn C Free.
Jack Bishop D four.
Check.
There's too much attack here Potential The King's just to expose blacks can be winning material.
If King ain't one.
Bishop Tasteful four check and we've got a very bad situation.
Queen 44 Once king safety.
The black pieces are just too coordinated.
And this will end badly for whites.
So Bishop five is forced here, as well as the other variation we saw.
Queen 65 chant King I one And now this is an inaccuracy.
Rook C7.
Two moves just to put pressure on D4 for a much better here.
Queen C-4 is really quite crushing.
Bishop of our counterpart.
What won't do here?
The thing is, if Queen G4, we have an absolutely superb resource in this position, actually two amazing
resources which are just absolutely winning, but the most winning is actually Bishop E5.
So there's a pin there, but there's also now rook Heft two and sometimes you only have four is useful.
But the primary fact is we'll have to if Queen H four to defend F2, then we use Rook for supported
by the bishop this position.
Then we just crash through even though we're rook down.
The white king has had it after rook f2 here because then we switch funnily enough to this b4 with a
vengeance.
Wonderful stuff.
Yeah, it does seem Queen SIF was absolutely crushing based on this resource Bishop e5 especially.
But for the record as also rookie seven this this is also really strong so this position with rookie
to beat so we can pick up the queen and this end game is better for black.
Funny stuff but so Queen C C4 was really quite crushing move but anyway Rook C seven and then we're
very strong Move Rook D two very good.
Still equal here after rook d2 now we have rook C4 and now y is in the position to get this position
it seems, which was good, but it's not.
This is also an inaccuracy.
It's such a difficult position to play from both sides.
These guys are getting it wrong, but it's just so complex.
So in fact, rookie one was needed.
That's the best way to be equal.
Example Queen eight five, Rookie eight.
Shaq seven.
Queen five, Shaq g61.
Can force things with Rookie seven Check here.
Bishop, thanks.
Queen of seven, King and queen.
Eight.
Check.
And here ends with a pencil for a draw.
So that would have been a way to secure equality.
It is pretty menacing there all week in light squares around Alaska's king.
I mean, yeah, these do count for something but with look HD one
would see three.
Yeah.
This is also not the best.
It's a complex position.
Queen C six, it turns out, is winning for blank this battery.
Is interesting.
KING Be one.
Say Bishop G5.
And what does White do after Bishop G5?
Rookie one We have King H seven.
And because if Bishop takes D2, you might be wondering.
Rookie check.
Queen F five.
Check.
Rookie check.
Wins the Queen.
So let's say King 87 to avoid that stuff.
Queen E two.
Bishop 62.
Queen 62.
There's Queen G6.
Check here.
Queen Bee six, Jack Queen 64.
The ending ending here is better for black.
Okay, so.
Yeah.
So Queen C six was actually technically winning for black, it seems.
Interesting resources creeping in like Bishop G.
Farms for the bishops doesn't have to be remain committed to this diagonal.
Sometimes it can switch into this diagonal we see from that variation.
So anyway, Rook C free though is a mistake, it seems.
Queen F five.
Queen C four.
But now an inaccuracy from White King B2 that's disconnecting.
There's a way now basically White could have played.
King B one.
Not to be to be supporting basically the sea to square quite well.
And for example.
If Rook takes a free, there's rook C one.
Queen.
Be functioning as Route B2 and all of a sudden, hang on, this is just the exchange up for one.
So yes.
King.
King B one.
Intriguingly, yeah.
Would have been a fantastic move.
This is such a complex game.
It's amazing how dramatic this game is with the inaccuracies from both sides.
But yeah, it's just a function of the complexity of the positions and how dramatic it is this scenario.
But King B2 now allows something special.
Can you see what that is?
So NASCAR showing his attacking prowess here very nicely.
What would you play here for?
100 points.
Yet the move is Rooke takes a free.
Okay.
Trying to get a kind of king chase down the board, trying to bring the king down the board.
Queen, he's six.
Check his plate
if.
King, A one bishop takes the fall check, and if road takes, we might on a But otherwise, what does
white do?
KING Be one as queen before.
Check and then see free check.
So this this position.
We've got other resources coming here.
So, yeah, this is.
Kind of bad news, but this is very, very bad news.
But let's say Queen Setu, we can even just play Bishop E3 here.
We don't have to take the Queen immediately, so.
Okay, so Queen is six.
Check King 87.
And now King takes a free if queen have five, check King G eight, Queenie six at King H eight Queen,
the Ancient King H seven.
Where are the checks?
King B one Bishop takes the form.
Black's attack is strong here.
This position is amazing.
If instead of Queen F five, check if King B one, Bishop 64.
And we can see actually this is also a strong attacking position.
So here, for example, Roxy Frey winning the Queen and black is going to be better here in this resulting
scenario with advantage.
So King takes a free though.
We go into a scenario now of bringing the king down the board, it's only queen and bishop, but sometimes
that's all that's needed.
We have the king coming to our resources.
These pawns could be handy to checkmate the king.
And in fact, King, I think, for they're very handy here.
So what would you play in this position?
Seven points.
Yeah.
B five Check.
So taking Quincy for check.
And the game ended here.
F King a five.
Bishop D eight check.
Very painful stuff.
Bishop takes six.
It's checkmate.
Yeah.
So this game is super complex.
It's not Alaska's most accurate game.
Lazear has played tons of accurate games.
Check out my mask.
Of course, even in blindfold, simultaneous Alaska has played with huge accuracy, sometimes astounding
accuracy.
So this game was this very dramatic.
Laska does consider it one of his best games ever.
And it's beautiful that, yeah, we treasure these games with humanity.
We celebrate our humanity of mistakes and inaccuracies.
We're not computers, but we play chess for fun, not necessarily to play a super accurate, accurate
game.
And this game is a lot of fun.
So, yeah, it's very, very interesting game here.
It turns out also there are other options for playing this position.
1964 could have been delayed to say bishop.
So this these scenarios are also they tend to favour Black, this opposite side casting scenario.
Black's getting a kind of quick attack as well.
Could have been actually a little bit more accurate than the game, actually, these scenarios.
You know, it's amazing how one move makes a lot of difference sometimes.
Blacks like clearly winning here so you know one one different move like Bishop E6.
Might actually be better than the 1964 immediately.
So here, you know, blacks not like committed to Bishop Ito.
So some problems set here with fall but yeah expertly handled of Roxy ain't and rook take see three
but it's kind of yeah chaotic and mathematicians like accuracy but this game was just too complex for
both sides really the resulting positions here but what marks it from a humans place if these these
rook sacrifices affray twice in the same game.
A rook sacrifice on a frame makes the game very, very special indeed from laska.
So that first rook sacrifice and then this this Bishop b5 absolutely necessary to stay in the game to
be able to secure D4 and the second rank and yeah just one slip up here King B2 instead of King B one.
And then we have this second rook sacrifice on a frame and then the king brought down the boards.
Yeah, it's a treasure, warts and all.
Mistakes and all.
We just embrace those mistakes sometimes in these beautiful attacking games, these iconic games.
But, you know, putting this in context, this was one of the strongest humans, all players of the
time.
So and this was one of the very special games within that all play all of the four key players that
that played in this some pieces about eight, nine, six.
So Laska is a brilliant attacking player and there's lots more for me to personally explore for Emanuel.
Lasker.
So there might be future courses for other years within his career.
Fantastic player who could play all sorts of positions.
So he's not normally known as an outright attacking player, but this game is is brilliant and it shows
some of the issues that you've got to be fast with your attack in opposite side castling scenarios,
it shows that the surface area of attack is often bigger on the queenside in general.
In general, it's sometimes risky, but sacrifices can expose weaknesses, open things up hopefully
quicker than your opponent can open you up.
It's that race to open each other's king's up, which has been demonstrated here.
The Double Rook sacrifice instrumental in letting Laska win that race of opening the King's up.
Okay.
Hence very much.