Pillsbury Before He Was Famous

     Pillsbury was born in Somerville, Massachusetts on December 5, 1872 and moved to New York City in 1894. By 1890, having only played chess for two years, he beat noted expert H. N. Stone. Then in April 1892, he won a match by a score of 2-1 against World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz at Pawn odds. And, by 1895 he was among the world's best players as evidenced by his victory at Hastings in 1895. 
     He played in and won the 1st Tournament held at the Manhattan Cafe from December 9-23, 1893 in New York City. An article in the New York Recorder took note of his victory and noted that he had been playing chess since he was sixteen years old and seemed to have an inborn talent for the game. The article concluded that Pillsbury's career promised to be remarkable if, like Morphy and Steinitz, he allowed “his genius to be absorbed in chess.” 
     There was a 2nd City Chess Club Tournament held from October 20th through November 15th, 1894, but in this event he only managed an even score. This tournament was also significant since it was the first tournament since 1883 that had former World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz as a participant. In the second tournament Steinitz finished first a full two points ahead of Albin even though Albin defeated Steinitz in their individual game. Pillsbury had losses to Steinitz, Showalter, Rocamora and Halpern and was held to a draw by Hymes and Hanham. 

First City Chess Club Tournament 
1) Pillsbury 7.0-2.0 
2) Hodges 6.0-3.0 
3) Showalter 5.5-3.5 
4) Albin 5.0-4.0 
5-6) J. Baird and Halpern 4.5-4.5 
7) D. Baird 4.0-5.0 
8-9) Ettlinger and Hanham 3.0-6.0 
10) Delmar 2.5-6.5 

Ettinger forfeited his last two games against Delmar and Showalter because, as he put it, “I have to defend La Grippa at home.” 

     In the following game Pillsbury played the Stonewall Attack and it's a good example of how play often goes.  Delmar successfully defended against white's K-side attack and was close to winning, but it took a gross blunder to lose.