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Chapter 19: Pillsbury's Mate
Harry Nelson Pillsbury (This image is in the public domain due to its age. The work was created and first published before January 1, 1923.)

Chapter 19: Pillsbury's Mate

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I am reading How to Beat Your Dad at Chess by Murray Chandler. I am blogging to create supporting puzzles in studying the content.

Harry Nelson Pillsbury used this concept in his 16-move win over Francis Lee in London 1899. Pillsbury's Mate and Morphy's Mate have similarities. The key factors are:

  1. Black's king castled kingside
  2. Opening of the g-file for the white rook either by:
    1. capture of the black g7 -pawn,
    2. a sacrifice on g7, or
    3. a sacrifice on the f6-square.

79) A wq sacrifice opens the g-file and after wr checks, checkmate is inevitable.

80) Pulling the trigger on this scheme when the diagonal cannot be controlled will backfire. Here black can block and will remain ahead on material if White goes for wr xf7+.
81) The expected discovered check will not work here, but a wr sacrifice to g8 allows White's other rook to checkmate.
82) Here is the 1899 Pillsbury-Lee endgame.

Chapter 20: A bishop targeting g8 | Chapter 18: Morphy's Mate