Clearance - Saint Petersburg 1895/96

With the conclusion of the great Hastings Tournament in September of 1895, it became apparent that a new chess star of the first magnitude had appeared: Harry Nelson Pillsbury. His debut was dramatic and striking, for this virtual unknown had eclipsed the best players of that time with a combination of élan and grace.

However, the revelation of a new world-class player brought with it the natural questions of both skeptics and admirers, some demanding verification and others eager to see their hero demonstrate his mastery with further verve. The five highest players at Hastings were invited for the St. Petersburg tournament: Pillsbury, Chigorin, Lasker, Tarrasch and Steinitz. Tarrasch declined, the others accepted. Each of these players had plenty of reason to fight hard for first place in Saint Petersburg 1895/96. It is one of the strongest chess tournaments ever held.

This revised edition is based on the 1989 version by John Owen. Owen's historical perspectives along with the notes of Mason and Pollock in their 1896 book have been used, but with greatly revised notes by Robert Sherwood aided by engine analysis. Sherwood has also put in some interesting (and often colorful) comments from the British and German periodicals of that time, whose perspectives offer us a historical experience of the games.

**The title of the book is on the spine ONLY**