Notes by I. Gunsberg.

1. 4…c5 B to K 2 is a preferable move. The text move may almost be described as an oversight.
2. 6…gxf6 Black thus early handicaps himself with the most deplorable weakness, almost unpardonable in such an all-important game. We do not wish, however, to be misunderstood as inferring that this is the necessary consequence of White's move of 4. B to Kt 5, of which we have not a favourable opinion.
3. 8.Nge2 There are many delicate considerations which have prompted this move. Firstly, White wished to attack the Queen's Pawn by placing his Bishop on K Kt 2. Secondly, he wants to forestall the possibility of Black disorganising White's centre at any future time by the advance of P to K B 5. Thirdly, he wishes to some extent to support the Queen's side, rendered weak by the absence of the Queen's Bishop.
4. 10…Bb4 Why not have followed White's example and played B to Kt 2? This would admit of Castling King's Rook, and of P to B 4, &c., at some future time.
5. 13…Qa6 The play of the Queen on the Queen's side has been singularly unfortunate. This only further confirms our impression that Black should not have Castled on the Queen's side.
6. 16.Nac3 White fences splendidly, and the text move is certainly preferable to P to B 3.
7. 22…Rc8 If Black had played P to Kt 3, it was very difficult to see how he could ever hope to get his Queen into play.
8. 23.b6 A fearless move which is admirably followed up.
9. 25.Bf1 Part of a very interesting plan for manoeuvring his Knights. He wants to prevent R to B 5.
10. 28…Rg8 We must stop here a moment to examine what would be the line of play if Black had taken the Knight. We, however, must content ourselves with merely roughly indicating the likely course of events, which might be somewhat as follows: B x Kt; 29. P x B, Q x P (Kt 3); 30. P to Kt 5; now it is difficult to see any other move for Black than P x P, upon which follows (see diagram)—31. Kt to R 4, Q to Kt 3; 32. Kt to B 5, B to B 3; 33. Q to R 3, R to Kt sq; 34. R to Q 3, K to B 2; 35. Kt x P, K to Q 2; 36. R to K sq, Q to B 3; 37. R (Q 3) to K 3, K R to K sq; 38. Kt to B 5, ch, K to B 2; 39. Q to R 5, ch, K to Q 3; 40. Q to Kt 4, K to B 2; 41. B x P, and White should win.
11. 29…h5 This move was ill-advised and helps to lose the game. The Pawn should have been let alone.
12. 32.Be2 White apparently did not, as we thought, place his trust on P to Kt 5, or perhaps it was owing to the fact that White has exposed his King too much to make that manoeuvre feasible.
13. 33…Qe6 If Black had played Kt x Kt; 34. Q x Kt, Q to Q 3 would have given him considerable defensive chances, even in spite of his luckless Pawn so ill-advisedly advanced to K R 4. Moral: an isolated Rook's Pawn is safest on R 2, and should not be moved except for a very special reason. Curiously enough, in the second game between Pillsbury and Lasker at St. Petersburg, Lasker likewise moved an isolated Queen's Rook's Pawn against Pillsbury, and thereby contributed to the loss of the game.
14. 35…Bxd5 There is nothing else to do. And from this point it is all smooth sailing for White, though the tactics by which he scores a win are rather interesting.