What it looks like
The king stands on g8 after castling kingside, but the g-pawn is gone. The rook gives check along the open g-file. The king wants to go to h8, but the bishop on f6 covers that square along the long diagonal. The rook on f8 and the pawns on f7 and h7 take care of the rest.
Compare it with Morphy's mate. The pieces stand almost the same way, but there the bishop gives check, and here the rook.
The discovered check
A beautiful way to reach the picture is to put the bishop on g7, in front of the rook, and then move it with a discovered check. The bishop captures something on the way, and the rook gives check along the g-file. Try it yourself:
Harry Nelson Pillsbury
The pattern is named after the American Harry Nelson Pillsbury, who lived from 1872 to 1906. At 22 he won the great tournament at Hastings in 1895, ahead of the reigning world champion Emanuel Lasker.
Which game gave the pattern its name, we don't know.
See it coming, and defend
- An open g-file in front of the king. Without the g-pawn, a king on g8 is open to a rook. Be careful about capturing with the g-pawn.
- A bishop on the long diagonal. It covers h8, and sometimes g7, from far away.
- A piece in front of the rook. A bishop or knight standing between the rook and your king can move with a discovered check. See what it can capture when it does.
- Give the king the h-square. With the pawn on h6 instead of h7, the king can sometimes go to h7.
Puzzles
Frequently asked questions
What is Pillsbury's mate?
A checkmate where a rook checks the king along the g-file and a bishop covers the corner square h8 along the long diagonal. The king's own pieces take the rest of the squares.
Who was Pillsbury?
Harry Nelson Pillsbury, an American chess player who lived from 1872 to 1906. He won the Hastings tournament of 1895, ahead of the world champion Emanuel Lasker.
Updated November 14, 2026