Larry Christiansen
Notable Games

Larry Christiansen

13 celebrated games · 801 in the full archive
Player Index ◈ Biography 801 CURATED GAMES

Notable Games

  • 1977.03.20 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsMeyer, E 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Modern Variation 26 moves Lone Pine op Louis D. Statham Masters A 26-move Sicilian Kan miniature at Lone Pine 1977, finished with the queen sacrifice 25.Qxh5! against a helpless king; Christiansen took the tournament brilliancy prize for it.
  • 1977.10.03 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsReshevsky, Samuel Herman 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack 28 moves USA-ch A 28-move Najdorf attacking win over veteran Samuel Reshevsky at the 1977 U.S. Championship in the year Christiansen earned the grandmaster title.
  • 1977.03.26 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsBisguier, Arthur Bernard 1-0 Semi-Slav Defense: Romih Variation 64 moves Lone Pine op Louis D. Statham Masters A hard-fought win over Arthur Bisguier at Lone Pine 1977, which Christiansen chose to open the attacking anthology in his book Storming the Barricades.
  • 1978 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsSeirawan, Yasser 1-0 Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line 42 moves USA "Merry Christiansen": a Pirc Defense king-hunt against Yasser Seirawan in 1978, sealed by the rook sacrifice 29.Rxh6! and a march up the h-file, later chosen as a chessgames.com Game of the Day.
  • 1980.03.22 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsMichaelides, Evan 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Closed 32 moves Lone Pine op Louis D. Statham Masters A Closed Sicilian attacking win over Evan Michaelides at Lone Pine 1980, featured among the model attacks in Christiansen's book Storming the Barricades.
  • 1981.01.17 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsSpassky, Boris Vasilievich 1-0 Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation 31 moves Linares-03 A Queen's Gambit Declined win over former World Champion Boris Spassky in round one at Linares 1981, the strong event Christiansen shared first with Anatoly Karpov.
  • 1981.01.22 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsPortisch, Lajos 1-0 English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Keres Defense 31 moves Linares-03 An English Opening win over Lajos Portisch at Linares 1981, driving the black king up the board to 30...Kxh5 31.Qf7+; one of Christiansen's showcase attacking games.
  • 1985 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsDe Firmian, Nick E 1-0 Indian Defense: Anti-Nimzo-Indian 77 moves USA-ch A grinding 77-move win over rival Nick de Firmian at the 1985 U.S. Championship, converted all the way to checkmate.
  • 1989 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsNunn, John DM 1-0 Ruy Lopez: Closed, Delayed Exchange 20 moves German Cup A 20-move Ruy Lopez miniature that crushes attacking grandmaster John Nunn, ending abruptly with 20.Nxf7+ at the 1989 German Cup in Cologne.
  • 1993 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsPolugaevsky, Lev 1-0 Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation 24 moves Antwerp A sharp 24-move Queen's Indian win over the great Lev Polugaevsky at Antwerp 1993, decided by a knight fork on e7.
  • 1993.01 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsKarpov, Anatoly 1-0 Queen's Indian Defense: Petrosian Variation, Farago Defense 12 moves Hoogovens The famous 12-move upset of former World Champion Anatoly Karpov at Wijk aan Zee 1993: after 11...Bd6?? 12.Qd1! attacks the undefended bishop on d6 and knight on h5, winning a piece; Karpov resigned.
  • 2006.03.05 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsWojtkiewicz, Aleksander 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack, Flank Variation 23 moves USA-ch GpB "Larry Fine": a 23-move Sicilian Sozin brilliancy over Aleksander Wojtkiewicz at the 2006 U.S. Championship, launched by the sacrifice 13.Bxe6; a chessgames.com Game of the Day.
  • 2008.12.06 Christiansen, Larry Mark vsZivanic, Marko 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation, English Attack 34 moves USA tt final A Taimanov Sicilian attacking win over Marko Zivanic at the 2008 U.S. team final, one of Christiansen's listed notable games.
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