Chess Improvement

This is the gem that started it all, the Jim Burden-Baltier April Fool’s award for losing your Queen and winning anyway. First let’s see how drunken Larry lost his lady.

[Event "Las Vegas op"]
[Site "Las Vegas"]
[Date "1992.??.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Burden,James"]
[Black "Christiansen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "B07"]

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 c6 5.Bc4 Nf6 6.f3 0-0
7.Qd2 d5 8.Bb3 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.fxe4 e5 11.d5 Qh4+
12.Qf2 Qxe4 13.0-0-0 a5 14.a3 a4 15.Ba2 Bg4 16.Ne2 Nd7???

Drunk out of his mind at the complete lack of talent in Colorado,
Larry is shuffling back and forth between the casino bar and the chessboard, the way married men “alternate endlessly between a workshop and a witch’s kitchen” – Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer

Larry staggered to the table and sloshed out a developing move.

17.Ng3!!!

Oops, through the doubled haze Larry sees his Queen is trapped, easy enough to get out of last move ( 16 … Qf5! or … Be2 ). Now Larry is drunk and mad and he’s a big guy too, an ex High School swimmer. Watch out.

17 … Qxe3+

Larry also gets a rook for the Queen after

17 … Q:d5 18 B:d5 B:d1

My strict criteria for the Baltier-Jim Burden award was anyone who lost a Queen for nothing in a slow rated game. After seeing that Larry got a rook for it, I thought maybe I was being too harsh on the contestants but after seeing what happened later, I realize I was being far too lenient.

18.Qxe3! Bxd1! 19.Rxd1! c5

Trying to keep lines closed.

” Don’t give weaker players draws in lost positions, Brian.
They get very scared and nervous. ” – Joel Johnson

” I am a bitter ender. ” GM Larry Christiansen

20.Ne4! b6!

Trying to build a fortress to hold Jim at bay.
The position is a little reminiscent of a line I want to do an email about -
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 b5 4 cb a6
5 Nc3 ab 6 e4 b4 7 Nb5 d6 8 Bc4
( Fang-Boudrot Gambit, Nescafe Frappe Attack )
8 … g6 9 e5 de 10 d6 ed 11 Bg5 Bb7!?
12 Bd5! N:d5!? 13 B:d8 K:d8 14 Nf3 h6

I used to test myself against a very early version of Fritz. Black has two bishops, two pawns and a contiguous pawn chain (Full Metal Jacket) versus a Queen. I think White is better if he sacs a knight somewhere but if he plays too passively Black can overwhelm him with advanced knight outposts.

I don’t know how to do it, but I would love it if someone set up computer versus computer tests in this position.

In Larry’s case he has a similar pawn structure to the Fang-Boudrot
Gambit line with a rook and pawn for the Queen. ICC LarryC is an
awesome odds player, often giving two minor pieces for a Queen.

Both positions are similar to the King’s Indian line

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 Nh5 8.Qd2 Qh4+
9.Bf2 Qf4 10.Be3 Qh4+ 11.g3 Nxg3 12.Qf2 Nxf1 13.Qxh4 Nxe3 14.Kf2 Nxc4
where Black has two bishops and two pawns a contiguous pawn structure
(Full Metal Jacket) for the Queen.

Grandmasters that have played this line for Black include Velimirovic, Piket and Seirawan (versus Kasparov as White, draw, 1989).
About 20 years ago when the U.S. Open hit Boston, I was going through a phase where I was playing every legal move. 1 Na3 made Jesse Krai and 1 f3 won a Queen when Black transposed into this King’s Indian line.

I just wanted to do a little foreshadowing that these types of positions can be turned around.

21.Rf1 f6?

Losing more material, have another drink, Larry.

22.Qh3!! f5 23.Ng5!!

Jim is focused and on fire so far.

23 … Nf6! 24.d6+! Kh8! 25.Nf7+! Rxf7! 26.Bxf7!

I have seen Scotty Nguyen (pronounced win) win million dollar poker
tournaments completely drunk, even acting totally obnoxious. Can
Larry pull this off too? He only has a knight for a Queen!

26 … Ng4!!

It’s never too late to start a Fishing Pole attack.

27.Kb1! Nh6!

Ooh, a one move threat.

28.Bc4!

When is Jim going to get in time pressure and start blundering?

28 … Ng4!!

It’s never too late to start a Fishing Pole attack.

29.Qd3 Rd8!

That passed d-pawn could be a problem.

30.d7! e4

This is getting ridiculous -
Larry has a knight for a Queen
plus the d7-pawn should cost
the Grandmaster more material.

31.Qd6!

+14 -
sometimes we continue playing in a lost position not to annoy our opponent but because we are annoyed with ourselves.

31 … Be5 32.Qe7

32 Qe6 is +17 -
Larry’s pieces are overloaded keeping an eye out for Qf6 checkmate or Queen to the 8th rank or for pawn moves disturbing his minor pieces like … Bd4 c3 or h3

32 … Bf6!

Hopefully the liquor dulled the pain of having to move.

33.Qe8+

Larry’s bishop loses its grip after

33 Qf7 ( +20 ) Bh4 34 g3 Bg5 35 h4 Bf6 36 Be2
threatening 37 B:g4 and 38 Q:f6+

33 … Kg7! 34.Qf7+! Kh6! 35.h3

or 35 Be2! ( 15 )

with the same idea of removing the bishop’s guard

35 … Ne3

Larry is knocked out on his feet,
still throwing punches.

36.Qxf6!

+17

36 … Rxd7!

2600 hell

37.Qe6

There must be some time pressure involved -
37 Rf4 ( threatens mate in 1 ) N:g2 38 R:f5 (+20 )

37 … Rd4!

regaining half his disadvantage,
down to a mere -10

38.Re1 Nxg2

38 … N:c4 39 c3 Nd2+ 40 Kc2 Nb3 41 cd?? N:d4+
gets Larry back in the game but 41 Rd1 reduces the game
to just Queen versus Knight.

39.Rg1! Nf4 40.Qg8

40 Qe7 mates

40 … e3

Grandmaster Christiansen’s two connected passed
pawns give him some measure of hope but …

41.Qf8+

mating!

41 … Kh5! 42.h4

42 Qg7 or Qe7 mates

42 … Rxc4 43.Qf6

43 Rg5 or Qe7 mate quicker

43 … Kh6 44.Qg5+
————————————————————————–

44 Rg5!!! mates in three -
The threat is 45 Qf8 checkmate
44 Rg5 Ne6 45 R:g6+ hg 46 Qh8 checkmate
44 Rg5 Ne6 45 R:g6+ Kh5 46 Rg5+!!
mate next move
————————————————————————–

44 … Kg7! 45.Qe7+

45 Rd1!! Rd4 46 R:d4 cd 47 Q:f4
and Larry’s three pawns are no match for Jim’s Queen

45 … Kh6 46.Qxe3

after 46 Rg5!!
the threat of 47 Qf8 checkmate wins the knight for nothing -
46 Rg5!! Ne6 forced 47 Q:e6
Is Jim in some kind of permanent time pressure?

46 … Re4!

from -20 to being mated down to a mere -7

47.Qf2 Nh3 48.Qd2+! Kh5! 49.Re1 Rxe1+! 50.Qxe1! f4!

with only two pawns for a Queen this should be an easy win
for Jim but he doesn’t have his own passed pawn to push yet.

51.Qe7 h6! 52.Qf6! g5! 53.hxg5! hxg5!

Two connected passed pawns with a King and Knight helping them along.

54.Qxb6!

Jim can obtain his own passed pawn now.
Another plan is to bring the King over
to help stop the pawns with 54 Kc1

54 … f3! 55.Qxc5! Kg4!

Larry has nothing left except trying to push his pawns for a touchdown.

56.Qe3 Kg3 57.c4

Jim rushes his pawn down the board -
surely this saga will end soon.

57 … Kg2 58.c5

new Queen in 3 moves

58 … f2! 59.Qe4+????

Jim is still comfortably winning -
sac a Queen for a pawn, make another Queen,
sac a Queen for a pawn and then win with
his last passed pawn(s) on the Queenside.
One example -
59 Qd2 Kg1 60 Qc1+ f1(Q) 61 Q:f1+ K:f1
62 c6 g4 63 c7 g3 64 c8(Q)
with multiple easy wins

59 … Kh2! 60.Qf3

60 Qd3 looks like a draw to me after
60 … g4 61 c6 g3 62 c7 g2 63 Q:h3+ K:h3 64 c8(Q)+
and Larry handles all checks by moving his King to
f3, g3, f4 or g4, avoiding … Kg1?? Qd4!! Kf1 Qd1 checkmate

60 … g4! 61.Qe2????

61 Q:g4 f1(Q)+
should also be a draw

61 … g3! 62.c6

Moving the King to the second rank is a little more helpful/hopeful

62 … g2!!

Incredible.
Larry’s winning.
Jim wasted too much time with his Queen.

63.Qe5+ Kh1! 64.c7 g1=Q+

64 … f1(Q)+ mates

65.Kc2! f1=Q! 66.Kc3 Qc1+!

mating

67.Kb4! Qb6+! 68.Kxa4 Qbc6+

mate in 5 -
not the fastest mate

0-1

Jim Burden missed millions of wins but Larry did a great job keeping hope alive.

Can you top that?
———————————————————————-

[Event "Las Vegas op"]
[Site "Las Vegas"]
[Date "1992.??.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Burden,James"]
[Black "Christiansen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "B07"]

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 c6 5.Bc4 Nf6 6.f3 0-0 7.Qd2 d5
8.Bb3 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.fxe4 e5 11.d5 Qh4+ 12.Qf2 Qxe4 13.0-0-0 a5
14.a3 a4 15.Ba2 Bg4 16.Ne2 Nd7 17.Ng3 Qxe3+ 18.Qxe3 Bxd1 19.Rxd1 c5
20.Ne4 b6 21.Rf1 f6 22.Qh3 f5 23.Ng5 Nf6 24.d6+ Kh8
25.Nf7+ Rxf7 26.Bxf7 Ng4 27.Kb1 Nh6 28.Bc4 Ng4 29.Qd3 Rd8 30.d7 e4
31.Qd6 Be5 32.Qe7 Bf6 33.Qe8+ Kg7 34.Qf7+ Kh6 35.h3 Ne3 36.Qxf6 Rxd7
37.Qe6 Rd4 38.Re1 Nxg2 39.Rg1 Nf4 40.Qg8 e3 41.Qf8+ Kh5 42.h4 Rxc4
43.Qf6 Kh6 44.Qg5+ Kg7 45.Qe7+ Kh6 46.Qxe3 Re4 47.Qf2 Nh3
48.Qd2+ Kh5 49.Re1 Rxe1+ 50.Qxe1 f4 51.Qe7 h6 52.Qf6 g5 53.hxg5 hxg5
54.Qxb6 f3 55.Qxc5 Kg4 56.Qe3 Kg3 57.c4 Kg2 58.c5 f2 59.Qe4+ Kh2
60.Qf3 g4 61.Qe2 g3 62.c6 g2 63.Qe5+ Kh1 64.c7 g1=Q+
65.Kc2 f1=Q 66.Kc3 Qc1+ 67.Kb4 Qb6+ 68.Kxa4 Qbc6+

0-1

————————————————————————–

[Event "Moscow ol (Men) fin-B"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "1956.09.02"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Johannessen,Svein"]
[Black "Boey,Josef Martin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "E87"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 Nh5
8.Qd2 Qh4+ 9.Bf2 Qf4 10.Be3 Qh4+ 11.g3 Nxg3 12.Qf2 Nxf1 13.Qxh4 Nxe3
14.Kf2 Nxc4 15.b3 Nb6 16.Nge2 Na6 17.Kg2 Bd7 18.Rad1 Rae8 19.a4 Nc8
20.Rhf1 f5 21.Qg5 Nb4 22.Qd2 c5 23.dxc6 Bxc6 24.Nd5 Nxd5 25.exd5 Bd7
26.Rc1 e4 27.f4 g5 28.fxg5 e3 29.Qd3 Re4 30.Rf4 Be5 31.Rxe4 fxe4
32.Qxe3 Ne7 33.Rf1 Bf5 34.Nc3 Ng6 35.Nxe4 Nh4+ 36.Kg1 Rc8 37.Nf6+ Kh8
38.Rc1 Bd4

0-1

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