Alfred Blake Carlin vs Larry Christiansen (1986) Learning your ABCs

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Alfred Blake Carlin vs Larry Christiansen
"Learning your ABCs" (game of the day Nov-24-2009)
National Open (1986), Las Vegas (USA)
Torre Attack: Classical Defense. Nimzowitsch Variation (A46) · 1-0

White to move.

ANALYSIS [x]

1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1

FEN COPIED

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Jan-01-09		WhiteRook48: the alphabet!!

Nov-24-09		An Englishman: Good Evening: Who is this ABC gentlman? He only has 4 games in the database, but he holds his own against rather formidable competition.

Nov-24-09		hedgeh0g: He schooled LarryC, that's for sure...

Nov-24-09		Manic: 16.Qe3! a nice simple pawn fork hands the advantage to ABC. Just an oversight by LarryC on 15...Nb4 ?

Nov-24-09		skytzo985: An Englishman: if it's the same one I know, Alfred Carlin is a very strong player who won the Louisiana State Chess Championship in 1983, 1985, 1990, 1991 and 1996. From what I hear, he now lives in Dallas.

Nov-24-09		RandomVisitor: 30...Qxc3 31.axc3 a4 is likely equal. After the move played, 30...Qa4, white gets an advantage.

Nov-24-09		WhiteRook48: overpowering pawns

Nov-24-09		kevin86: I thought that the passers would decide this one-as they did.

Nov-24-09		RandomVisitor: From thechessdrum.com: Alfred Carlin, a Louisiana native, was once a mainstay in U.S. Chess tournaments, having played in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Texas and other venues. The five-time Louisiana state champion has dedicated the past years to his successful coaching career and runs The Chess Academy in New Orleans. Described at The Chess Connection website as "quiet and easy-going," he extols what he calls "The Carlin Method" which is first of all… TO HAVE FUN!! Contrary to his motto, Carlin made sure that the only player to have fun in the following game was himself! He would sit down to play top American GM, Larry Christiansen and the game came with an interesting story. "Carlin's victory over Christiansen had a poignant sidelight. Although the organizers provided clocks for use on the top boards, Carlin insisted on using his own. Naturally, a tournament director asked why he was being so stubborn. Carlin replied that the clock in question had been given to him by a lower-rated friend who had subsequently died. He wanted to honor this friend by using this clock while playing a world-class opponent. Carlin was permitted to use his own clock, and the Louisianan showed his gratitude in striking fashion." ~ Written by GM Arthur Bisguier (June 1986, Chess Life) ~

Nov-24-09		mastermind7994: Ver nice positional game...

Nov-24-09		RandomVisitor: 3 minutes per move: Alfred Blake Carlin - Larry Christiansen [A46] It (open) Las Vegas (USA), 1986 [Rybka 3 ] 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 h6 4.Bxf6 Qxf6 5.e4 d6 6.e5 last book move 6...dxe5 0.00/20 7.dxe5 -0.16/19 Qe7= 0.09/19 [Rybka 3 : 7...Qf4 8.Nc3 Bd7 9.a3 Nc6 10.g3 Qf5 11.Qe2 0-0-0 12.h4 Bc5 13.0-0-0 Kb8 14.Ne4 Bb6 15.Bh3 Qh5= -0.16/19 ] 8.Nbd2= -0.08/19 [Rybka 3 : 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.Bd3 Bd7 10.Qe2 0-0-0 11.0-0-0 Qc5 12.Kb1 Be7 13.Rhe1 Kb8 14.a3 a6 15.Qd2 Qb6= 0.09/19 ] 8...Nc6= 0.06/20 [Rybka 3 : 8...Bd7 9.Qe2 Ba4 10.0-0-0 Nd7 11.Nb3 0-0-0 12.Qe4 Bxb3 13.axb3 a6 14.h4 Qb4 15.Bc4 Be7 16.c3 Qc5 17.Rhf1= -0.08/19 ] 9.Bd3= -0.15/20 [Rybka 3 : 9.Qe2 Bd7 10.0-0-0 0-0-0 11.h4 Qc5 12.c3 Be7 13.Kb1 Na5 14.Ne4 Qb6 15.Qc2 Bc6 16.Bd3 Kb8 17.Rhe1 Bd5= 0.06/20 ] 9...g5= -0.07/19 [Rybka 3 : 9...Bd7 10.Qe2 0-0-0 11.c3 g5 12.h3 Kb8 13.0-0-0 a6 14.Kb1 Bg7 15.Nc4 h5 16.g4 Be8= -0.15/20 ] 10.h3= -0.13/20 [Rybka 3 : 10.Nc4 Bd7 11.Qe2 0-0-0 12.0-0 Bg7 13.a4 g4 14.Nfd2 h5 15.c3 h4 16.b4 h3 17.g3 f5 18.b5 Nb8 19.Nb3 Be8= -0.07/19 ] 10...Bg7 -0.13/20 11.Qe2 -0.13/19 Bd7= -0.01/18 [Rybka 3 : 11...h5 12.0-0-0 g4 13.hxg4 hxg4 14.Rxh8+ Bxh8 15.Nh2 Nxe5 16.Nxg4 Nxd3+ 17.Qxd3 Bd7 18.Qe3 Bc6 19.Nc4 Bd5 20.Nce5 0-0-0 21.f3 b5 22.a3 Bg7 23.Kb1 f5 24.Nf2 Bf6= -0.13/19 ] 12.0-0-0= -0.17/19 [Rybka 3 : 12.Nc4 Nb4 13.Be4 0-0-0 14.Na5 Nd5 15.Qc4 f5 16.exf6 Qxf6 17.0-0 c6 18.Qb3 Nb6 19.c3= -0.01/18 ] 12...0-0-0= 0.15/18 [Rybka 3 : 12...Nb4 13.Bc4 0-0-0 14.a3 Nd5 15.Nb3 Ba4 16.Bxd5 Rxd5 17.Rxd5 exd5 18.Qe3 Kb8 19.Rd1 Rd8 20.Qc5 Qd7 21.Qb4 Bxb3 22.Qxb3 f6= -0.17/19 ] 13.Rhe1 -0.32/20 [Rybka 3 : 13.c3 h5 14.g4 Kb8 15.gxh5 Rxh5 16.Rhg1 Rdh8 17.Kb1 Be8 18.Bc2 Rxh3 19.Rxg5 f6 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.Rg3 Bg7 22.Rxh3 Rxh3 23.Rg1= 0.15/18 ] 13...h5= -0.12/19 [Rybka 3 : 13...Nb4 14.Bc4 Ba4 15.b3 Bd7 16.Kb2 Rhe8 17.Ne4 Nc6 18.Ng3 f5 19.c3 Bh8 20.Rd2 a6 21.Nh5 Kb8 -0.32/20 ] 14.g4 -0.12/17 hxg4= 0.07/19 [Rybka 3 : 14...Nb4 15.Kb1 Nd5 16.Ne4 Nf4 17.Qe3 Kb8 18.Bf1 hxg4 19.hxg4 Bc6 20.Nexg5 Ng6 21.Nd4 Nxe5 22.Nxc6+ Nxc6 23.f4 Bd4 24.Qf3 Bf6= -0.12/17 ] 15.hxg4 -0.04/17 Nb4= 0.11/18 [Rybka 3 : 15...Rh3 16.Kb1 Kb8 17.Nc4 f6 18.c3 f5 19.Rg1 f4 20.Rh1 Rxh1 21.Rxh1 Be8 22.Be4 a6 23.Rh7= -0.04/17 ] 16.Qe3= -0.15/18 [Rybka 3 : 16.Kb1 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 Bc6 18.Qe3 b6 19.b3 f6 20.Ne4 fxe5 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Nexg5 Kb7 23.Ne4 Qf7 24.Nfd2 Qg6 25.g5 Bd5= 0.11/18 ]

Nov-24-09		RandomVisitor: continued: 16...Nxd3+ -0.15/20 17.cxd3 -0.38/17 [Rybka 3 : 17.Qxd3 Bc6 18.Qe3 Qb4 19.Nxg5 Bh6 20.f4 Bxg5 21.fxg5 Qxg4 22.Rg1 Qa4 23.a3 b6 24.Rgf1 Rd7 25.Rf4 Qb5 26.Rdf1 Rh2 27.R4f2 Rh4 28.Kb1 Rhd4 29.Nb3= -0.15/20 ] 17...Kb8= 0.00/19 [Rybka 3 : 17...Ba4 18.b3 Bc6 19.Qxa7 Qb4 20.Ne4 Rd5 21.Kb1 Rhd8 22.Rc1 Ra5 23.Qe3 Bxe5 24.Nxe5 Rxe5 25.Rc4 Qa3 26.Rd4 Qf8 27.Rc1 Kb8 28.Rc5 Rxc5 29.Nxc5 b6 30.Na6+ Kb7 -0.38/17 ] 18.Nxg5 -0.52/18 [Rybka 3 : 18.Kb1 Ba4 19.Rc1 Bc6 20.Ne4 Rh3 21.Qxg5 Qd7 22.Nc5 Qd5 23.Nd4 Qxd4 24.Qxg7 Rf3 25.Re2 Bb5 26.Nxe6 Qxd3+ 27.Rec2 Ba4 28.Nxd8 Bxc2+ 29.Rxc2 Rxf2= 0.00/19 ] 18...Bb5= 0.00/19 [Rybka 3 : 18...Ba4 19.b3 Bb5 20.Nc4 Bh6 21.f4 Rhg8 22.Kb1 Bxg5 23.fxg5 Rxg5 24.Qf4 Rg7 25.Rh1 b6 26.Rh5 Rdg8 27.Ne3 Qd7 28.Qe4 Bc6 29.Qf4 -0.52/18 ] 19.d4 -0.22/17 Bh6= 0.00/22 [Rybka 3 : 19...Rh4 20.f4 Rxg4 21.Rh1 Ba4 22.b3 Bc6 23.Rh7 Qf8 24.Rg1 Rxg1+ 25.Qxg1 Rd7 26.Nge4 Bh8 27.Kb2= -0.22/17 ] 20.Nde4 0.00/20 Bc6 0.00/22 21.f4 0.00/20 Bd5 0.00/20 22.Kb1 0.00/21 Bxg5 0.00/23 23.Nxg5 0.00/21 Rh4 0.00/21 24.Rg1 0.00/20 Rdh8 0.00/20 25.f5= -0.18/17 [Rybka 3 : 25.a3 a6 26.Rde1 Rh2 27.Re2 Qd7 28.Rc1 Rh1 29.Rec2 Rxc1+ 30.Rxc1 Rh2 31.Nh3 Rg2 32.Nf2 Qd8 33.g5 Qg8 34.Nd3 Qh7= 0.00/20 ] 25...Rh2= -0.06/19 [Rybka 3 : 25...Qd7 26.Qd3 b6 27.b3 Qe7 28.Qe3 a5= -0.18/17 ] 26.Rd2= -0.12/18 [Rybka 3 : 26.a3 Qd7 27.Qd3 a6 28.Rc1 Rg8 29.Nh3 exf5 30.gxf5 Rxg1 31.Nxg1 Rf2 32.Ne2 Rxf5 33.Nc3 Rf4 34.Ka1 Rg4 35.Rf1 c6= -0.06/19 ] 26...a5= 0.00/19 [Rybka 3 : 26...Rxd2 27.Qxd2 exf5 28.gxf5 f6 29.exf6 Qxf6 30.Qf4 Rf8 31.Re1 Bc6 32.Re5 Bd7 33.Ne4 Bxf5 34.Kc1 Qf7 35.Kd2 a6 36.Ke3 b6 37.d5 Kb7 38.Ng5 Qg6 39.Re7= -0.12/18 ] 27.f6 0.00/21 Qb4 0.00/23 28.Rxh2 0.00/24 Rxh2 0.00/23 29.Qc3 0.00/21 Bxa2+ 0.00/24 30.Ka1 0.00/23 Qa4? 3.04/19 [Rybka 3 : 30...Qxc3 31.bxc3 a4 32.Rg3 Bc4 33.Rh3 Rg2 34.Nxf7 a3 35.Rh8+ Ka7 36.Rh1 Ra2+ 37.Kb1 Bb3 38.g5 Rb2+ 39.Ka1 Ra2+ 40.Kb1 Rb2+ 41.Ka1 Ra2+ 42.Kb1 Rb2+ 43.Ka1 Ra2+ 44.Kb1 Rb2+ 45.Ka1 Ra2 0.00/23 ] 31.Qa3 3.05/17 Qxa3? 5.05/19 [Rybka 3 : 31...Qxd4 32.Nf3 Qf2 33.Kxa2 Rh3 34.Rd1 b6 35.Rd3 Qe2 36.Qb3 Rg3 37.Rd8+ Kb7 38.Nd4 Rxb3 39.Nxe2 Re3 40.Nc3 Rxe5 41.Rd7 Rg5 42.Rxf7 Rxg4 43.Re7 Rg8 44.Rxe6 Rf8 3.05/17 ] 32.bxa3 4.65/18 b5 5.09/14 33.Nxf7 5.12/14 Bd5 5.15/18 34.Nh6 4.75/20 Ra2+ 4.95/16 35.Kb1 4.75/21 Rf2 4.95/20 36.g5 4.95/17 Be4+ 4.95/20 37.Ka1 4.96/18 Bg6 5.06/17 38.Ng8 5.76/17 b4 6.55/15 39.axb4 6.36/15 axb4 6.02/14 40.Ne7 5.88/14 Be4 6.78/13 41.Rb1 7.32/14 Ka7 8.08/13 42.Rxb4 8.86/13 Ka6 9.30/13 43.g6 10.37/14 Ka5 9.89/14 44.Rb2 12.62/14 Rf1+ 12.19/15 45.Ka2 12.56/15 Ka4 14.05/15 46.g7 14.33/15 Rf3 14.09/14 47.Re2 14.43/16 1-0

Nov-24-09		ROO.BOOKAROO: This is a beautiful game. Perhaps not a classic, but still with some great play. Does anybody review line by line the voluminous Rybka analyses? I seem never to be able to learn anything from them. Certainly nothing about what the two players were actually thinking, and their conscious strategy. It must be because I still am a humble beginner, ha, ha...

Nov-24-09		007chess: At 34 why does not black just take the knight? I must be missing something.

Nov-24-09		ChessValley: 007chess, wouldn't 35. g5, followed by pushing the f- and g-pawns clinch the game? The black bishop, rook and king are not able to stop the pawns from queening.

Nov-24-09		Intrepid Spiff: <007chess: At 34 why does not black just take the knight?> I think that makes the f and g pawns quite unstoppable.

Nov-24-09		Phony Benoni: click for larger view As a general rule, a rook cannot handle two connected passed pawns on the sixth rank. To see this, put a Black rook anywhere on the board, and <White to move> will be able to promote a pawn. While such a rule must be checked in each position, it can give you an idea as to what moves are worth analyzing (or candidate moves if you've read Kotov). click for larger view Here, White sees that after <34.Nxh6 Rxh6 35.g5>, he can get the pawns to the sixth rank (35...Rg6 36.f7 and promotes immediately). That means this is a line worth investigating. Yes, Black has an extra bishop, but it is blocked off from the crucial sector. But still, White has to analyze the specific position and not sacrifice willy-nilly. For instance, if Black's bishop were on c6, he would be able to play ...Be8 at the right moment and neutralize the pawns.

Oct-10-11		FSR: Very nice game. I was surprised to see (from the Rybka3 analysis provided by RandomVisitor) that Black was still fine up until move 30. As RandomVisitor noted, Black should simply have played 30...Qxc3! 31.bxc3 a4! (intending ...a3, ...Bb3, and perpetual check with the rook on a2-b2-c2) 32.Rg3 Bc4 33.Rh3 Rg2 34.Nxf7 a3 35.Rh8+ Ka7 36.Rh1 Ra2+ 37.Kb1 Bb3 38.g5 Rb2+ 39.Ka1 Ra2+ 40.Kb1 Rb2+ 41.Ka1 Ra2+ 42.Kb1 Rb2+ 43.Ka1 Ra2+ 44.Kb1 Rb2+ 45.Ka1 Ra2+ Draw.

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