CELESTIAL CHESS GALAXY
By Joyce Jillson

Larry Christiansen is a Cancer with his sun in the 11th house, known as the house of fame. He epitomizes the successful chess personality in astrology terms with his extensive memory and his subconscious attention to details that others might consider inconsequential. I have found that just about every great chess player has to have some planets (or the sun or the moon), in this moon-ruled sign. The Cancerian placement gives depth of thinking, but this is true of all the water signs: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

When the sun is in Cancer there is almost a direct connection between the individual’s mind and what Jung referred to as the collective unconscious. Larry has the ability to tap into this vast reservoir of information better than just about anyone.

Leo rising gives him confidence and makes him very magnanimous. With Leo in this position Christiansen has always felt deep down that he was a champion. Jupiter and Pluto conjoined in this royal Leo sign produce a flair for the bold, a desire to turn the tables on opponents and a love of intense combat.

If Larry hadn’t chosen a career in chess, his chart shows he could have been an Olympic caliber athlete.

The moon rules all Cancerians so it makes sense that they love late hours and midnight sudden death matches because they hate facing the night alone. Thus it is often (always?) a fight to get up in the morning for Larry. As tough a competitor as Larry is, he has a very thin skin in matters of the heart and in social arenas. When playing chess he has invisible armor protecting his finely tuned spirit. Something about the logic of the game allows his ego to take charge of his emotions. Without this grounding influence his feelings can easily be bruised.

On those few occasions when he loses he shows impeccable manners. He may berate himself and get angry in private, but in public he displays championship form. In competitions he plays his best chess against the strongest opponents, and is less astute when playing someone he has beaten many times before.

His winning streak continues through the next two years and although he is a U.S. champion, in late 2002 and 2003 the stars will be even more favorable when he plays in Europe. He has a financial bonanza coming between January and March ’03 from a source that right now seems too far-fetched to even dream about.

Mars, the planet of attack, is in the 8th house in the sign of Pisces--a fabulous position for winning big money and for benefiting from the losses of others. With Mercury in Gemini, it’s home sign; this is a man who calculates the odds of everything in life. From love to chess to money to politics, he knows just what the risks are in any situation.

Christiansen has a fondness for history and for resurrecting outmoded theories adding his own new millennium twist. He has one extraordinary lucky chart aspect: Uranus the planet of fame and unimaginable brilliance in the 12th house of secret powers. This dazzling placement brings Larry a chess angel who sits on his shoulder giving him a heavenly edge forever.