[Event "The American Cup 2025"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2025.03.16"] [Round "1"] [White "Dominguez Perez, Leinier"] [Black "So, Wesley"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2741"] [BlackElo "2748"] [Annotator "Luka Budisavljevic"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C54"] [Opening "Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo"] [StudyName "2025 American Cup"] [ChapterName "Dominguez – So"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/BAeuvodV/UG1TYD7h"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d6 6. O-O a6 7. a4 O-O 8. Re1 Ba7 9. h3 Be6 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. b4 Nh5 12. Be3 Nf4 13. Rf1 Qf6 14. Nbd2 Qg6 15. Bxf4 Rxf4 16. b5 Ne7 17. bxa6 bxa6 18. Qb3 Rff8 19. Qc4 Rfc8 20. a5 Qf6 21. Rab1 d5 22. Qa4 Bc5 23. d4 Bd6 24. Rfe1 Ng6 25. exd5 exd5 26. Qc6 Ne7 27. dxe5 Bxe5 28. Qc5 Qd6 29. Qe3 Bf6 30. Qd3 Rd8 31. Nd4 Bxd4 32. cxd4 Nc6 33. Nf3 Nxa5 34. Ng5 Qg6 35. Qxg6 hxg6 36. Ne6 Rd7 37. h4 Nc4 38. Nf4 Kh7 39. Ne6 a5 40. Ng5+ Kg8 { In the only Armageddon game of the quarterfinals, White was better the whole game until here. But, by now, his advantage has evaporated. So managed to turn the tables by defending carefully, and now he is not only up a pawn, but he also has an outside passed pawn which will prove to be a huge asset. } 41. Re6? { White needs his rook to defend against the a-pawn. } 41... a4 42. Rbe1 Nd6 43. Rxg6 a3 44. Rge6 a2 (44... Rdd8! { is the best, as once Black activates this rook, he will be winning. Certainly, he wouldn't have to fear losing the game. } 45. Ra1 Rdb8 46. Re2 Rb4 47. Nf3 Nb5 $19) 45. Ra1 { Now Black can't defend the a2-pawn anymore, and it instantly becomes a target. Lenier is back in the match! } 45... Rdd8 46. Re2 Nf5? (46... Nb5! { attacks the d4-pawn, but also threatens ... Nb5-c3. } 47. Nf3?? { fails due to } 47... Nc3 48. Rc2 Rdb8 49. Rxc3 Rb1+ 50. Rc1 Rxc1+ 51. Rxc1 a1=Q) 47. Nf3! { And now White has a big advantage, as he is about to be up a pawn. } 47... Rdb8 48. Rexa2 Rxa2 49. Rxa2 Rb4 50. Rd2 Kf7 51. g3 Kf6 52. Kg2 Rc4 53. g4 Nd6 54. Ne5 { Right when we thought we were about to witness a long endgame battle in which White would have to win to advance to the next round, So unexpectedly blundered, giving this game an unfortunate finish. } 54... Nb5?? 55. Nxc4 { And black resigned, as the arising position down an Exchange is hopeless. } 1-0