[Event "The American Cup 2025"] [Site "St. Louis"] [Date "2025.03.22"] [Round "4"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2802"] [BlackElo "2783"] [Annotator "Luka Budisavljevic"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E04"] [Opening "Catalan Opening: Open Defense"] [StudyName "2025 American Cup"] [ChapterName "Nakamura, Hikaru - Caruana, Fabiano"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/BAeuvodV/WtxdhS6e"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 a6 6. O-O Nc6 7. Nbd2 b5 8. b3 c3 9. Nb1 b4 10. a3 Bb7 11. Ne5 c2 12. Bxc6+ Bxc6 13. Qxc2 Be4 14. Qb2 Bb7 15. axb4 Bxb4 16. Bd2 c5 17. Nd3 Qd5 18. f3 Bxd2 19. Nxd2 Qxd4+ 20. Qxd4 cxd4 21. Rfc1 O-O 22. Ra4 Rfd8 23. Rc7 Rd7 24. Rxd7 Nxd7 25. Rxd4 Bc6 26. Nc4 a5 27. Kf2 Kf8 28. Rd6 Bb5 29. Na3 Bxd3 30. Rxd7 Ba6 31. Rd6 Ke7 32. Rc6 Kf6 33. Rc5 Bb7 34. e4 (34. Nc4! { was probably even stronger, as it would instantly get the pawn: } 34... Bd5 (34... a4 35. Nb6 $18) 35. Rxa5 Rb8 36. Ra3 $16) 34... a4 35. b4 Rd8 36. Ke2 g5 { Black's bishop is restricted, and the a4-pawn is likely going to fall. Thus, Fabi felt urgency to generate counterplay by opening up a file and activating his rook. } 37. Rc4 h5 38. b5 g4 39. f4 e5 40. f5 h4 41. Rxa4 hxg3 42. hxg3 Rh8 43. Nb1 Rh2+ 44. Kd1 Rh1+ (44... Rg2! { was the best move, as it keeps White's king on the first rank and quickly gets a dangerous passed pawn. } 45. Nd2 Rxg3 46. Ra7 Rg1+ 47. Ke2 Rg2+ 48. Ke3 Rg3+ 49. Kf2 Rd3 50. Ke2 Rd7) 45. Kc2 Re1?? { Going after the wrong pawn! } (45... Rg1 { was still holding, but only after } 46. Nd2 Rg2!! { when White struggles to make progress. }) 46. Nc3 Re3 47. Nd5+ Bxd5 48. exd5 { The rook endgame is winning, as the b-pawn is unstoppable. } 48... Rxg3 49. b6 Rg2+ 50. Kc3 Rg3+ 51. Kc4 { Fabi resigned, after which Hikaru had no difficulties holding a draw in the next game and securing the title, marking an amazing event in which he was the only player to win a classical game. It is interesting that he was in big trouble in the first match, when Mishra was a few moves away from relegating him to the Elimination Bracket, but Hikaru survived the scare and cruised through the rest of the event without losing a single game. } 1-0