[Event "The American Cup | Group A 2023"] [Site "St Louis"] [Date "2023.03.25"] [Round "18"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "So, Wesley"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2745"] [BlackElo "2761"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] [Annotator "Zong, Davis"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C67"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, l'Hermet Variation, Berlin Wall Defense"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/DZGTvv5d/KSOE65Rb"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,60,25,16,10,25,17,16,25,34,31,52,56,53,82,60,57,57,58,63,61,62,54,22, 5,5,5,0,-3,-42,-16,-14,-46,-49,-66,-72,-81,-90,-73,-206,-204,-284,-243,-455, -459,-485,-478,-514,-461,-485,-490,-488,-508,-514,-507,-514,-508,-515,-518, -740,-762,-861,-726] } 1. e4 { [%emt 1:20:51] } 1... e5 { [%emt 1:20:51] } 2. Nf3 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 2... Nc6 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 3. Bb5 { [%emt 0:00:28] } 3... Nf6 { [%emt 0:00: 26] } 4. O-O { [%emt 0:00:28] } 4... Nxe4 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 5. d4 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 5... Nd6 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 6. Bxc6 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 6... dxc6 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 7. dxe5 { [%emt 0:00:27] } 7... Nf5 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 8. Qxd8+ { [%emt 0:00:27] } 8... Kxd8 { [%emt 0: 00:27] } 9. Nc3 { [%emt 0:00:28] } 9... Ke8 { [%emt 0:00:28] } 10. h3 { [%emt 0:00:27] } 10... Be6 { [%emt 0:00:37] } 11. Ng5? { [%emt 0:00:48] An unfortunate knight jump that immediately turns the tables in So's favor. Aronian was probably expecting Black to move the-e6 bishop but he missed Black's next move. } (11. g4! Ne7 12. Ng5 { A change in move order makes all the difference! With Black's knight unable to jump into d4, Ng5 is justified now, with f4-f5 to come. } 12... Bc4 13. Re1 $14) 11... Nd4! { [%emt 0:00:51] Surprisingly, the c2 pawn cannot be defended! } 12. Nxe6 { [%emt 0:01:42] } 12... fxe6 { [%emt 0:00:27] } 13. Bg5 { [%emt 0:00: 25] } 13... Nxc2 { [%emt 0:01:29] } 14. Rad1 { [%emt 0:00:30] } 14... Nb4 { [%emt 0:00:28] } 15. Ne4?! { [%emt 0:01:57] Aronian goes all in, hoping to generate enough play around Black's king, but objectively, it was not worth it to sacrifice another pawn. } (15. h4 Be7 16. Rd4 a5 17. Rfd1 Nd5 $15) 15... Nxa2 { [%emt 0:02:50] } 16. g4 { [%emt 0:01:53] } 16... Nb4 { [%emt 0:00:33] } 17. f4 { [%emt 0:00:27] } 17... h6 { [%emt 0: 01:05] } 18. Bh4 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 18... Nd5 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 19. f5? { [%emt 0:03:35] The final straw, allowing ...Nd5-e3 forking the rooks. All Black needs to do now is fend off mate and he will win with the massive material advantage. } (19. Rf3 g6 20. Nf6+ Kf7! $19 (20... Nxf6?? { It was still possible to mess up - Black should not trade his solid knight on d5 and open up the d-file. } 21. Bxf6 Rh7! 22. Rfd3 Be7 23. Kg2 a5 24. Rd7 Rf7 25. g5 $132 { with enough counterplay for equality. })) 19... Ne3 { [%emt 0:00:36] } 20. fxe6 { [%emt 0:00: 26] } 20... Nxd1 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 21. Rf7 { [%emt 0:03:24] } 21... Rc8 { [%emt 0:02:53] } 22. Bf6 { [%emt 0:00:55] } 22... Rg8! { [%emt 0:00:38] } (22... gxf6?? 23. Nxf6+ Kd8 24. Rd7# { Of course, such a mate is extremely unlikely to happen in games of this level, but it is instructive to see the semi-smothered Arabian mate in action. }) 23. g5 { [%emt 0:00:30] } 23... Ne3 { [%emt 0:00:50] } 24. g6 { [%emt 0:00:29] } 24... Nd5 { [%emt 0:00:32] } 25. Bh4 { [%emt 0:00:29] } 25... Be7 { [%emt 0:00:54] } 26. Bxe7 { [%emt 0:00:32] } 26... Nxe7 { [%emt 0:00:26] } 27. Nd6+ { [%emt 0:00:31] } 27... cxd6 { [%emt 0: 00:27] } 28. exd6 { [%emt 0:00:25] } 28... Nxg6 { [%emt 0:00:32] } 29. h4 { [%emt 0:00:27] } 29... Rb8 { [%emt 0:02:14] } 30. h5 { [%emt 0:00:35] } 30... Nf8 { [%emt 0:00:27] 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1