[Event "American Cup"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2024.03.21"] [Round "19.1"] [White "Wesley So"] [Black "Levon Aronian"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E32"] [WhiteElo "2789"] [BlackElo "2722"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "2024.03.12"] [EventType "k.o."] {[%evp 0,72,34,27,32,-11,-11,6,33,-17,-12,0,0,0,0,8,99,99,82,82,101,101,129,17, 129,115,186,80,80,80,87,77,163,85,104,23,68,39,67,56,89,15,89,47,98,49,97,76, 21,7,0,0,57,61,50,0,-8,4,84,0,12,-23,25,0,44,44,51,0,0,-515,-538,-658,-677, -1398,-938]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. e4 {This is more pugnacious than the old main line} (5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3) 5... c5 {Avoiding the more popular} (5... d5) 6. e5 cxd4 7. a3 Ba5 8. exf6 dxc3 9. b4 Bc7 10. fxg7 Re8 {All this looks rather chaotic, but it has been played before, though not often.} 11. Nf3 ({The computer likes} 11. Bd3 f5 12. Nf3 {for White, which seems quite sensible.}) 11... d5 ({Another reasonable line for Black was} 11... Qf6 12. Be3 Nc6) 12. Qxc3 ({Just as at move 11, provoking the weakening f7-f5 with} 12. Ng5 f5 13. Qxc3 {would make Black's life more difficult.}) 12... e5 13. cxd5 e4 14. Nd4 Be5 15. Bb2 Nd7 16. Bb5 a6 17. Bxd7 {After this move Black is fine.} ({After} 17. Ba4 b5 18. Bb3 {White might still hope for some small advantage.}) 17... Bxd7 18. O-O Qh4 ({Not a bad move, but even stronger would be} 18... Bb5 {to put the bishop on d3 eventually.}) 19. g3 Qh3 20. f4 Bf6 21. Qe3 Bg4 22. Rf2 Rad8 23. Nb3 Rxd5 24. Re1 ({Careful! After} 24. Bxf6 Rd3 { White would have to give up his queen with} 25. Re1 Rxe3 26. Rxe3 {when Black would have a big advantage.}) 24... Bxb2 25. Rxb2 Qh6 26. Rd2 Qd6 27. Rxd5 Qxd5 28. Nd2 Bf5 29. Nf1 Bh3 30. Nd2 Re6 {Black avoids a draw by repetition.} 31. Rc1 Kxg7 32. Rc5 Qd3 33. Rg5+ Kf8 {The position is still equal.} 34. Qc5+ { But after this hasty check White is suddenly lost.} ({After} 34. Kf2) ({or} 34. Qxd3 exd3 35. Re5 {the game would have ended in a draw.}) 34... Rd6 {Now White's knight is attacked and it can not move because of mate on f1. It's over.} 35. Rh5 Qxd2 36. Rxh3 b6 {There were other winning moves, but this one is good enough. White resigned.} 0-1