Open: Aronian knocks out Caruana
Levon Aronian and Wesley So will face off in the Grand Final of the open section after both defeated Fabiano Caruana on consecutive days. While So got the better of the five-time US champion in Sunday's Championship Bracket final, Aronian defeated Caruana in Monday's final of the Elimination Bracket.
The Grand Final between So and Aronian will consist of two classical games, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by tiebreaks if necessary. If Aronian wins that match, So - who has not lost a single match so far in the event - will receive a "reset". In that case, the players will contest another match following the Elimination Bracket format, consisting of two rapid games followed, if required, by a blitz playoff.
Unleash your chess potential with this dynamic course focused on mastering the initiative.So and Aronian have already contested the Grand Final of the American Cup in the past. In 2024, Aronian reached the deciding match by winning the Championship Bracket and then defeated So by a 2½–1½ score to claim the title. That result represented the second time So finished runner-up in the event, as he had previously lost the 2023 Grand Final to Hikaru Nakamura. The upcoming encounter will therefore give So another opportunity to claim the title after two unsuccessful attempts in the final.
The start of the match | Photo: Lennart Ootes
The Caruana–Aronian match on Monday began with two rapid games in which the players traded wins with the white pieces. In the first game, Caruana converted a small positional advantage that arose from a Nimzo-Indian Defence. Aronian then levelled the match in the second game, taking advantage of Caruana's early pawn sacrifice in a Rossolimo Sicilian.
Caruana's 11...d6 in the opening is one of the first suggestions of the engines.
After 12.Qxe7 Qxe7 13.Rxe7, Black obtains rapid development and active piece play. Nevertheless, the position required precise handling to demonstrate full compensation for the sacrificed pawn.
A couple of imprecisions by Caruana gradually left Aronian with the more favourable prospects as the game approached the endgame. Once the position clarified, Aronian had little trouble converting his advantage - supported by a strong outside passed pawn - into the victory he needed to take the match to a blitz playoff.
The course is designed to provide a deep yet practical repertoire for Black, balancing solid foundations with aggressive counterplay.
The Classical Sicilian has stood the test of time as one of the most principled and fighting defences against 1.e4. With its rich history spanning world championship matches and modern elite tournaments, this opening remains a favourite among players who seek a dynamic, counterattacking approach without venturing into extreme theoretical battles like the Najdorf or Sveshnikov.
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In retrospect, the bold pawn sacrifice was perhaps unnecessary, as Caruana could have opted for the more restrained 11...Re8, a playable continuation used, among others, by Parham Maghsoodloo to hold Aronian to a draw in 2021.
Levon Aronian resigns game one of the Elimination Bracket final | Photo: Lennart Ootes
In the blitz playoff, Caruana again had the white pieces in the first game and once more chose the Rossolimo Sicilian. Aronian deviated from the previous encounter by placing his bishop on e7 instead of fianchettoing it on g7. The game developed into a sharp middlegame in which both players missed chances - something not unusual in blitz - before the position eventually simplified into an endgame with rook and bishop against rook and knight.
Although the material was balanced, Aronian had a clear opportunity to win the game but missed it with 58.Kc5?
The move 58.Ba4! would have been decisive, as the bishop would control both sides of the board while assisting the advance of the passed a-pawn towards promotion - e.g. 58...Nc8 (the move played in the game by Caruana to keep the balance) fails to 59.Bd7 Nb6 60.a7 Ke7 61.Bc6 Kd6 62.Kb5 (diagram) and Black will soon run out of moves.
The missed chance allowed Caruana to escape with a draw.
The oversight ultimately proved not to be costly for Aronian, however, as he went on to prevail in the rematch. After a tense tactical struggle, Caruana committed the decisive error with 32.Ra2?
There followed 32...Bxe4 33.fxe4 Rhf8+ 34.Kg3 Rb3+
Besides in-depth theory and exciting tactical exercises in the Scotch Game, this video course also includes a bonus section on the Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Bc4), a lively variation often leading to very dynamic positions.Aronian's active rooks continued harassing the white king until resignation came on move 40.
Levon Aronian celebrates his victory with Tatev Abrahamyan and Anna Sargsyan | Photo: Lennart Ootes
All games - Elimination Bracket
Women's: Yip gets 2-0 win over Abrahamyan
In the women's event, the Grand Final will feature friends Alice Lee and Carissa Yip. Lee defeated Yip in the Championship Bracket final over the weekend, but Yip has now earned a second chance to challenge her younger opponent in the deciding match of the tournament. Yip is 22 years old, while Lee is 16.
Yip reached the Grand Final by defeating Tatev Abrahamyan in the final of the Elimination Bracket. The four-time US women's champion scored a convincing 2–0 victory in the match.
Considered a master of prophylaxis, Petrosian sensed dangers long before they actually became acute on the board. In his prime, Petrosian was almost invincible. Let our authors introduce you into the world of Tigran Petrosian.In the first game, Yip demonstrated her attacking abilities in a position arising from a French Defence that quickly went wrong for Black. The resulting attack led to a memorable victory in just 27 moves. In the second game, despite needing only a draw to win the match, Yip continued to play enterprisingly. Her active approach paid off, as she managed to win the game as well, securing a second victory in a row.
Notably, the upcoming confrontation between Lee and Yip will be only the second time the two players have faced each other in a match format. Although they have played numerous games against each other in tournament play, their first match encounter took place earlier in the same event, when Lee defeated Yip in the Championship Bracket final in Saint Louis.
Carissa Yip ready to play with black | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Yip 1-0 Abrahamyan
Top trainers strongly recommend regular study of well-explained classical games to improve your understanding of chess in the long term. 33 modern classics are explained in details on this video course.
Carissa Yip and Awonder Liang - following the games of the open section perhaps? | Photo: Lennart Ootes
All games - Elimination Bracket
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