American Cup, Day 2, Recap: Tiebreaks and an Armageddon

by ChessBase
4/22/2022 – An action packed day saw five matches decided in the playoffs and one match (Caruana-Xiong) made it all the way to Armageddon, finishing in a dramatic time scramble. After all was said and done, Aronian, Dominguez, Sevian, and Caruana from the Open Field along with Krush, Tokhirjonova, Lee, and Abrahamyan from the Women’s Field advanced to the next stage of the Champions Bracket. | Photos: Austin and Crystal Fuller, Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes

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By IM Kostya Kavutskiy
Press release of the Saint Louis Chess Center

The players who lost their matches were relegated to the Elimination Bracket, where they will get a second chance to win the tournament starting tomorrow.

Classical Results - Open Field

Classical Results - Women’s Field

Rapid Results - Both Fields

Check out the full replay of live coverage from the day here. The time control for the event is 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment for all games in the Champions Bracket, with a rapid time control of 25+10 for the Elimination Bracket and a 10+5 time control for all playoff matches.

OPEN FIELD - CHAMPIONS BRACKET

ROBSON - ARONIAN

After losing yesterday’s game, Robson needed to strike back today and was gifted a fantastic exchange sacrifice opportunity thanks to a strange slip by Aronian in the opening. Robson then continued well to reach a winning endgame with 6 pawns for a piece, that he went on to  eventually convert, forcing a playoff.

 

12.Rxc6! bxc6 13.Nxe5 left White with a pawn and excellent compensation for the exchange. | 1-0, 73 moves

The first game of the playoff saw the players repeat the English Opening from earlier, but this time Aronian was much better prepared, putting serious pressure on the board and on the clock. In a slightly worse position, Robson overlooked a tactical blow that was simply winning for Black on the spot, and Aronian pounced on the chance to win the first game.

In the second game Robson managed to get a slightly better position out of the opening, and again went for an exchange sacrifice to create some serious imbalance. However this sacrifice was less promising, and Aronian had few issues defending and securing the draw.

Aronian was able to bounce back nicely after losing the classical game earlier today. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes

SHANKLAND - DOMINGUEZ 

The second classical game in this match was fairly solid throughout, with neither player making any significant mistakes on the way to a draw. However Dominguez started to pull away in the rapid playoff, after nearly winning the first game with Black he then managed to outplay Shankland in a very sharp ending in the second game, taking the match.

Despite an even classical, Dominguez was able to show better nerves in the rapid playoff. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes

SEVIAN - SO

Needing to win today So chose an unusual variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined, where White gets a slightly better endgame but with plenty of pieces on the board. Hoping to outplay Sevian in the endgame, So was unsuccessful, and was even worse when the players decided to repeat moves in a rook ending. The draw allowed Sevian to advance to the next stage, as well as cross 2700 FIDE in live rating for the first time in his career, a huge milestone.

America’s latest 2700, the 21-year-old GM Sam Sevian. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes

XIONG - CARUANA

A second draw in the classical meant the players would decide it all in the rapid playoff. While Xiong was not able to get anything in the first rapid game, in the second Caruana gained a nearly strategically winning position right out of the opening. But Xiong held with persistent defense, and the players would head into Armageddon.

The Armageddon match saw Caruana having White with 5 minutes against Xiong’s 4 minutes, along with draw odds. A repeat of the previous rapid game gave Caruana another decisive position, though again he was unable to convert and even eventually finding himself in a lost endgame. A time scramble ensued and in a completely won ending Xiong ended up flagging while making his 60th move, losing the game. Had he gotten his move down in time, the clock would have activated a 2-second increment starting with the 61st move.

After a tense Armageddon, Caruana was visibly relieved.

Games

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,174,61854%2421---
1.d4952,91955%2434---
1.Nf3283,84956%2440---
1.c4183,33456%2442---
1.g319,80456%2427---
1.b314,46454%2427---
1.f45,92648%2377---
1.Nc33,85550%2384---
1.b41,77548%2379---
1.a31,23954%2405---
1.e31,07549%2409---
1.d396150%2378---
1.g466946%2361---
1.h446554%2381---
1.c343651%2426---
1.h328456%2419---
1.a411759%2462---
1.f310047%2427---
1.Nh39267%2511---
1.Na34360%2477---
1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 d4 4.Nf3 c5 5.0-0 Nc6 6.e3 Nf6 7.exd4 cxd4 8.d3 Bd6 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Nbd2 Qe7 12.Re1 0-0 13.Nb3 Qf6 14.Nfd2 Bc7 15.a3 a5 16.Nc5 Qe7 17.Na4 Bd7 18.Nb3 b6 19.Bxc6 Bxc6 20.Nxd4 Bb7 21.Nb5 Qd7 22.Qe2 Rad8 23.d4 Qc6 24.f3 Rd7 25.Kg2 Bd8 26.Nac3 Bf6 27.Rad1 Qc8 28.d5 Bxc3 29.Nxc3 exd5 30.Nxd5 Bxd5 31.Rxd5 Rfd8 32.Qe4 b5 33.Rxd7 Qxd7 34.c5 b4 35.axb4 axb4 36.Qxb4 Qd2+ 37.Qxd2 Rxd2+ 38.Kh3 Rxb2 39.Rc1 Kf8 40.c6 Rb8 41.Kg4 Ke7 42.c7 Rc8 43.Kh5 Kf6 44.Rc6+ Ke5 45.f4+ Kd5 46.Rc1 Kd6 47.f5 Ke5 48.g4 Kf6 49.Rc6+ Ke7 50.f6+ Kd7 51.Rc2 gxf6 52.Kxh6 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Aronian,L2785Robson,R26811–02022A13American Cup Champ1.1
Dominguez Perez,L2756Shankland,S2709½–½2022C53American Cup Champ1.1
So,W2778Sevian,S26930–12022E48American Cup Champ1.1
Caruana,F2781Xiong,J2685½–½2022C42American Cup Champ1.1
Robson,R2681Aronian,L27851–02022A15American Cup Champ1.2
Shankland,S2709Dominguez Perez,L2756½–½2022A33American Cup Champ1.2
Sevian,S2693So,W2778½–½2022D35American Cup Champ1.2
Xiong,J2685Caruana,F2781½–½2022A30American Cup Champ1.2

WOMEN’S FIELD - CHAMPIONS BRACKET

YAN - KRUSH

After winning Game 1 Krush surprised her opponent with the Four Knights Sicilian today, an opening she had never played before. Yan quickly faltered out of the opening and soon it was only Black (Krush) who could play for the win, with the game ultimately drawn in the end.

Top seed GM Irina Krush had few problems advancing to the next stage. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Crystal Fuller

TOKHIRJONOVA - NEMCOVA

Also needing just a draw to advance, Tokhirjonova found a solid setup with White in a Queen’s Gambit Declined and obtained a small advantage out of the opening. To the commentators’ surprise, Nemcova allowed a repetition of moves early in the middlegame and the game was soon drawn.

LEE - TSOLAKIDOU

After a rollercoaster draw yesterday, today's game was less hectic, with Lee missing a chance to gain a decisive advantage out of the opening and later being unable to create serious winning chances, resulting in a draw.

The first game of the playoff looked quite drawish as the players entered an endgame with opposite colored bishops. However in time trouble Tsolakidou ended up pushing too hard and blundered away the game. 

 

Tsolakidou’s 64…Bxa6 was the losing move, as White reached a winning ending after 65.Kxg6 e1=Q 66.Bxe1 Kxe1 67.Kxh5. Instead 64…e1=Q would save the game, as after 65.Bxe1 Kxe1 66.a7 Be4 Black would be up a tempo compared to the game, and just in time to hold.

Thanks to a trendy exchange sacrifice in the Queen’s Gambit Accepted, Lee was able to control the second game of the playoff and even went on to win it, clinching the playoff 2-0.

12-year-old Alice Lee is the youngest participant in the field. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes

Abrahamyan - Zatonskih

Facing a must-win situation, Abrahamyan seized a serious advantage after Zatonskih misplayed the opening in a Petroff Defense. Although Tatev was unable to capitalize effectively, she did manage to reach a heavy piece endgame which was quite unpleasant for Black. Zatonskih defended well for some time but ended up missing an only defense in a critical position, losing the game on the spot.

In the playoff, Abrahamyan got White in the first game and the players soon found themselves in a heavy piece endgame that resembled their earlier encounter. Once again Zatonskih was unable to defend correctly in time pressure, and lost on time in a hopeless situation. The second game saw Zatonskih playing aggressively on the kingside, but quickly overextended and lost control over the position. Not long after Zatonskih hung a piece, and Abrahamyan was able to convert smoothly to win the match.

An incredible comeback, Abrahamyan won all three of her games today. | Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes

Games

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
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1.d4 3 Nf6 0 2.c4 9 e6 17 3.Nc3 9 Bb4 13 4.Nf3 11 d5 25 5.cxd5 0 exd5 11 6.Bg5 15 0-0 4:05 7.e3 25 Bf5 3:36 D38: Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defence (4 Nf3 Bb4). 8.Qb3 1:38 Bxc3+ 16 9.bxc3 1:19 Nbd7 9 The position is equal. 10.Be2 0 c5! 16 11.dxc5 32 Nxc5 7:23 12.Qb4 1:40 Nce4 7:04 13.Bh4 12:07
13...h6N 6:08 Predecessor: 13...Rc8 14.Rc1 Qb6 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.Nd4 Bd7 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Bf3 Nxc3 19.Kd2 Ne4+ 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 ½-½ (29) Altini,N (2419)-Menezes,C (2409) Balatonszarszo 2017 14.Nd4 2:32 Bh7 8:18 15.Qxb7 9:44 Re8 0 16.0-0 8:27 Qd6 30:42 17.Qa6 8:31 Qe5 5:18 17...g5 18.Rac1 5:19 Nd7 3:21 19.c4 4:42 Nd2 1:37 19...dxc4± 20.Bxc4 Qh5 20.Rfd1 49 Nxc4 1:01 21.Bxc4 11:15 dxc4 7 22.Qxc4 8 Nb6 1:29 23.Qb3 1:54 Be4 1:23 24.Bg3 3:22 Qf6 0 24...Qa5± 25.Qb2 25.Rc7 Bd5± 25...Qa4 25.Nb5 0 Black must now prevent Nc7. Red8 1:08 26.Nd6 38 Bg6 39 27.e4 1:02 Qe7 54 28.f3 38 Nc8 1:03 29.Nc4 4:37 0x0. 0017ad110bf2dp-1022s more active pieces. Rxd1+ 42 30.Rxd1 40 Nb6 12 31.Ne5 41 Bh5 0 32.h3 3:50 Re8 25 32...Kh8± 33.Qb5 f6 33.Kh2+- 27 Rc8 59 34.a4 3:10 Qc5 1:05 35.Rd2 2:21 Qc1 36 35...Qa5 was called for. 36.Rd6 Rc3 37.Rd8+ Kh7 36.Rd6 2:51 Qc5 49 37.Qd1 2:41 f6 40 38.Qb3+ 1:54 Kh7 35 39.Nd7 43 39.Nd3+- Qc4 40.Qxc4 Nxc4 41.Ra6 39...Nxd7± 13 40.Rxd7 2 Strongly threatening Qb7. Be8 41 41.Rb7 37 Hoping for Qe6. Qd4 28
41...Bc6± might work better. 42.Qa3 2:53 42.Bf4!+- and the rest is easy. 42...Bc6 35 43.Rb4 46 Qd7 37 44.Qa1 1:53 Bb7 25 Black should try 44...Qd2 45.Rb2 Qe3 45.Rd4 50       White is in control. Qf7 29 46.Qd1 31
Prevents Rc2. Rd7 is the strong threat. 46...Qa2? 38       This move loses the game for Black. 46...Re8± is tougher. 47.Rd6 47.Rd7 Re7± 47...Bc8 47.Rd2+- 24 Qc4 45 48.Rd7? 13 48.e5 48...Qc6 20 48...Bc6 49.Qd4 33 aiming for e5. White is clearly winning. Rf8 56 49...Ba8 50.Qxa7 Rg8 50.Rc7 50 Qa6 23 51.Qd7 15 Weighted Error Value: White=0.28 (precise) /Black=0.49
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Krush,I2421Yan,R23151–02022D38American Cup Women Champions 20221.1
Nemcova,K2335Tokhirjonova,G23350–12022A48American Cup Women Champions 20221.2
Tokhirjonova,G2335Nemcova,K2335½–½2022D61American Cup Women Champions 20221.2
Yan,R2315Krush,I2421½–½2022B45American Cup Women Champions 20221.2
Abrahamyan,T2311Zatonskih,A24051–02022C43American Cup Women Champions 20221.2
Lee,A2237Tsolakidou,S2359½–½2022E49American Cup Women Champions 20221.2
Tsolakidou,S2359Lee,A2237½–½2022D27American Cup Women Champions 20221.3
Abrahamyan,T2311Zatonskih,A24051–02022C43American Cup Women Champions 20221.3
Lee,A2237Tsolakidou,S23591–02022D36American Cup Women Champions 20221.3
Zatonskih,A2405Abrahamyan,T23111–02022E46American Cup Women Champions 20221.4
Tsolakidou,S2359Lee,A22370–12022D20American Cup Women Champions 20221.4

Day 2 live commentary by the Saint Louis Chess Center

Day 3 of the 2022 American Cup will take place Friday, April 22 starting at 12:50 PM CT. Catch all the action live with grandmaster commentators Yasser Seirawan, Cristian Chirila, and Alejandro Ramirez on uschesschamps.com and on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels.

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