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Levon Aronian vs. Awonder Liang

Date: March 3, 2026
Round: Champions Bracket Quarterfinal — Match 2 — Game 1 (Classical)
White: Levon Aronian (2729)
Black: Awonder Liang (2714)
Result: 1/2-1/2
SF 18

Game Notation (PGN)

[Event "2026 The American Cup Open"]
[Site "Saint Louis, US"]
[Date "2026.03.05"]
[Round "1.1"]
[White "Aronian, Levon"]
[Black "Liang, Awonder"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Board "4"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteFideId "13300474"]
[BlackFideId "2056437"]
[WhiteElo "2729"]
[BlackElo "2714"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteClock "0:29:40"]
[BlackClock "0:50:01"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[EndDate "2026.03.05"]
[EndTime "07:37:55"]

1. c4 {[%clk 1:30:56]}  e6 {[%clk 1:30:50]} 2. Nc3 {[%clk 1:31:17]}  d5 {[%clk 1:31:13]} 3. d4 {[%clk 1:31:41]}  Nf6 {[%clk 1:31:38]}
4. cxd5 {[%clk 1:32:07]}  exd5 {[%clk 1:32:02]} 5. Bg5 {[%clk 1:32:32]}  c6 {[%clk 1:32:25]} 6. e3 {[%clk 1:32:56]}  Bf5 {[%clk 1:32:50]}
7. Qf3 {[%clk 1:33:09]}  Bg6 {[%clk 1:33:14]} 8. Bxf6 {[%clk 1:33:34]}  Qxf6 {[%clk 1:33:37]} 9. Qxf6 {[%clk 1:33:59]}  gxf6 {[%clk 1:34:02]}
10. Nf3 {[%clk 1:34:04]}  Nd7 {[%clk 1:34:19]} 11. Nh4 {[%clk 1:33:06]}  Bb4 {[%clk 1:34:37]} 12. f3 {[%clk 1:30:51]}  a5 {[%clk 1:30:16]}
13. Rc1 {[%clk 1:27:21]}  O-O {[%clk 1:08:40]} 14. Kf2 {[%clk 1:20:04]}  Rfe8 {[%clk 1:05:18]} 15. g4 {[%clk 1:07:33]}  Re7 {[%clk 1:02:37]}
16. a3 {[%clk 1:00:53]}  Bxc3 {[%clk 1:02:58]} 17. Rxc3 {[%clk 1:01:07]}  Nb6 {[%clk 1:02:28]} 18. b3 {[%clk 0:56:48]}  Nc8 {[%clk 1:02:46]}
19. Ng2 {[%clk 0:55:39]}  Nd6 {[%clk 1:03:07]} 20. Nf4 {[%clk 0:55:13]}  Kg7 {[%clk 1:02:27]} 21. Be2 {[%clk 0:49:47]}  h6 {[%clk 0:56:48]}
22. h4 {[%clk 0:46:00]}  h5 {[%clk 0:52:31]} 23. gxh5 {[%clk 0:43:38]}  Bh7 {[%clk 0:52:54]} 24. a4 {[%clk 0:38:16]}  Kh6 {[%clk 0:52:17]}
25. Bf1 {[%clk 0:30:07]}  Rae8 {[%clk 0:50:20]} 26. Bh3 {[%clk 0:29:08]}  Bf5 {[%clk 0:50:41]} 27. Bg2 {[%clk 0:29:02]}  Bh7 {[%clk 0:49:11]}
28. Bh3 {[%clk 0:29:28]}  Bf5 {[%clk 0:49:36]} 29. Bg2 {[%clk 0:29:54]}  Bh7 {[%clk 0:50:01]} 30. Bh3 {[%clk 0:29:40]} 1/2-1/2