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Awonder Liang vs. Levon Aronian

Date: March 8, 2026
Round: Elimination Bracket Semifinal — Match 12 — Game 2 (Rapid)
White: Awonder Liang (2719)
Black: Levon Aronian (2729)
Result: 1/2-1/2
SF 18

Game Notation (PGN)

[Event "2026 The American Cup Open"]
[Site "Saint Louis, US"]
[Date "2026.03.08"]
[Round "53.2"]
[White "Liang, Awonder"]
[Black "Aronian, Levon"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Board "1"]
[TimeControl "1500+10"]
[WhiteFideId "2056437"]
[BlackFideId "13300474"]
[WhiteElo "2719"]
[BlackElo "2729"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteClock "0:27:13"]
[BlackClock "0:22:17"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[EndDate "2026.03.08"]
[EndTime "19:22:05"]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:25:19]}  e5 {[%clk 0:25:19]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:25:27]}  Nc6 {[%clk 0:25:27]} 3. Nc3 {[%clk 0:25:36]}  Nf6 {[%clk 0:25:36]}
4. Bb5 {[%clk 0:25:44]}  Nd4 {[%clk 0:25:34]} 5. Nxd4 {[%clk 0:25:52]}  exd4 {[%clk 0:25:42]} 6. e5 {[%clk 0:26:01]}  dxc3 {[%clk 0:25:46]}
7. exf6 {[%clk 0:26:10]}  Qxf6 {[%clk 0:25:54]} 8. dxc3 {[%clk 0:26:19]}  Bc5 {[%clk 0:25:54]} 9. Qe2+ {[%clk 0:26:27]}  Qe6 {[%clk 0:25:49]}
10. O-O {[%clk 0:26:34]}  Qxe2 {[%clk 0:25:49]} 11. Bxe2 {[%clk 0:26:42]}  d5 {[%clk 0:25:34]} 12. c4 {[%clk 0:26:05]}  Be6 {[%clk 0:25:21]}
13. cxd5 {[%clk 0:26:08]}  Bxd5 {[%clk 0:25:29]} 14. Bb5+ {[%clk 0:26:15]}  c6 {[%clk 0:25:06]} 15. Re1+ {[%clk 0:26:24]}  Kd7 {[%clk 0:25:08]}
16. Bd3 {[%clk 0:26:09]}  Rae8 {[%clk 0:24:54]} 17. Bd2 {[%clk 0:25:44]}  Rxe1+ {[%clk 0:24:08]} 18. Rxe1 {[%clk 0:25:52]}  Re8 {[%clk 0:24:05]}
19. Rxe8 {[%clk 0:26:00]}  Kxe8 {[%clk 0:24:14]} 20. a4 {[%clk 0:26:09]}  g6 {[%clk 0:24:11]} 21. Kf1 {[%clk 0:26:17]}  Bd6 {[%clk 0:23:33]}
22. g3 {[%clk 0:26:24]}  c5 {[%clk 0:23:16]} 23. b3 {[%clk 0:26:27]}  Ke7 {[%clk 0:23:17]} 24. Ke2 {[%clk 0:26:36]}  b6 {[%clk 0:23:17]}
25. h4 {[%clk 0:26:43]}  h5 {[%clk 0:23:19]} 26. Be3 {[%clk 0:26:46]}  Ke6 {[%clk 0:22:58]} 27. Ba6 {[%clk 0:26:51]}  Be5 {[%clk 0:22:24]}
28. Kd3 {[%clk 0:26:41]}  Bg2 {[%clk 0:22:11]} 29. Ke2 {[%clk 0:26:46]}  Bd5 {[%clk 0:22:09]} 30. Kd3 {[%clk 0:26:55]}  Bg2 {[%clk 0:22:17]}
31. Ke2 {[%clk 0:27:04]}  Bd5 {[%clk 0:22:26]} 32. Kd3 {[%clk 0:27:13]}  Bg2 {[%clk 0:22:17]} 1/2-1/2