Levon Aronian
Notable Games

Levon Aronian

20 celebrated games · 1549 in the full archive
Player Index ◈ Biography 1549 CURATED GAMES

Notable Games

  • 1994 Ponomariov, Ruslan vsAronian, Levon 0-1 Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation 55 moves Wch U12 World Under-12 Championship, Szeged 1994, round seven, against Ruslan Ponomariov, later FIDE World Champion; Aronian won the title. 11.Nd5 Qxd2+ 12.Nxd2 Nxd5 trades queens, 25...Rxd5+ wins a pawn, and 52...Re3+ 53.Rxe3 fxe3 54.Kxe3 Kg3 reaches a won pawn ending; 55...Kg2 ends the game in 55 moves.
  • 2002.12.20 Aronian, Levon vsJakovenko, Dmitrij 1-0 Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation 29 moves Wch U20 41st World Junior Championship, Goa 2002, round 13, against Dmitry Jakovenko, the last-round win that made Aronian World Junior Champion. 15.Nxb5 axb5 16.Bxb5 gives up a knight for two pawns and the initiative, 21.Nc6 Bxc6 22.Bxc6 posts the bishop on c6, and 29.Rfd1 ends the game in 29 moves.
  • 2003.10.17 Aronian, Levon vsKarpov, Anatoly 1-0 Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation 32 moves Hoogeveen Essent Crown Essent Crown Group, Hoogeveen 2003, round five, against former World Champion Anatoly Karpov. 14.e5 Qc7 15.exd6 Nxd6 16.Rd4 brings the rook into play, 18.Bh7+ Kh8 19.Be4 drives the black king into the corner, 28.Bxf6 gxf6 breaks up the kingside, and 32.Rd8 ends the game in 32 moves.
  • 2004.10.16 Iuldachev, Saidali vsAronian, Levon 0-1 Sicilian Defense: Closed 32 moves Olympiad-36 Chess Olympiad, Calvià 2004, round two, against Saidali Iuldachev. 16...Bxf3 17.gxf3 opens White's king, 20...Rg6 and 21...Rag8 double the rooks on the g-file, and 29...Rg4 30.fxe5 f4 31.e6 Rxh4+ 32.Kg2 Qxg3+ ends the game in 32 moves.
  • 2006.05.28 Sokolov, Ivan vsAronian, Levon 0-1 Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation 19 moves Olympiad-37 Chess Olympiad, Turin 2006, round seven, against Ivan Sokolov, on the way to Armenia's first Olympiad gold. 9...Ne4 10.Bxb8 Qf6 counterattacks instead of recapturing, 16...Rxc5 17.Qa1 Qc6 turns on the c-file, and after 18.Qe5+ Kd8 19.Qxh8+ the black king walks to safety; 19...Kd7 ends the game in 19 moves.
  • 2007.02.22 Aronian, Levon vsAnand, Viswanathan 1-0 Slav Defense: Modern Line 48 moves Morelia/Linares 24th Morelia-Linares 2007, round five, against Viswanathan Anand, who became World Champion seven months later. 31.d6 Nxe7 32.Bd7 ignores the knight on e7 to keep the passed pawns moving, 39...Nxb1 40.a6 gives up a rook, and 44.a8=Q Bxa8 45.Rxa8 leaves White a rook against a knight; 48.Rg3 ends the game in 48 moves.
  • 2007.05.27 Carlsen, Magnus vsAronian, Levon 0-1 Ruy Lopez: Closed 36 moves Candidates sf Candidates match, Elista 2007, game one, against Magnus Carlsen, later World Champion; Aronian won the match in a blitz playoff. 17...exd4 18.cxd4 c4 gains queenside space, 26...Rf3 27.Ra3 Rxa3 28.bxa3 leaves the c-pawn passed, 31...c3 pushes it forward, and 36...Ra8 ends the game in 36 moves.
  • 2008.02.16 Anand, Viswanathan vsAronian, Levon 0-1 Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Modern Variation 34 moves Morelia/Linares 25th Morelia-Linares 2008, round two, against the reigning World Champion Viswanathan Anand. 18...h5 and 20...h4 attack White's king, 29...Re2 30.Nf3 Re3 31.fxe3 Qxf3 gives up the rook, and 34...Bf5 ends the game in 34 moves.
  • 2008.10.22 Aronian, Levon vsVolokitin, Andrei 1-0 Slav Defense 32 moves EU-Cup 24th European Club Cup, Kallithea 2008, round six, against Andrei Volokitin. 20.Ng5 hxg5 21.Qh7+ Kf7 gives up a knight, 23.e6+ Kxe6 drags the king into the centre, 28.Rh5 Nxh5 29.Re5+ Kg4 gives up a rook, and 31.Qxh5+ Kxf2 32.Qe2+ ends the game in 32 moves.
  • 2011.10.10 Aronian, Levon vsAnand, Viswanathan 1-0 Queen's Gambit Accepted 25 moves Grand Slam Final 4th Grand Slam Final, Bilbao 2011, round nine, against the reigning World Champion Viswanathan Anand. 11.d5 exd5 12.Rfe1+ Be6 13.Bxd5 opens the centre, 18.Nxf6+ Rxf6 19.Ng5 brings the knight to the black king, and 23.Rd7 h6 24.b4 Qf5 25.Rxe6 ends the game in 25 moves.
  • 2012.01.15 Aronian, Levon vsNakamura, Hikaru 1-0 Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation, Warsaw Variation 59 moves Tata Steel-A 74th Tata Steel, Wijk aan Zee 2012, round two, against Hikaru Nakamura, on the way to Aronian's outright tournament win. 25.Bxa6 Nc3 26.Bxc3 Rxb1 27.Rdxb1 gives up the queen for rook, bishop and pawn, 31.c5 dxc5 32.Rxc5 opens lines for the rooks, and 59.Bf7 ends the game in 59 moves.
  • 2012.01.25 Giri, Anish vsAronian, Levon 0-1 Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack, Two Knights Defense 43 moves Tata Steel-A 74th Tata Steel, Wijk aan Zee 2012, round ten, against Anish Giri. After 11.Ng5 fxg5 12.Bxh5 Bd7 13.Bf3, 13...Rxf3 14.gxf3 gives up the exchange for long-term pressure, 25...Nxh4+ brings the knight to White's king, and 41...Ne1 42.Rxe1 Qf4+ 43.Kd1 Qe4 ends the game in 43 moves; ChessBase headlined it as a masterpiece.
  • 2012.09.01 Aronian, Levon vsIvanchuk, Vassily 1-0 Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Intermezzo Line 42 moves Olympiad-40 Chess Olympiad, Istanbul 2012, round five, against Vassily Ivanchuk, the only decisive game when Armenia beat Ukraine on the way to its third Olympiad gold. 16.Bxb7 Rb8 17.Ng4 dxc3 18.Bxf6 gxf6 wrecks Black's kingside, 28.Ne7 Qg7 29.Nxg8 wins the exchange, and 42.Qf5 ends the game in 42 moves.
  • 2013.04.24 Aronian, Levon vsSvidler, Peter 1-0 Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation 36 moves Alekhine Memorial Alekhine Memorial 2013, round four, against Peter Svidler, on the way to Aronian's tournament win; he wrote that it was a special feeling to play his best game on 24 April, a very sad day for Armenians. 16.d5 f5 17.Bh4 gains space, 24.Bxd7 Rxd7 25.Bxf6 Rxf6 26.c4 supports the passed d-pawn, and 35.d6 Rd7 36.Rd2 ends the game in 36 moves.
  • 2015.08.26 So, Wesley vsAronian, Levon 0-1 Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation 28 moves Sinquefield Cup 3rd Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2015, round four, against Wesley So, on the way to Aronian's tournament win. 14...Qh4+ 15.Kf1 Ne5 16.Be1 Qf6 17.gxh5 Nxf3 gives up a knight for the attack, 23...b3 24.Nxb3 Bb6 opens the diagonal to the king, and 28...Qf4 ends the game in 28 moves.
  • 2017.01.25 Aronian, Levon vsRapport, Richard 1-0 Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation 28 moves Tata Steel-A 79th Tata Steel Masters 2017, round ten, against Richard Rapport. 15.Ng5 f5 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 trades the bishops, 18.e4 h6 19.exf5 hxg5 20.f6 gives up the knight to open the king, 23.fxe6 Qh7 24.Qg2 adds the queen, and 28.Qf1+ ends the game in 28 moves; ChessBase called it brilliant.
  • 2017.06.10 Aronian, Levon vsCarlsen, Magnus 1-0 Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Meran Variation 35 moves Norway Chess 5th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2017, round four, against the reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen, on the way to Aronian's tournament win. 12.Rxa3 Qxa3 13.c5 gives up the exchange, 17.Bxh7+ Kxh7 18.Ng5+ gives up the bishop, 23.Nxd8 wins back material, and 35.Qh4+ ends the game in 35 moves.
  • 2017.09.15 Aronian, Levon vsIvanchuk, Vassily 1-0 English Opening: Agincourt Defense 24 moves FIDE World Cup FIDE World Cup, Tbilisi 2017, quarter-final, game one, against Vassily Ivanchuk, on the way to Aronian's second World Cup title. 11.d5 exd5 12.Nh4 gives up a pawn, 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.e4 Bg7 16.exd5 wins it back with the centre, and 24.d6 ends the game in 24 moves.
  • 2017.11.19 Aronian, Levon vsGiri, Anish 1-0 English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Anglo-Grünfeld Variation 27 moves Palma de Mallorca FIDE GP FIDE Grand Prix, Palma de Mallorca 2017, round four, against Anish Giri. 8.h4 Nc6 9.h5 attacks with the h-pawn, 21.Qd1 gxh4 22.Rxh4 gives up the knight, 25.Bh6+ Ke8 26.Rg8+ Kd7 drives the king out, and 27.d6 ends the game in 27 moves; ChessBase headlined the round 'Sac, sac, mate!'.
  • 2022.03.27 Aronian, Levon vsEsipenko, Andrey 1-0 Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Ragozin Variation 23 moves Berlin FIDE GP 3 Pool-A FIDE Grand Prix, Berlin 2022, round five, against Andrey Esipenko. 13.h5 h6 14.hxg6 hxg5 gives up the knight, 15.gxf7+ Kxf7 16.Bg6+ opens the king, 19.Bxe8 Qxe8 20.Nxd5+ Nxd5 21.Bxg5+ wins material back, and 23.Rh7 ends the game in 23 moves.
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