GM Robert Hovhannisyan (Armenia) beat GM Wesley So (United States of America) in round 7 of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 2026 (Open), in 60 moves.
The game turned on 54.Rxd3. Before it, Stockfish had the position as a small edge for Black (-0.60); one move later, winning for Black (-2.86).
Stockfish wanted 54.Kc7 instead. Can you see why? And 54...Rc2, the engine's best reply, came straight back.
The ratings said otherwise: Hovhannisyan was 132 points lower. It began as the Petrov's Defense: Paulsen Attack.
Replay it move by move, then take the key position on against the engine.
- White
- GM Wesley So, 2774 · United States of America
- Black
- GM Robert Hovhannisyan, 2642 · Armenia
- Result
- 0–1 in 60 moves
- Opening
- Petrov's Defense: Paulsen Attack · C42
- Event
- 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 2026, Open, Round 7 · Samarkand, Uzbekistan
- Key move: {0}
- 54.Rxd3
- Engine’s choice
- 54.Kc7