Aronian, L. – Donchenko, Alexa

2737 2025 · Draw

Aronian (2737) versus Donchenko (2616), 2025: a Sicilian Alapin in which White trades early in the centre and the game resolves through simplification. No turning point shows up in the analysis — the engine flags neither a decisive error nor a missed chance. The numbers tell the story: 98% of White’s moves rated at least good, 95% of Black’s. After the queens come off and a long knight manoeuvring phase, the rooks leave the board and the position empties out into a split point. The takeaway: a draw like this isn’t endured, it’s built — one correct move after another, refusing inaccuracy exactly when the material thins out.