J_Santiago checkmates Tibbs0111 to punch his ticket into the finals!

@ j_santiago (1491) delivered a decisive checkmate against @Tibbs0111 (1147) in a daily chess game concluded at 02:27 PM EDT on July 25, 2025—the current date and time. Played under a 1-day-per-move time control, this Sicilian Defense (B20) showcased j_santiago’s attacking prowess, ending with a stunning finish and securing his place in the IDT finals against the Group 1 winner.

The game opened with 1. e4 c5 2. a3,
as Tibbs0111 opted for an unusual setup. J_santiago responded with 2…Nc6 and 4…g6, castling by move 6. The critical moment came  when @J_Santiago unleashed a beautiful pawn fork with 20…d4
allowing Santi to go up in the exchange!

J_santiago’s 26…Rxg2+ and 29…Qf7+ forced white’s king into a corner, leading to 31…Rxf3 and 36…Qf2+. The decisive sequence culminated in 37…Qg1#,
delivering checkmate with the queen and Bishop battery trapping Tibbs0111’s king. This victory boosts j_santiago to 6 points in Group 2, clinching his finals berth where he will look to face the  the Group 1 winner, currently led by @tillboy with 6 points.

Tibbs0111 remains at 2 points, while in Group 1, @YDTD holds 4 points. J_santiago’s tactical brilliance was  awe inspiring and  he will definitely be looking to win his first LC daily title!

View the full game at: https://www.chess.com/game/daily/833379478. Stay tuned for more IDT action!