J_Santiago strikes back and gets the split against RumGalloRum!!

 Round 1 matchup of the 2025 IDT tournament on Chess.com, @j_santiago (1487) edged out @RumGalloRum (1511) in a daily chess game concluded on July 8, 2025. Played under a 1-day-per-move time control, this Queen’s Pawn Game (D02) showcased j_santiago’s endgame resilience, ending with RumGalloRum’s resignation, splitting their head-to-head series.

The game opened with 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5,
as RumGalloRum established a solid center. J_santiago responded with 3…Bf5 and 5…c6, aiming for a solid structure. The critical moment came with 6. Qb3 Qb6
, leading to a queen trade (7. Qxb6 axb6), simplifying early. J_santiago’s 11…Ne4 and 12…Bxe4 challenged white’s knights, while 13…exd5 maintained balance.

RumGalloRum’s 14. Ng5 and 15. Rac1 pressured the kingside, but j_santiago’s 16…f6 and 18…Re7 stabilized. The turning point was 21…c4,
creating a queenside pawn majority, followed by 27…Rxd5. J_santiago’s 35…Kd5 and 38…Re2 dominated
, with 42…Nxb2
and 48…Rxa3
securing material. The final moves, 55…Rxd6 and 57…b3,
 left RumGalloRum defenseless, forcing resignation as black’s passed pawns prevailed.

This win brings j_santiago to 4 points in Group 2, while RumGalloRum holds 3 points, splitting their series.  In Group 1, tillboy leads with 6 points. 

View the full game at: https://www.chess.com/game/daily/833379450?move=0. Stay tuned for more IDT action!