GM Sergei Tiviakov (2602) beat GM Luke J McShane (2647) in 40 moves in round 6 of the Pall Mall Masters rapid in London, with two black pawns on g3 and h3 when the game ended.
McShane had 1:50 left for 31.Bd1; Tiviakov had more than seven minutes. Stockfish wanted 31.Rxe5. It counted Black clearly better before (−2.13) and winning after (−2.87), and 31...h4 came straight back. 32.Rxe8 Rxe8 33.Bb3+ axb3 34.Rxf1 left one rook each, and the black pawns ran: 35...h3, 38...g5, 39...g4, 40...g3.
It was one of Tiviakov's three wins in the rapid. Tiviakov finished fourth, on 5½/10.
Go back to 31.Bd1 and find 31.Rxe5. Then play the pawn race on against the engine.
- White
- GM Luke J McShane, 2647
- Black
- GM Sergei Tiviakov, 2602
- Result
- 0–1 in 40 moves
- Opening
- French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Blackburne Defense · C10
- Event
- 2026 Army and Navy Club Pall Mall Masters, 2026 Army and Navy Club Pall Mall Masters - Super Rapid, Round 6 · The Army & Navy Club, 36 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5JN
- Key move: {0}
- 31.Bd1
- Engine’s choice
- 31.Rxe5