Prepare against Paul McMahon
United Kingdom · World #50,850 classical · FIDE ID 408212
Our database contains 220 games by Paul McMahon, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Paul McMahon's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Paul McMahon before a game. You can open the same data in the free interactive preparation workstation, which builds a move-by-move opening tree from every game.
Ratings
| Time control | Current | Peak | Peak date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classical | 1,889 | 2,043 | May 2010 |
| Rapid | 1,921 | 1,921 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 220 | 62 | 67 | 91 | 28.2% |
| As White | 102 | 33 | 32 | 37 | 32.4% |
| As Black | 118 | 29 | 35 | 54 | 24.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Paul McMahon's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Paul McMahon's side.
First moves as White (102 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 52 | 51.0% | 49.0% |
| Nc3 | 46 | 45.1% | 46.7% |
| d4 | 4 | 3.9% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 51% of White games, 49.0% score
- …c5 (37% of these games) — McMahon usually continues Nf3 (46.7% score)
- …c6 (17% of these games) — McMahon usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (17% of these games) — McMahon usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
- 1.Nc3 — 45% of White games, 46.7% score
- …d5 (30% of these games) — McMahon usually continues e4 (50.0% score)
- …e5 (15% of these games) — McMahon usually continues Nf3 (42.9% score)
- …g6 (13% of these games) — McMahon usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (55 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 26 | 47.3% | 44.2% |
| e5 | 25 | 45.5% | 64.0% |
| e6 | 4 | 7.3% | 25.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (36 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 20 | 55.6% | 32.5% |
| d5 | 15 | 41.7% | 30.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 2.8% | 50.0% |
Paul McMahon's chess games
All 220 games by Paul McMahon in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Aug 2026) are free to browse, search and replay: filter by opening, opponent, event or date on the player page, or step through any game on the analysis board. Record: 62 wins, 67 draws, 91 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A00 | Dunst Opening | 46 | 14/15/17 | 30.4% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 12 | 4/5/3 | 33.3% |
| B10 | Caro-Kann | 9 | 3/2/4 | 33.3% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 8 | 2/4/2 | 25.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| C91 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| A00 | Scandinavian Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| E60 | Indian Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| C01 | Petrov's Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 19 | 6/5/8 | 31.6% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 13 | 2/4/7 | 15.4% |
| A52 | Budapest Defense | 10 | 1/5/4 | 10.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 6 | 1/2/3 | 16.7% |
| C56 | Italian Game | 6 | 1/4/1 | 16.7% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 5 | 5/0/0 | 100.0% |
| C84 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 4 | 2/2/0 | 50.0% |
| D02 | London System | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| D35 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1999 | Rohan M Churm | 2,168 | 86th ch-BCF | C89 |
| Mar 2014 | Anthony M Hynes | 2,164 | chT2a-BCF 1314 (4NCL) | A00 |
| Aug 1999 | David Buckley | 2,163 | 86th ch-BCF | C36 |
| Aug 1999 | Peter J Mercs | 2,123 | 86th ch-BCF | B50 |
| Jan 2010 | Stewart K Fishburne | 2,106 | chT2b-BCF 0910 (4NCL) | B06 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT4S-BCF 1617 (4NCL) | 2017 | 11 | 5 | 1,827 |
| chT4-BCF 0708 (4NCL) | 2008 | 11 | 4.5 | 1,881 |
| chT4S-BCF 1718 (4NCL) | 2018 | 11 | 5.5 | 1,754 |
| Coventry Int. Open | 2025 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,840 |
| 2nd Cambridge Open | 2024 | 9 | 4 | 1,899 |
| Wightlink Int Masters | 2025 | 9 | 3 | 1,888 |
| ch-IRL | 1991 | 9 | 3 | 2,141 |
| ECU Senior +50 2026 | 2026 | 9 | 4.5 | 1,917 |
Interactive opening tree from all 220 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Paul McMahon's chess games?
220 games by Paul McMahon, from Apr 2003 to Aug 2026, are free to browse and replay move by move — no signup needed. The preparation view groups them into an opening tree showing every line Paul McMahon has played.
What does Paul McMahon play on the first move as White?
Across 102 games with White in our database, Paul McMahon opens with 1.e4 (51% of games), 1.Nc3 (45% of games), 1.d4 (4% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Paul McMahon answers 1...d5 (47% of games), 1...e5 (45% of games), 1...e6 (7% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (56% of games), 1...d5 (42% of games), 1...e6 (3% of games).
What openings does Paul McMahon play as White?
As White, Paul McMahon's most-played openings in our database are: Dunst Opening (46 games, 30.4% win rate); Sicilian (12 games, 33.3% win rate); Caro-Kann (9 games, 33.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 102 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Paul McMahon play as Black?
As Black, Paul McMahon most often plays: Scandinavian Defense: Main Line (19 games, 31.6% win rate); Indian Defense (13 games, 15.4% win rate); Budapest Defense (10 games, 10.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 118 games.
What is Paul McMahon's FIDE rating?
Paul McMahon is currently rated 1,889 in classical chess, 1,921 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 2,043 (May 2010).
How many games has Paul McMahon played?
Our database contains 220 games by Paul McMahon, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 62 wins, 67 draws, 91 losses (28.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Paul McMahon?
220 games by Paul McMahon reveal their opening repertoire, most-played lines, and the variations where they score worst — the raw material for targeted preparation. The interactive opening tree lets you walk every line to any depth.