About Alex Bian
Alex Bian, known online as awb2001, is a FIDE Master who has spent over a decade turning online chess queues into a personal playground. Since 2013, Alex has built a reputation as a fearless, tactically aggressive player who never takes a draw offer when a fight is available. Although the blitz board is where Alex has logged the most battles, the preferred time control is Rapid, and that is where the play gets extra sharp.
Rise Through the Ranks
The climb began modestly in 2013, but Alex improved quickly. By 2014 the blitz rating was past 2000, and in November 2016 Alex played 186 blitz games in a single month while pushing past 2300. The upward march continued through the FIDE Master title years, reaching a peak Blitz rating of 2637 in November 2023.
Opening Repertoire
Alex is a 1.e4 player at heart. With White, the Scotch Game is a trusted weapon: 54 wins in 86 blitz games and a perfect 8 wins from 8 in Rapid. Alex also enjoys taking on the Caro-Kann Defense and has strong results against the Czech Defense. With Black, the Sicilian Defense leads the way, especially the Accelerated Dragon, while the Döry Defense and the Pterodactyl Variation of the Modern Defense have produced some of Alex's best winning numbers.
Rivalries
Long careers create familiar faces. Alex's most played opponent is Joshua Sheng, who has won 25 of their 33 meetings. Against Dr. Norbert Barth, the story flips, with Alex holding 12 wins to 3. Regular clashes with Mark Kotliar and kamran SHIRAZI also helped forge Alex's stubborn, never-say-die style.
Fighting Spirit
The stats describe a player who simply refuses to fold. Alex wins 88.24% of games after falling behind and still converts 53.37% of the time after losing a piece. The early resignation rate is under 1%, and games regularly stretch past 70 moves. With an 11 game winning streak on the resume, once Alex gets rolling, opponents need more than a good position to stop the charge.
Rapid Chess and Legacy
Rapid is where Alex feels most at home. The Rapid rating peaked at 2590 in April 2020, and in July 2026 Alex won 11 of 14 Rapid games. Whether grinding a rook endgame or defending a cramped position, Alex Bian brings the same fighting energy to every time control. After more than a decade of online play, awb2001 remains one of the most relentless competitors in the lobby.