Known to friends and foes alike as M_VoiD, Emad Mahdavi is a chess player who navigates the 64 squares with a mixture of strategy, persistence, and a pinch of unpredictability. His best piece? Resilience. His favorite opening? The legendary Vienna Game, boasting a perfect 100% win rate—well, when the stars align and the pieces cooperate.
Rating Rollercoaster
Emad’s chess journey in rapid time control has seen some high thrills and occasional dips. His peak rapid rating touched an impressive 848 in March 2021, fueled by gritty matches and some serious positional jabs. The journey since then has been a masterpiece of persistence — varying between fiery comebacks and humble lessons learned from tough losses. When it comes to blitz and bullet, he’s had less time but made a respectable mark with peak ratings of 585 and 562 respectively.
Playing Style: Patient Tactician with a Taste for Drama
Emad’s games tend to stretch deep into the endgame, with an average decisive game lasting over 60 moves — a marathon, not a sprint. He’s shown a remarkable 72.65% comeback rate after setbacks, proving he’s not one to pack up his pawns easily. But beware: his early resignation rate is a modest 3.79%, so he’s no quitter, even if the position looks bleak. If timing is everything, Emad is best at 4 AM — the witching hour where magic (or madness) unfolds on the board.
Favorite Openings and Signature Moves
Vienna Game: A flawless 9 wins, no losses, no draws. Emad’s power opening and a lawsuit against monotony.
Scandinavian Defense Mieses Kotrc Variation: Around 60% win rate in rapid games — a tricky line to throw opponents off their game.
King's Pawn Opening: Played 21 times in rapid, with a pretty respectable 52% win rate.
Rivalries and Friendships
While many have tried, few have consistently outmaneuvered Emad. For instance, "pedram10" enjoys a flawless record over him (0 wins for Emad in 2 games), but others like "mongjy", "gazmenhamza", and "nitrix_1994" have met their match with 100% loss records against Emad. Opponents beware: once you step onto his board, you might be stepping into a tactical labyrinth.
Recent Battles in the M_VoiD
One of his most dramatic victories came in June 2025, where Emad, playing Black, coaxed a resignation out of his opponent with a brilliant display of the Nimzowitsch Defense — outmaneuvering with bold pawn pushes and a sneaky bishop sacrifice:
The game lasted just 16 moves, but the sting of defeat lingered long!
Fun Fact
Despite a relatively modest peak rating compared to grandmasters, Emad's tactical audacity and determination often make his games more exciting than many higher-rated players. Chess might be 99% waiting and 1% inspiration, but Emad thrives in the inspirational chaos — especially when others think he’s just a “void.”
