Momchil Petkov: The Bulgarian Grandmaster of the Long Grind
Momchil Petkov, who competes online as MomchilPetkov, is a FIDE Grandmaster with a digital footprint that borders on legendary. Although his profile lists Rapid as his preferred time control, his true empire is the Blitz board, where he has played more than 16,400 games and climbed to a peak rating of 3174 (2026-06-17).
The Online Marathoner
Petkov's Blitz journey started in February 2018 at a modest 932. Within six months he crossed 2500, and by 2024 he was routinely trading blows above 2900. His rating curve is a study in persistence.
His Bullet rating peaked at 3104 (2026-01-03), while his Rapid rating reached 2454 (2021-02-04) in early 2021. In Rapid he has been nearly untouchable, winning 58 of 65 games. His longest winning streak is 54 consecutive games, and his longest losing streak is 12, a number that would break most players but only seems to fuel him. He has also played more than 2,200 Bullet games, making him a true marathoner of the sixty-four squares.
Familiar Foes
No account of Petkov's career is complete without his most frequent rival, kriskobe. The two have clashed 169 times, with Petkov winning 151. He also has deep histories with Murad İbrahimli, Igor Kovalenko, and WhooopsIDidItAgain, each played 90 or more times.
Not every rivalry goes his way. Rudik Makarian has faced Petkov 97 times and holds a 53 to 33 edge, proof that even a Grandmaster has a nemesis.
Opening Repertoire
Petkov's opening tastes have evolved with the years. In 2018 he was a devoted 1.d4 player; by 2026, 1.e4 had taken over his white repertoire. He has a soft spot for the Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack and the London System, both frequent weapons in his Blitz battles.
With the black pieces, he favors the Modern Defense, the Caro-Kann Defense, and the Sicilian Defense, often landing in the Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack. His choices are practical, flexible, and built for the clock.
Style and Quirks
Petkov is a comeback artist. His comeback rate is nearly 89 percent, and he still wins 43 percent of his games after losing a piece. He delivers the first check in 51 percent of his games, and when he does, his win rate climbs to 51 percent. When his opponent checks first, it falls to 37 percent.
- Best hour to play: 4:00 AM, with a win rate above 83 percent.
- Most dangerous day: Monday, when his win rate peaks near 47 percent.
- Feasts on lower-rated opposition, winning about 64 percent of those games.
- Holds higher-rated players to a respectable 30 percent win rate.