Reza Mahdavi: The Online IM Who Treats the Board Like a Second Home
Reza Mahdavi, known on Chess.com as rezamahdavi2008, has earned the FIDE title of International Master. Behind that title sits one of the most industrious online players you will ever find. His handle says 2008, but his chess looks like it was forged over decades of bullet, blitz, and rapid fire battles.
From Invisible to Invincible
Reza's online journey began in mid-2018 with modest blitz ratings around 1650. From there, he transformed into a 3000+ bullet and blitz monster, peaking at 3210 in blitz and 3337 in bullet. His rapid chess, currently his preferred battleground, has also climbed into the 2500 range. The climb was not a straight line; it was a long, stubborn grind through tens of thousands of games.
A Repertoire Rooted in the Classics
When Reza has the white pieces, he overwhelmingly opens with 1.e4. He is comfortable in the Caro-Kann Defense and loves the open piece play of the Four Knights Game. As black, he meets 1.e4 with the Sicilian Defense, frequently diving into the Najdorf Variation, and he handles flank openings through the Anglo-Indian Defense.
His rapid play is especially venomous in these lines: his win rate in the Caro-Kann and Four Knights approaches 90 percent, and even in the sharp Sicilian he tends to outcalculate opponents rather than outlast them.
Rivalries and the Relentless Grind
Reza plays an absurd volume of games, and his leaderboard is a who's who of online fighters. His most frequent opponent is Oleksandr Bortnyk, facing him 437 times, while Daniel Naroditsky has also shared hundreds of battles with him. Other recurring rivals include arash_tahbaz and trimitziosp7, each pushing him well past the 400-game mark.
- Against lower-rated opposition, he wins about 70 percent of games.
- Against higher-rated opposition, he still finds ways to strike back, with a comeback rate near 87 percent.
- His longest winning streak hit 31 consecutive games, proving how dangerous he becomes when in form.
Tactical DNA: Checks, Comebacks, and Endgames
Reza does not believe in early resignations. His games often stretch past 80 moves on average, and he is willing to defend unpleasant endings. He delivers the first check in just over half of his games, and when he does, his win rate jumps to nearly 65 percent. His queen is his favorite checking piece, but his rook is not far behind.
A snapshot of his powers: 3210 (2026-08-11), 3337 (2026-03-09), and 2520 (2026-08-22).
In short, Reza Mahdavi is a player who turns every online game into a fight. Whether he is grinding out an endgame or launching a queenside raid, he embodies the relentless spirit of the modern chess professional.