Parham Maghsoodloo has packed an impressive collection of records and milestones into a career that’s still building. Here’s a rundown of the best — every one checked against reliable sources, with the volatile “current” numbers left out in favor of stable, dated facts.
The essentials
- Full name: Parham Maghsoodloo (Persian: پرهام مقصودلو).
- Born: 2000, in Iran’s Golestan Province.
- Represents: Iran — where he is the top-rated player.
- Title: Grandmaster (GM), earned in 2016 at age 15.
- Peak classical rating: 2742 (2023) — reaching world No. 12.
The headline: first Iranian World Junior Champion
This is the one that defines him. At the 2018 World Junior Championship, Maghsoodloo became the first Iranian player ever to win the title — and he did it in dominant style, scoring 9½/11 and clinching with a full round to spare, a clear point ahead of the field. He won game after game, drawing just once along the way (against fellow Iranian Alireza Firouzja) before dropping only a meaningless final game after the crown was already his. It’s a performance that instantly put him among the game’s most promising young talents.
The other career milestones
- GM at 15: he earned the grandmaster title in 2016, one of the youngest GMs in the world at the time — having already broken 2400 by age 14.
- World Cup at 15: he played the 2015 FIDE World Cup as a teenager, gaining top-level experience early.
- Three-time national champion: he won the Iranian Championship in 2017, 2018, and 2021.
- Top-12 peak: his 2742 rating in 2023 lifted him into the world’s top 12 — genuine elite territory.
The scalp-hunter
Few players collect big-name wins as memorably as Maghsoodloo when he’s on form:
- At the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss he led the tournament while beating a string of elite grandmasters, including Alireza Firouzja, Richard Rapport, and David Antón, and drawing Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
- His signature is beating strong players by out-preparing and out-calculating them — at the 2018 World Juniors he was reportedly following home analysis some 35 moves deep.
- He raises his game against the best: from steamrolling the world’s top juniors to toppling multiple elite grandmasters in a single Swiss, his standout moments come against standout opposition.
A proud Iranian No. 1
One of the defining facts of Maghsoodloo’s story is his loyalty to his flag. Unlike some of his peers — including his old rival Alireza Firouzja, who switched to France — Maghsoodloo has continued to represent Iran, where he stands as the country’s clear No. 1 player. He’s a central figure in a golden generation of Iranian chess that has pushed several players toward the world’s top ranks, and he anchored the Iranian team that took gold at the 2022 Asian Games.
Tournament honors
- 2018 World Junior Champion (9½/11, a round to spare) — the first Iranian to win it.
- Iranian Champion in 2017, 2018, and 2021 (three-time national champion).
- 2018 Sharjah Masters winner — one of the strongest open events on the calendar.
- 2025 Reykjavík Open winner, in clear first.
- 2022 Asian Games team gold, representing Iran.
The fighter’s creed
Maghsoodloo’s whole approach is captured in a line he offered during his breakout 2018 World Juniors run: “It’s good to be a fighter and not make draws. If you love your sport you can be a fighter.” It’s more than a soundbite — it’s the philosophy behind a career built on pressing for wins, and it explains why his tournaments so often feature long strings of decisive games.
Career timeline at a glance
A quick, dated rundown of the milestones above, in order:
- 2000: born in Iran’s Golestan Province.
- 2015: plays the FIDE World Cup as a 15-year-old.
- 2016: earns the grandmaster title at age 15.
- 2017–2018: wins back-to-back Iranian Championships.
- 2018: wins the World Junior Championship (9½/11) — first Iranian to do so — and the Sharjah Masters.
- 2021: wins a third Iranian Championship.
- 2022: takes team gold with Iran at the Asian Games.
- 2023: peaks at 2742, reaching world No. 12.
- 2025: wins the Reykjavík Open and leads the FIDE Grand Swiss with wins over the elite.
It’s a remarkable list for a player still in his mid-twenties, and the story is very much unfinished. For the numbers behind it, see his rating history.
FAQ
Why is Parham Maghsoodloo famous? Most of all for winning the 2018 World Junior Championship — the first Iranian ever to do so — in dominant fashion, then climbing into the world’s top 12.
What records or titles does Maghsoodloo hold? The first Iranian World Junior Champion (2018), a three-time Iranian national champion (2017, 2018, 2021), and a top-12 world peak of 2742 (2023).
Does Maghsoodloo play for Iran? Yes. Unlike some of his peers who switched federations, he continues to represent Iran, where he is the top-rated player.
Has Maghsoodloo beaten players like Firouzja? Yes — at the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss he beat Alireza Firouzja and Richard Rapport, among other elite grandmasters, while leading the event.
How old was Maghsoodloo when he became a grandmaster? 15, in 2016 — one of the youngest grandmasters in the world at the time.
Keep exploring
Back to the Parham Maghsoodloo profile · his best games · his rating history · his playing style · or browse all chess players.
Written and fact-checked by the Chess Lab Academy Editorial Team · Facts verified against Wikipedia, his FIDE profile, and Chess.com, as of July 2026 · Last verified 2026-07-10 · How we verify content.