Bulgarian Chess Talent: Three Players Crack Top 30 in FIDE Rankings

In the latest global chess rankings for April, several Bulgarian players have made noteworthy strides, with Antoaneta Stefanova, Nadia Toncheva, and Veselin Topalov securing spots among the top 30 in their respective categories. Meanwhile, Nurgyul Salimova has achieved a remarkable record ranking, signaling Bulgaria's continued prowess on the international chess scene.

Former world champion Antoaneta Stefanova has ascended eight places and now sits at 27th with a coefficient of 2447. Stefanova's rise comes ahead of her intense preparations for the European Individual Championships, slated to commence in Rhodes, Greece, on April 19th. Bulgaria will be well-represented at the championships, with six participants including Stefanova and other gold medalists from last year's team championship.

Nurgyul Salimova has also made significant strides, securing the 36th position with an ELO of 2432, marking her best ranking to date. Salimova's impressive performance at the Reykjavik tournament in March has propelled her to this remarkable achievement. She is now gearing up for the Challengers Tournament in Toronto, where she aims to earn the opportunity to challenge world champion Ju Wenjun of China for the 2025 title.

In the men's Open category, Veselin Topalov, while dropping one position, maintains a strong presence at 26th with a coefficient of 2727. Among the girls, Nadia Toncheva holds the 28th position with 2258, while Beloslava Krasteva follows closely at number 46 with 2220.