Bulgaria's New Chess Champion: Nurgyul Salimova Surpasses Antoaneta Stefanova

Nurgyul Salimova, hailing from the village of Krepcha, has claimed the top spot in women's chess in Bulgaria, surpassing former world and European champion Antoaneta Stefanovain the latest FIDE rankings, just a day before her 21st birthday.

In the June release of the FIDE rankings, Salimova reached 33rd place among women, boasting a career-best individual ELO coefficient of 2436. Meanwhile, Grandmaster Stefanova experienced a significant drop, falling 15 positions to #40 in the global ranking, with a personal rating of 2417.

Born on June 2, 2003, Nurgyul solidified her position in April by competing in the Women's World Title Candidates Tournament in Toronto. Despite finishing 7th overall in the Canadian city, the Bulgarian chess player managed to increase her rating by 3.6 points, securing one win and 9 draws against elite opponents in 14 games.

Conversely, Stefanova suffered a setback during the European Women's Championship in Rhodes at the end of April, losing a total of 31.7 points from her ELO. The 45-year-old recorded 2 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses on the Greek island, ultimately withdrawing from the competition two rounds before its conclusion.

Another standout performer in the FIDE rankings is 18-year-old Nadya Toncheva, whose stellar showing at the Euro '24 for women propelled her up the rankings. The Sofia native, finishing 7th in the championship, gained 64 points in her individual rating, climbing from 33rd to 12th place globally among girls under 18.