Bulgarian Chess Championship

The Bulgarian Chess Championship is an event inaugurated in 1933 to crown the best chess player in Bulgaria. The championship has been held on a nearly annual basis since, with only a few years missed. In recent years some of the very best Bulgarian players have not participated in the championship, including former World Champions Veselin Topalov and Antoaneta Stefanova.

Open championship

 * {| class="sortable wikitable"

! # !! Year !! City !! Men's Champion !! Comment champion Nurgyul Salimova
 * 1 || 1933 || Varna      || Georgy Geshev || Geshev defeated Yury Toshev (4.5 : 3.5) in a play-off match
 * 2 || 1934 || Sofia      || Georgy Geshev ||
 * 3 || 1935 || Rousse     || Georgy Geshev ||
 * 4 || 1936 || Sofia      || Georgy Geshev ||
 * 5 || 1937 || Sofia      || Oleg Neikirch ||
 * 6 || 1938 || Varna      || Oleg Neikirch ||
 * 7 || 1940 || Sofia      || Alexander Tsvetkov Oleg Neikirch ||
 * 8 || 1942 || Sofia      || Yury Toshev ||
 * 9 || 1943 || Sofia      || Oleg Neikirch ||
 * 10 || 1945 || Sofia     || Alexander Tsvetkov || Svetozar Gligoric won (off contest)
 * 11 || 1946 || Sofia     || Peter Petrov ||
 * 12 || 1947 || Sofia     || Kamen Piskov Yury Toshev ||
 * 13 || 1948 || Sofia     || Oleg Neikirch Alexander Tsvetkov ||
 * 14 || 1949 || Sofia     || Krstiu Krstev Dimitrov ||
 * 15 || 1950 || Sofia     || Alexander Tsvetkov ||
 * 16 || 1951 || Sofia     || Alexander Tsvetkov Nikolay Minev Milko Bobotsov || Tsvetkov won ahead of Bobotsov and Minev in BUL-ch playoffs in January 1952
 * 17 || 1952 || Sofia     || Zdravko Milev ||
 * 18 || 1953 || Sofia     || Nikolay Minev Oleg Neikirch ||
 * 19 || 1954 || Sofia     || Nikola Padevsky ||
 * 20 || 1955 || Sofia     || Nikola Padevsky ||
 * 21 || 1957 || Sofia     || Oleg Neikirch ||
 * 22 || 1958 || Sofia     || Milko Bobotsov ||
 * 23 || 1959 || Sofia     || Vladilen Todorov Popov ||
 * 24 || 1960 || Sofia     || Zdravko Milev ||
 * 25 || 1961 || Sofia     || Zdravko Milev ||
 * 26 || 1962 || Sofia     || Nikola Padevsky ||
 * 27 || 1963 || Sofia     || Georgi Tringov ||
 * 28 || 1964 || Sofia     || Nikola Padevsky || Padevsky defeated Atanas Kolarov (2.5 : 1.5) in a play-off match
 * 29 || 1965 || Varna     || Nikolay Minev ||
 * 30 || 1966 || Sofia     || Nikolay Minev ||
 * 31 || 1968 || Sofia     || Peicho Chanev Peev ||
 * 32 || 1969 || Plovdiv   || Nikola Spiridonov ||
 * 33 || 1970 || Sofia     || Lyuben Stoyanov Popov ||
 * 34 || 1971 || Sofia     || Ivan Radulov ||
 * 35 || 1972 || Sofia     || Sarkis Stepn Bohosjan ||
 * 36 || 1973 || Sofia     || Evgenij Ermenkov ||
 * 37 || 1973 || Sofia     || Nino Kirov ||
 * 38 || 1974 || Asenovgrad || Ivan Radulov ||
 * 39 || 1975 || Pernik    || Evgenij Ermenkov || Match-tournament: 1. Ermenkov 2. Nikola Spiridonov 3. Nikolai Radev
 * 40 || 1976 || Sofia     || Evgenij Ermenkov ||
 * 41 || 1977 || Sofia     || Ivan Radulov ||
 * 42 || 1978 || Vratza    || Nino Kirov ||
 * 43 || 1979 || Sofia     || Evgenij Ermenkov || Ermenkov defeated Krum Georgiev in a play-off match
 * 44 || 1980 || Sofia     || Ivan Radulov || Radulov defeated Ventzislav Inkiov (2 : 1) in a play-off match
 * 45 || 1981 || Sofia     || Georgi Tringov ||
 * 46 || 1982 || Sofia     || Ventzislav Inkiov || Inkiov defeated Valentin Lukov in a play-off match
 * 47 || 1983 || Pernik    || Dimitar Donchev ||
 * 48 || 1984 || Sofia     || Kiril Georgiev ||
 * 49 || 1985 || Sofia     || Georgi Tringov ||
 * 50 || 1986 || Sofia     || Kiril Georgiev ||
 * 51 || 1987 || Elenite   || Petar Velikov ||
 * 52 || 1988 || Sofia     || Dimitar Donchev ||
 * 53 || 1989 || Sofia     || Kiril Georgiev ||
 * 54 || 1990 || Sofia     || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 55 || 1991 || Pazardzhik || Boris Chatalbashev ||
 * 56 || 1992 || Bankya    || Atanas Kolev ||
 * 57 || 1993 || Pirdop    || Petar Genov ||
 * 58 || 1994 || Sofia     || Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 59 || 1995 || Sofia     || Vladimir Georgiev ||
 * 60 || 1996 || Sofia     || Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 61 || 1997 || Shumen   || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 62 || 1998 || Dupnitsa  || Boris Chatalbashev ||
 * 63 || 1999 || Plovdiv   || Petar Genov ||
 * 64 || 2000 || Asenovgrad || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 65 || 2001 || Tsarevo   || Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 66 || 2002 || Sofia     || Marijan Petrov ||
 * 67 || 2003 || Sofia     || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 68 || 2004 || Sofia     || Ivan Cheparinov ||
 * 69 || 2005 || Pleven    || Ivan Cheparinov ||
 * 70 || 2006 || Svilengrad || Valentin Iotov ||
 * 71 || 2007 || Pernik    || Boris Chatalbashev ||
 * 72 || 2008 || Plovdiv    || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 73 || 2009 || Blagoevgrad    || Dejan Bojkov ||
 * 74 || 2010 || Kiustendil    ||Boris Chatalbashev  ||
 * 75 || 2011 || Bankya    || Julian Radulski ||
 * 76 || 2012 || Panagyurishte    ||Ivan Cheparinov ||
 * 77 || 2013 || Bankya    ||Kiril Georgiev ||
 * 78 || 2014 || Kozloduy    ||Kiril Georgiev||
 * 79 || 2015 || Pleven    ||Kiril Georgiev||
 * 80 || 2016 || Pleven    ||Momchil Nikolov||
 * 81 || 2017 || Montana    || Marian Petrov||
 * 82 || 2018 || Kozloduy    || Ivan Cheparinov  ||
 * 83 || 2019 || Kozloduy    ||  Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 84 || 2020 || Sofia    ||  Martin Petrov ||
 * || 2023 || Sofia    ||  Kiril Georgiev || half a point ahead of 2017 Women's
 * 43 || 1979 || Sofia     || Evgenij Ermenkov || Ermenkov defeated Krum Georgiev in a play-off match
 * 44 || 1980 || Sofia     || Ivan Radulov || Radulov defeated Ventzislav Inkiov (2 : 1) in a play-off match
 * 45 || 1981 || Sofia     || Georgi Tringov ||
 * 46 || 1982 || Sofia     || Ventzislav Inkiov || Inkiov defeated Valentin Lukov in a play-off match
 * 47 || 1983 || Pernik    || Dimitar Donchev ||
 * 48 || 1984 || Sofia     || Kiril Georgiev ||
 * 49 || 1985 || Sofia     || Georgi Tringov ||
 * 50 || 1986 || Sofia     || Kiril Georgiev ||
 * 51 || 1987 || Elenite   || Petar Velikov ||
 * 52 || 1988 || Sofia     || Dimitar Donchev ||
 * 53 || 1989 || Sofia     || Kiril Georgiev ||
 * 54 || 1990 || Sofia     || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 55 || 1991 || Pazardzhik || Boris Chatalbashev ||
 * 56 || 1992 || Bankya    || Atanas Kolev ||
 * 57 || 1993 || Pirdop    || Petar Genov ||
 * 58 || 1994 || Sofia     || Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 59 || 1995 || Sofia     || Vladimir Georgiev ||
 * 60 || 1996 || Sofia     || Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 61 || 1997 || Shumen   || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 62 || 1998 || Dupnitsa  || Boris Chatalbashev ||
 * 63 || 1999 || Plovdiv   || Petar Genov ||
 * 64 || 2000 || Asenovgrad || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 65 || 2001 || Tsarevo   || Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 66 || 2002 || Sofia     || Marijan Petrov ||
 * 67 || 2003 || Sofia     || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 68 || 2004 || Sofia     || Ivan Cheparinov ||
 * 69 || 2005 || Pleven    || Ivan Cheparinov ||
 * 70 || 2006 || Svilengrad || Valentin Iotov ||
 * 71 || 2007 || Pernik    || Boris Chatalbashev ||
 * 72 || 2008 || Plovdiv    || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 73 || 2009 || Blagoevgrad    || Dejan Bojkov ||
 * 74 || 2010 || Kiustendil    ||Boris Chatalbashev  ||
 * 75 || 2011 || Bankya    || Julian Radulski ||
 * 76 || 2012 || Panagyurishte    ||Ivan Cheparinov ||
 * 77 || 2013 || Bankya    ||Kiril Georgiev ||
 * 78 || 2014 || Kozloduy    ||Kiril Georgiev||
 * 79 || 2015 || Pleven    ||Kiril Georgiev||
 * 80 || 2016 || Pleven    ||Momchil Nikolov||
 * 81 || 2017 || Montana    || Marian Petrov||
 * 82 || 2018 || Kozloduy    || Ivan Cheparinov  ||
 * 83 || 2019 || Kozloduy    ||  Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 84 || 2020 || Sofia    ||  Martin Petrov ||
 * || 2023 || Sofia    ||  Kiril Georgiev || half a point ahead of 2017 Women's
 * 65 || 2001 || Tsarevo   || Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 66 || 2002 || Sofia     || Marijan Petrov ||
 * 67 || 2003 || Sofia     || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 68 || 2004 || Sofia     || Ivan Cheparinov ||
 * 69 || 2005 || Pleven    || Ivan Cheparinov ||
 * 70 || 2006 || Svilengrad || Valentin Iotov ||
 * 71 || 2007 || Pernik    || Boris Chatalbashev ||
 * 72 || 2008 || Plovdiv    || Vasil Spasov ||
 * 73 || 2009 || Blagoevgrad    || Dejan Bojkov ||
 * 74 || 2010 || Kiustendil    ||Boris Chatalbashev  ||
 * 75 || 2011 || Bankya    || Julian Radulski ||
 * 76 || 2012 || Panagyurishte    ||Ivan Cheparinov ||
 * 77 || 2013 || Bankya    ||Kiril Georgiev ||
 * 78 || 2014 || Kozloduy    ||Kiril Georgiev||
 * 79 || 2015 || Pleven    ||Kiril Georgiev||
 * 80 || 2016 || Pleven    ||Momchil Nikolov||
 * 81 || 2017 || Montana    || Marian Petrov||
 * 82 || 2018 || Kozloduy    || Ivan Cheparinov  ||
 * 83 || 2019 || Kozloduy    ||  Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 84 || 2020 || Sofia    ||  Martin Petrov ||
 * || 2023 || Sofia    ||  Kiril Georgiev || half a point ahead of 2017 Women's
 * 75 || 2011 || Bankya    || Julian Radulski ||
 * 76 || 2012 || Panagyurishte    ||Ivan Cheparinov ||
 * 77 || 2013 || Bankya    ||Kiril Georgiev ||
 * 78 || 2014 || Kozloduy    ||Kiril Georgiev||
 * 79 || 2015 || Pleven    ||Kiril Georgiev||
 * 80 || 2016 || Pleven    ||Momchil Nikolov||
 * 81 || 2017 || Montana    || Marian Petrov||
 * 82 || 2018 || Kozloduy    || Ivan Cheparinov  ||
 * 83 || 2019 || Kozloduy    ||  Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 84 || 2020 || Sofia    ||  Martin Petrov ||
 * || 2023 || Sofia    ||  Kiril Georgiev || half a point ahead of 2017 Women's
 * 81 || 2017 || Montana    || Marian Petrov||
 * 82 || 2018 || Kozloduy    || Ivan Cheparinov  ||
 * 83 || 2019 || Kozloduy    ||  Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 84 || 2020 || Sofia    ||  Martin Petrov ||
 * || 2023 || Sofia    ||  Kiril Georgiev || half a point ahead of 2017 Women's
 * 83 || 2019 || Kozloduy    ||  Aleksander Delchev ||
 * 84 || 2020 || Sofia    ||  Martin Petrov ||
 * || 2023 || Sofia    ||  Kiril Georgiev || half a point ahead of 2017 Women's
 * || 2023 || Sofia    ||  Kiril Georgiev || half a point ahead of 2017 Women's
 * || 2023 || Sofia    ||  Kiril Georgiev || half a point ahead of 2017 Women's
 * }

Women's championship

 * {| class="sortable wikitable"

! # !! Year !! City !! Women's Champion
 * 1 || 1951 || || Antonia Ivanova
 * 2 || 1952 || || Antonia Ivanova
 * 3 || 1953 || || Venka Asenova
 * 4 || 1954 || || Antonia Ivanova
 * 5 || 1955 || || Paunka Todorova
 * 6 || 1956 || || Venka Asenova
 * 7 || 1957 || || Antonia Ivanova
 * 8 || 1958 || || Antonia Ivanova
 * 9 || 1960 || || Venka Asenova
 * 10 || 1961 || || Venka Asenova
 * 11 || 1962 || || Venka Asenova
 * 12 || 1963 || || Venka Asenova
 * 13 || 1964 || || Paunka Todorova
 * 14 || 1965 || || Venka Asenova
 * 15 || 1966 || || Venka Asenova
 * 16 || 1967 || || Antonia Ivanova
 * 17 || 1968 || || Antonina Georgieva
 * 18 || 1969 || || Venka Asenova
 * 19 || 1970 || || Antonina Georgieva
 * 20 || 1971 || || Antonina Georgieva
 * 21 || 1972 || || Vesmina Shikova
 * 22 || 1973 || || Evelina Trojanska
 * 23 || 1974 || || Tatjana Lematschko
 * 24 || 1975 || || Tatjana Lematschko
 * 25 || 1976 || || Borislava Borisova-Ornstein
 * 26 || 1977 || || Antonina Georgieva
 * 27 || 1978 || || Tatjana Lematschko
 * 28 || 1979 || || Tatjana Lematschko
 * 29 || 1980 || || Rumiana Bojadjieva-Gocheva
 * 30 || 1981 || || Tatjana Lematschko
 * 31 || 1982 || Sofia || Rumiana Bojadjieva-Gocheva Margarita Voiska
 * 32 || 1983 || || Margarita Voiska
 * 33 || 1984 || || Rumiana Bojadjieva-Gocheva Margarita Voiska
 * 34 || 1985 || || Marlen Petrova
 * 35 || 1986 || || Stefka Savova
 * 36 || 1987 || Sofia || Rumiana Bojadjieva-Gocheva
 * 37 || 1988 || || Ruzka Genova
 * 38 || 1989 || Sofia || Rumiana Bojadjieva-Gocheva
 * 39 || 1990 || || Vera Peicheva
 * 40 || 1991 || Bankya || Rumiana Bojadjieva-Gocheva
 * 41 || 1992 || Pernik || Maja Koen
 * 42 || 1993 || || Pavlina Chilingirova
 * 43 || 1994 || || Maja Koen
 * 44 || 1995 || || Antoaneta Stefanova
 * 45 || 1996 || || Maria Velcheva
 * 46 || 1997 || || Maria Velcheva
 * 47 || 1998 || || Margarita Voiska
 * 48 || 1999 || || Maria Velcheva
 * 49 || 2000 || || Maria Velcheva
 * 50 || 2001 || Plovdiv || Maria Velcheva
 * 51 || 2002 || Plovdiv || Margarita Voiska
 * 52 || 2003 || Sofia || Margarita Voiska
 * 53 || 2004 || Sofia || Margarita Voiska
 * 54 || 2005 || Veliko Tarnovo || Liubka Georgieva-Genova
 * 55 || 2006 || Svilengrad || Margarita Voiska
 * 56 || 2007 || Pernik || Margarita Voiska
 * 57 || 2008 || Plovdiv || Elitsa Raeva
 * 58 || 2009 || Dupnitsa || Margarita Voiska
 * 59 || 2010 || Dupnitsa || Margarita Voiska
 * 60 || 2011 || Bankya || Adriana Nikolova
 * 61 || 2012 || Panagyurishte || Iva Videnova
 * 62 || 2013 || Bankya || Iva Videnova
 * 63 || 2014 || Kozloduy    || Iva Videnova
 * 64 || 2015 || Pleven    || Svetla Yordanova
 * 65 || 2016 || Pleven    || Elitsa Raeva
 * 66 || 2017 || Pleven    || Nurgyul Salimova
 * 67 || 2018 ||Chavdar||Viktoria Radeva
 * 68 || 2019 ||Chavdar||Viktoria Radeva
 * 69 || 2020 || Sofia || Beloslava Krasteva
 * }
 * 36 || 1987 || Sofia || Rumiana Bojadjieva-Gocheva
 * 37 || 1988 || || Ruzka Genova
 * 38 || 1989 || Sofia || Rumiana Bojadjieva-Gocheva
 * 39 || 1990 || || Vera Peicheva
 * 40 || 1991 || Bankya || Rumiana Bojadjieva-Gocheva
 * 41 || 1992 || Pernik || Maja Koen
 * 42 || 1993 || || Pavlina Chilingirova
 * 43 || 1994 || || Maja Koen
 * 44 || 1995 || || Antoaneta Stefanova
 * 45 || 1996 || || Maria Velcheva
 * 46 || 1997 || || Maria Velcheva
 * 47 || 1998 || || Margarita Voiska
 * 48 || 1999 || || Maria Velcheva
 * 49 || 2000 || || Maria Velcheva
 * 50 || 2001 || Plovdiv || Maria Velcheva
 * 51 || 2002 || Plovdiv || Margarita Voiska
 * 52 || 2003 || Sofia || Margarita Voiska
 * 53 || 2004 || Sofia || Margarita Voiska
 * 54 || 2005 || Veliko Tarnovo || Liubka Georgieva-Genova
 * 55 || 2006 || Svilengrad || Margarita Voiska
 * 56 || 2007 || Pernik || Margarita Voiska
 * 57 || 2008 || Plovdiv || Elitsa Raeva
 * 58 || 2009 || Dupnitsa || Margarita Voiska
 * 59 || 2010 || Dupnitsa || Margarita Voiska
 * 60 || 2011 || Bankya || Adriana Nikolova
 * 61 || 2012 || Panagyurishte || Iva Videnova
 * 62 || 2013 || Bankya || Iva Videnova
 * 63 || 2014 || Kozloduy    || Iva Videnova
 * 64 || 2015 || Pleven    || Svetla Yordanova
 * 65 || 2016 || Pleven    || Elitsa Raeva
 * 66 || 2017 || Pleven    || Nurgyul Salimova
 * 67 || 2018 ||Chavdar||Viktoria Radeva
 * 68 || 2019 ||Chavdar||Viktoria Radeva
 * 69 || 2020 || Sofia || Beloslava Krasteva
 * }
 * 53 || 2004 || Sofia || Margarita Voiska
 * 54 || 2005 || Veliko Tarnovo || Liubka Georgieva-Genova
 * 55 || 2006 || Svilengrad || Margarita Voiska
 * 56 || 2007 || Pernik || Margarita Voiska
 * 57 || 2008 || Plovdiv || Elitsa Raeva
 * 58 || 2009 || Dupnitsa || Margarita Voiska
 * 59 || 2010 || Dupnitsa || Margarita Voiska
 * 60 || 2011 || Bankya || Adriana Nikolova
 * 61 || 2012 || Panagyurishte || Iva Videnova
 * 62 || 2013 || Bankya || Iva Videnova
 * 63 || 2014 || Kozloduy    || Iva Videnova
 * 64 || 2015 || Pleven    || Svetla Yordanova
 * 65 || 2016 || Pleven    || Elitsa Raeva
 * 66 || 2017 || Pleven    || Nurgyul Salimova
 * 67 || 2018 ||Chavdar||Viktoria Radeva
 * 68 || 2019 ||Chavdar||Viktoria Radeva
 * 69 || 2020 || Sofia || Beloslava Krasteva
 * }
 * 62 || 2013 || Bankya || Iva Videnova
 * 63 || 2014 || Kozloduy    || Iva Videnova
 * 64 || 2015 || Pleven    || Svetla Yordanova
 * 65 || 2016 || Pleven    || Elitsa Raeva
 * 66 || 2017 || Pleven    || Nurgyul Salimova
 * 67 || 2018 ||Chavdar||Viktoria Radeva
 * 68 || 2019 ||Chavdar||Viktoria Radeva
 * 69 || 2020 || Sofia || Beloslava Krasteva
 * }
 * 67 || 2018 ||Chavdar||Viktoria Radeva
 * 68 || 2019 ||Chavdar||Viktoria Radeva
 * 69 || 2020 || Sofia || Beloslava Krasteva
 * }
 * 69 || 2020 || Sofia || Beloslava Krasteva
 * }
 * }