FirstI nternational Chess Festival "Kardzali" Blitz - Under the aegis of BSCF

SwissBlitz

69 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held on 24 Oct 2025 in Kardzali, Bulgaria. 18 titled players from 5 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2415, and top seed was Vasil Spasov (🇧🇬 BUL, GM, 2511).

Radoslav Dimitrov (🇧🇬 BUL, GM, 2455) won with 8.0/9, ahead of Eray Kilic (8.0) and Aleksander Delchev (6.5). Dimitrov shared the lead from round 8, winning on tie-break.

The biggest upset came in round 8: Yigit Elci (1703) beat Dimitar Trifonov (2366), a +663-point gap.

Location

🇧🇬Kardzali, Bulgaria

Dates

24 Oct 2025

Time control

Blitz: 3 minutes for game with 2 seconds increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇧🇬GMVasil Spasov2511

Avg top 10

2,415

Participants

Titled players · 18

GM×6

IM×4

FM×3

CM×2

WFM×2

WCM×1

Federations · 5 represented

🇧🇬Bulgaria×50

🇹🇷Turkiye×7

🇷🇸Serbia×4

FIDE (no federation)×1

🇫🇷France×1

Top 3

🥇
GMRadoslav Dimitrov
🇧🇬BUL·2455
8.0pts·2632perf+17.0
🥈
IMEray Kilic
🇹🇷TUR·2449
8.0pts·2658perf+20.9
🥉
GMAleksander Delchev
🇷🇸SRB·2470
6.5pts·2434perf-1.1

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

Tight race until R9; 2 players tied at 8.0/9, decided on Buchholz. Title race narrowed from 4 co-leaders at R4 to 2 at the finish.

Co-leaders

Dimitrov8Kilic8Nikolov6.5Delchev6.5Delchev6.5Spasov6.5

R9 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER

2 players finish on 8.0/9. Dimitrov takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (50.5).

R5 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

GM Radoslav Dimitrov drew with IM Eray Kilic (White).

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

GM Radoslav Dimitrov 4 wins (R1–R4)IM Eray Kilic 4 wins (R1–R4)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1GMRadoslav Dimitrov	*	½	—	1
2IMEray Kilic	½	*	½	1
3GMMomchil Nikolov	—	½	*	—
4GMAleksander Delchev	0	0	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Dimitrov, RadoslavGM	2455	BUL	+41B	+30N	+6B	+8N	=2B	+7N	=4B	+3N	+10B	8.0	50.5	54.5	47.25	2632	+17.0
2	Kilic, ErayIM	2449	TUR	+52B	+25N	+11B	+4B	=1N	+3N	+9B	=5B	+8N	8.0	50.5	53.5	46.25	2658	+20.9
3	Delchev, AleksanderGM	2470	SRB	+28N	+15B	+39N	+12B	=7N	−2B	+6N	−1B	+16N	6.5	51.5	55.5	36.25	2434	-1.1
4	Spasov, VasilGM	2511	BUL	+32B	+13N	+10B	−2N	+21B	+12N	=1N	=16B	=5N	6.5	51.0	55.5	37.50	2440	-3.9
5	Nikolov, MomchilGM	2404	BUL	+50B	+21N	−8B	+19N	=13B	+30N	+7B	=2N	=4B	6.5	47.5	51.0	34.75	2347	-2.0
6	Delchev, Petar	2221	BUL	+40N	+33B	−1N	+35B	=14N	+17B	−3B	+18N	+11B	6.5	46.5	50.5	33.00	2238	+10.4
7	Iliev, Hristiyan	2311	BUL	+59B	+23N	+38B	+16N	=3B	−1B	−5N	+19N	+17B	6.5	46.0	49.0	31.25	2320	+10.8
8	Ivanov, Bogidar	2184	BUL	+45N	+26B	+5N	−1B	−12N	+42B	+23N	+24B	−2B	6.0	47.5	51.5	29.50	2224	+15.2
9	Petrov, MartinGM	2436	BUL	+34N	−12B	+17N	+27B	+15N	+20B	−2N	−10N	+25B	6.0	46.5	51.0	31.00	2269	-14.1
10	Ozen, DenizIM	2262	TUR	+47B	+19N	−4N	+33B	=20N	=14B	+27N	+9B	−1N	6.0	46.0	49.5	29.50	2279	+9.8
11	Nikolov, SashoIM	2208	BUL	+22N	+35B	−2N	−26B	+55N	+40B	+14N	+20B	−6N	6.0	44.0	47.0	27.50	2134	-3.9
12	Marzakov, Mihail	1998	BUL	+49B	+9N	+31B	−3N	+8B	−4B	−16N	+57N	+20B	6.0	43.5	46.5	28.00	2336	+127.2
13	Todev, SimeonCM	2106	BUL	+44N	−4B	+28N	+34B	=5N	=16B	−24B	+33N	+21B	6.0	42.5	46.5	29.00	2209	+52.8
14	Elci, ErenFM	2097	TUR	+46B	−16N	+59B	+38N	=6B	=10N	−11B	+41N	+19B	6.0	41.0	44.0	26.25	2126	+18.8
15	Mishev, Liubomir	2166	BUL	+51B	−3N	+52B	+32N	−9B	+38N	−19B	+23B	+22N	6.0	39.5	42.5	25.00	2066	-13.0
16	Tilicheev, ViacheslavGM	2451	SRB	+55N	+14B	=20N	−7B	+18B	=13N	+12B	=4N	−3B	5.5	48.0	51.0	29.25	2285	-14.3
17	Tsolov, Aleksandar	1916	BUL	+54B	=24N	−9B	+48N	+31B	−6N	+30B	+39N	−7N	5.5	40.5	43.5	22.00	2241	+118.8
18	Dimitrova, ElenaWFM	1948	FID	+68B	=31N	+24B	−20B	−16N	+47N	+36B	−6B	+30N	5.5	39.0	39.5	20.25	2188	+45.0
19	Mutlu, Burak Alp	1867	TUR	+61N	−10B	+22N	−5B	+29N	+39B	+15N	−7B	−14N	5.0	45.0	48.0	23.00	2093	+77.2
20	Stoyanov, Stoyan OrFM	2204	BUL	+56B	+43N	=16B	+18N	=10B	−9N	+21B	−11N	−12N	5.0	44.0	47.0	23.25	2140	-10.8
21	Petkov, Rostislav	1954	BUL	+63N	−5B	+40N	+39B	−4N	+26B	−20N	+28B	−13N	5.0	42.0	44.5	20.50	2057	+21.6
22	Elci, Yigit	1703	TUR	−11B	+62N	−19B	+25N	+41B	−23N	+32B	+31N	−15B	5.0	40.0	43.0	21.00	1961	+92.8
23	Rasheva, NoraWCM	1884	BUL	+65N	−7B	−42N	+56B	+34N	+22B	−8B	−15N	+36B	5.0	39.5	41.5	19.00	1934	+14.0
24	Brankov, KrasimirFM	2300	SRB	F	=17B	−18N	+60B	=42N	+33B	+13N	−8N	+27B	5.0	39.5	39.5	23.25	2084	-35.4
25	Trendafilov, Simeon	2041	BUL	+64N	−2B	−34N	−22B	+65N	+53B	+40N	+26B	−9N	5.0	37.5	39.5	16.00	1901	-52.4
26	Velikov, Nikola	1836	BUL	+69B	−8N	+57B	+11N	−30B	−21N	+42B	−25N	+41B	5.0	37.5	38.0	17.50	1944	+31.2
27	Bukhteeva, ViktoriaWFM	2070	SRB	=53B	=36N	+47B	−9N	+52B	+32N	−10B	+38N	−24N	5.0	36.5	39.5	18.75	1990	-14.2
28	Karadzhov, Hristo	1792	BUL	−3B	+46N	−13B	+49N	−38B	+56N	+58B	−21N	+57B	5.0	35.0	38.0	16.50	1864	+8.4
29	Karnobatov, Tenyo	1758	BUL	−31B	−54N	+68B	+58N	−19B	+61N	−39N	+46B	+43N	5.0	30.5	31.0	14.50	1862	+9.0
30	Ivanov, SvetlenCM	2081	BUL	+60N	−1B	+55N	=42B	+26N	−5B	−17N	+35B	−18B	4.5	42.0	45.0	17.50	1954	-50.8
31	Trifonov, Dimitar	2366	BUL	+29N	=18B	−12N	+45B	−17N	+35B	−33N	−22B	+47N	4.5	40.0	43.5	19.75	1969	-37.6
32	Salif, Eminali	1794	BUL	−4N	+44B	+37N	−15B	+60N	−27B	−22N	+40B	=34N	4.5	39.5	42.5	17.75	1831	+2.0
33	Simeonov, Velin	1868	BUL	+58B	−6N	+56B	−10N	+59B	−24N	+31B	−13B	=37N	4.5	38.5	41.5	15.75	2035	+40.0
34	Vangelov, Atanas	1784	BUL	−9B	+68N	+25B	−13N	−23B	+49N	−38B	+54N	=32B	4.5	37.0	37.5	14.25	1871	+18.4
35	Andreev, Simeon	1857	BUL	+62B	−11N	+54B	−6N	=47B	−31N	+53B	−30N	+38B	4.5	35.0	38.0	14.75	1824	-9.4
36	Yanev, Yordan	1933	BUL	−38N	=27B	+63N	+53B	−39N	+45B	−18N	+48B	−23N	4.5	34.0	36.5	15.50	1891	-5.2
37	Yanchev, Manol	0	BUL	−48B	+51N	−32B	−52N	+46B	−41N	+56B	+59N	=33B	4.5	30.0	33.0	15.75	1766	0.0
38	Baldzhiev, Plamen	0	BUL	+36B	+53N	−7N	−14B	+28N	−15B	+34N	−27B	−35N	4.0	42.0	45.0	17.00	1915	0.0
39	Dimitrov, PavelIM	2215	BUL	+42B	+48N	−3B	−21N	+36B	−19N	+29B	−17B	F	4.0	39.5	43.0	17.00	1951	-46.8
40	Georgiev, Georgi J	1726	BUL	−6B	+58N	−21B	+50N	+43B	−11N	−25B	−32N	+53B	4.0	37.5	40.5	13.50	1817	+12.0
41	Bayryam, Myumyun	1790	BUL	−1N	−60B	+65N	+64B	−22N	+37B	+44N	−14B	−26N	4.0	37.5	39.5	12.50	1663	-27.6
42	Shvenk, Denis	1716	BUL	−39N	+67B	+23B	=30N	=24B	−8N	−26N	−43B	+60N	4.0	36.5	37.5	13.75	1865	+44.0
43	Fangarliev, Anil	1813	BUL	+57N	−20B	−60N	+51B	−40N	−44B	+45N	+42N	−29B	4.0	32.5	35.5	14.50	1678	-65.6
44	Georgiev, Marin J.	1680	BUL	−13B	−32N	−58B	+54N	+62B	+43N	−41B	+52N	F	4.0	31.5	34.5	13.00	1780	+11.6
45	Carraro, Luciano	1687	BUL	−8B	+69N	=48B	−31N	+63B	−36N	−43B	=53N	+54B	4.0	31.0	31.5	9.25	1674	-7.4
46	Osman, Erkin	1674	TUR	−14N	−28B	+67N	−55B	−37N	+66B	+61B	−29N	+52B	4.0	30.5	31.5	8.00	1600	-9.8
47	Kalaydzhiev, Yasen	1738	BUL	−10N	+66B	−27N	+57B	=35N	−18B	−48N	+58N	−31B	3.5	35.0	36.0	9.25	1596	-29.2
48	Bayatov, Mario	1836	BUL	+37N	−39B	=45N	−17B	−53N	+63N	+47B	−36N	F	3.5	31.5	31.5	12.50	1692	-54.8
49	Koroglu, Huseyin	1568	TUR	−12N	−55B	+61N	−28B	+69N	−34B	=51B	−50N	+63N	3.5	31.0	31.5	7.75	1519	-9.6
50	Babacheva, Katya	1764	BUL	−5N	=63B	−53N	−40B	−57N	+69B	+64N	+49B	−55B	3.5	27.5	28.0	7.25	1597	-33.0
51	Shterev, Ivaylo	1686	BUL	−15N	−37B	+66N	−43N	−58B	+67B	=49N	+63B	F	3.5	25.5	25.5	6.25	1644	-14.4
52	Keshev, Alper	1787	BUL	−2N	+64B	−15N	+37B	−27N	+60B	−57N	−44B	−46N	3.0	37.5	39.5	9.50	1701	-21.2
53	Shahbazyan, Norayr	1615	BUL	=27N	−38B	+50B	−36N	+48B	−25N	−35N	=45B	−40N	3.0	34.5	38.0	11.50	1766	+49.6
54	Chaushev, Stanimir	0	BUL	−17N	+29B	−35N	−44B	−56N	+64B	+55N	−34B	−45N	3.0	33.5	35.5	10.00	1623	0.0
55	Kamenov, Valentin	1790	BUL	−16B	+49N	−30B	+46N	−11B	−58N	−54B	F	+50N	3.0	33.0	34.0	11.00	1909	+13.8
56	Turin, Julien	1698	FRA	−20N	+61B	−33N	−23N	+54B	−28B	−37N	F	+58B	3.0	33.0	34.0	9.00	1113	-19.4
57	Zlatilov, Valcho	0	BUL	−43B	F	−26N	−47N	+50B	+59N	+52B	−12B	−28N	3.0	33.0	33.0	9.50	1723	0.0
58	Halil, Myursel	0	BUL	−33N	−40B	+44N	−29B	+51N	+55B	−28N	−47B	−56N	3.0	32.5	35.5	10.50	1624	0.0
59	Srebrev, Biser	1752	BUL	−7N	+65B	−14N	+69B	−33N	−57B	+60N	−37B	−61N	3.0	32.5	33.0	5.50	1757	-2.6
60	Ismailov, Nedim	1670	BUL	−30B	+41N	+43B	−24N	−32B	−52N	−59B	+62N	−42B	3.0	32.0	35.0	11.00	1655	-6.2
61	Solakov, Ervin	0	BUL	−19B	−56N	−49B	F	+64N	−29B	−46N	+65N	+59B	3.0	27.5	27.5	7.00	1541	0.0
62	FIDE 2976382	0	—	−35N	−22B	−64N	+66B	−44N	+65B	−63N	−60B	+68N	3.0	24.0	24.5	3.50	855	0.0
63	Musa, Myumyun	1455	BUL	−21B	=50N	−36B	+68N	−45N	−48B	+62B	−51N	−49B	2.5	30.5	31.0	5.25	1328	-13.2
64	Sadula, Sevim	1575	BUL	−25B	−52N	+62B	−41N	−61B	−54N	−50B	F	+66N	2.0	25.5	25.5	4.00	1029	-15.6
65	FIDE 2976374	0	—	−23B	−59N	−41B	+67N	−25B	−62N	+69N	−61B	F	2.0	24.5	24.5	1.50	1066	0.0
66	FIDE 2976390	0	—	F	−47N	−51B	−62N	+68B	−46N	F	F	−64B	1.0	19.5	19.5	0.50	868	0.0
67	FIDE 2976404	0	—	F	−42N	−46B	−65B	F	−51N	+68N	F	F	1.0	17.5	17.5	0.50	892	0.0
68	FIDE 2976366	0	—	−18N	−34B	−29N	−63B	−66N	F	−67B	=69N	−62B	0.5	23.0	23.0	0.25	936	0.0
69	FIDE 2976358	0	—	−26N	−45B	F	−59N	−49B	−50N	−65B	=68B	F	0.5	22.5	22.5	0.25	921	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Marzakov, MihailBUL
+127.2
6.0 pts · #17
2Tsolov, AleksandarBUL
+118.8
5.5 pts · #23
3Elci, YigitTUR
+92.8
5.0 pts · #31

Top rating losers

1Fangarliev, AnilBUL
-65.6
4.0 pts · #39
2Bayatov, MarioBUL
-54.8
3.5 pts · #45
3Trendafilov, SimeonBUL
-52.4
5.0 pts · #32

Biggest upsets

R8+663 Elo gap
Elci, Yigit1703 beat Trifonov, Dimitar2366
R7+498 Elo gap
Simeonov, Velin1868 beat Trifonov, Dimitar2366
R5+450 Elo gap
Tsolov, Aleksandar1916 beat Trifonov, Dimitar2366