Bulgarian Grandmaster Stefanova Secures Podium Finish in Xi'an Chess Event

Grandmaster Antoaneta Stefanova secured third place at the women’s accelerated chess tournament held in Xi'an, China. This event, organized by the Chinese Chess Federation, is in its fifth edition and features many of the world's top female chess players.

The tournament in Shanxi's capital drew elite competitors, including current world champion Ju Wenjun, former world champions Stefanova and Tan Zhongyi, World Cup winner Aleksandra Goryachkina, and the 14-year-old prodigy Lu Miaoyi. Stefanova concluded the nine-round competition with 6 points, equaling the score of Greece's Stavroula Tsolakidou, who finished second. China’s Tan Zhongyi emerged as the winner with 6.5 points.

Stefanova's journey to third place included five victories, two draws, and two losses. Notably, her final-round win over the reigning world champion Ju Wenjun was a highlight, allowing her to climb from fourth to third place in the standings.

The tournament in Xi'an featured 20 female players from around the globe, with an average rating of 2358 ELO points.