Talented Bulgarian chess player Victoria Radeva was only seventeen when she became chess champion twice. In April this year she won the U 17 world chess title in the Albanian town of Durrës after a five-hour game against a Sri Lankan chess player. Victoria won the title after scoring eight victories and one draw in the whole tournament. Thus, she added another top trophy to her rich collection of over 90 medals and 40 cups. Victoria Radeva holds dear her rapid chess world title and her silver medal earned In Brazil in 2011 when she was only nine. She also loves her prizes won at European chess tournaments. Victoria set a national record after winning nine consecutive republican chess tournaments.

I started to play chess when I was three and a half years old only, Victoria told Radio Bulgaria. I remember it was winter when my father started to teach me how to play this wonderful game- how to place and move the chess pieces. In the beginning it was only a game just like other children’s games such as playing with dolls and strollers and I did not know its real meaning. Later, I started to learn the details of the game. When I was nine and was preparing for the world chess tournament in Brazil my father used to wake me up every morning half an hour earlier to play blitz chess with me. Then, he told me that he would give me 1 Lev (50 Eurocents) for each point I won. Thus, he lost EUR 10 in one week only and then I realized that I was better than him.

Victoria thought for a very long time that the game usually ends somewhere around the 15^th move when she would cry out “Dad, check mate!” However, one day things changed and the young girl received her first important life lesson with tears on her face.

Game is like life- you cannot win only, says Victoria. Sometimes we lose, but we should learn how to cope with defeats. I like chess, because this game teaches me how to overcome the difficulties and enjoy the good moments. When I learned the secrets of this game I found out how wonderful it was and how much beauty there was in chess. Usually I see four to six moves ahead, in order to forecast what would happen on the chess board. Chess is useful, because it makes you smart, quick-witted and pay more attention to peoples’ actions.

Unfortunately, the Bulgarian Chess Federation lost its license and was excluded from FIDE due to financial abuse. Thus, Victoria lost the opportunity and the honor to represent her country at international tournaments. She had to play under the flag of the European Union or the World Chess Federation. Victoria does not receive state financing and her family has the difficult task to look for sponsors. The Bulgarian champion missed a series of chess tournaments due to the lack of financing and has to play for a Greek team in the summer, in order to earn some money. Despite all difficulties, she believes that one day she will become a female world chess champion- just like her chess idol Antoaneta Stefanova who became world champion in 2004 and a world rapid chess champion in 2012.

This has been my biggest dream since I started to play chess, Victoria admits. I want to become a world champion and I believe that I am good enough to reach this peak. Of course, it will be very difficult, because our family does not have enough money. However, I hope that we will find sponsors and I will continue to progress and develop because I have talent and skills.

Victoria studies at the National High School of Commerce in Plovdiv. She is thankful to her classmates who help her catch up with the lessons when she is absent and takes part at various chess tournaments. She always follows he father’s advice – to create at the chess board. When you play with love, you win, Victoria Radeva says.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov