How does it feel to be among the best in a European competition, even before you have started going to school? Six-year-old Velislav Zahariev from the town of Berkovitsa already knows this. Just a few days ago he became runner-up in the European Union Youth Chess Championship 2021 in Mureck, Austria. 

The participants were divided into four age groups - up to 8, up to 10, up to 12 and up to 14 years of age. The Bulgarian was in the first age group and most of his opponents were older than him. However, this challenge did not stop the young chess player who had a single loss out of a total of nine games in the championship.

According to the representatives of the chess club "Elite", Velislav’s achievement is unparalleled in the history of the championship for children. The boy started playing chess when he was just two years old with his father and a year later he started working with a professional coach. So far, Velislav has won 10 cups and 27 medals in this country and abroad.