Highest classical chess ratings ever: Bulgaria
The best rating of every player who represents Bulgaria today, on FIDE's classical rating lists since July 1971.
GM Veselin Topalov's 2816 on the July 2015 list is the highest classical rating held by a player who represents Bulgaria today.
| # | Player | Peak | First reached | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUL · Jul 2015 · Latest 2695 | 2816 | Jul 2015 | 2695 |
| 2 | BUL · Dec 2013 · Latest 2580 | 2737 | Dec 2013 | 2580 |
| 3 | BUL · Aug 2018 · Latest 2631 | 2718 | Aug 2018 | 2631 |
| 4 | BUL · Jul 2001 · Latest 2507 | 2695 | Jul 2001 | 2507 |
| 5 | BUL · Sep 2010 · Latest 2355 | 2621 | Sep 2010 | 2355 |
| 6 | BUL · Nov 2010 · Latest 2550 | 2606 | Nov 2010 | 2550Jan 2013 |
| 7 | BUL · Jul 2012 · Latest 2529 | 2604 | Jul 2012 | 2529 |
| 8 | BUL · Jul 2009 · Latest 2485 | 2603 | Jul 2009 | 2485 |
| 9 | BUL · Jul 2011 · Latest 2422 | 2589 | Jul 2011 | 2422 |
| 10 | BUL · Oct 2013 · Latest 2402 | 2573 | Oct 2013 | 2402 |
| 11 | BUL · Jul 2015 · Latest 2457 | 2563 | Jul 2015 | 2457 |
| 12 | BUL · Jul 2009 · Latest 2307 | 2562 | Jul 2009 | 2307 |
| 13 | BUL · Jan 2003 · Latest 2401 | 2560 | Jan 2003 | 2401 |
| 14 | BUL · Mar 2012 · Latest 2479 | 2556 | Mar 2012 | 2479 |
| 14 | BUL · Apr 2022 · Latest 2525 | 2556 | Apr 2022 | 2525 |
| 16 | BUL · Sep 2010 · Latest 2428 | 2549 | Sep 2010 | 2428 |
| 16 | BUL · Nov 2024 · Latest 2547 | 2549 | Nov 2024 | 2547 |
| 18 | BUL · Jul 2006 · Latest 2409 | 2538 | Jul 2006 | 2409 |
| 19 | BUL · Feb 2019 · Latest 2486 | 2535 | Feb 2019 | 2486 |
| 20 | BUL · Jul 2000† · Latest 2298 | 2532 | Jul 2000† | 2298Jul 2024 |
| 21 | BUL · Jul 1973† · Latest 2245 | 2530 | Jul 1973† | 2245 |
| 21 | BUL · Jul 1996† · Latest 2269 | 2530 | Jul 1996† | 2269 |
| 23 | BUL · Jul 2011 · Latest 2418 | 2528 | Jul 2011 | 2418 |
| 24 | BUL · Sep 2014 · Latest 2321 | 2527 | Sep 2014 | 2321 |
| 25 | BUL · Jul 2002 · Latest 2418 | 2526 | Jul 2002 | 2418 |
| 26 | BUL · Jan 1990† · Latest 2433 | 2525 | Jan 1990† | 2433 |
| 27 | BUL · Jan 1978† · Latest 2293 | 2520 | Jan 1978† | 2293 |
| 28 | BUL · Mar 2013 · Latest 2496 | 2516 | Mar 2013 | 2496 |
| 29 | BUL · Jul 1988† · Latest 2407 | 2515 | Jul 1988† | 2407 |
| 30 | BUL · Jan 1999† · Latest 2131 | 2513 | Jan 1999† | 2131 |
| 31 | BUL · Sep 2011 · Latest 2495 | 2508 | Sep 2011 | 2495 |
| 31 | BUL · Mar 2018 · Latest 2360 | 2508 | Mar 2018 | 2360 |
| 33 | BUL · Jan 1993† · Latest 2419 | 2505 | Jan 1993† | 2419Jul 2009 |
| 33 | BUL · Aug 2016 · Latest 2335 | 2505 | Aug 2016 | 2335 |
| 35 | BUL · Jan 2009 · Latest 2366 | 2502 | Jan 2009 | 2366 |
| 36 | BUL · Jul 1998† · Latest 2350 | 2500 | Jul 1998† | 2350 |
| 37 | BUL · Aug 2013 · Latest 2394 | 2494 | Aug 2013 | 2394 |
| 38 | BUL · Jul 1973† · Latest 2355 | 2490 | Jul 1973† | 2355Aug 2026 |
| 38 | BUL · Jan 1976† · Latest 2301 | 2490 | Jan 1976† | 2301Aug 2026 |
| 38 | BUL · Jan 1976† · Latest 2141 | 2490 | Jan 1976† | 2141Aug 2026 |
| 38 | BUL · May 2010 · Latest 2374 | 2490 | May 2010 | 2374 |
| 38 | BUL · May 2011 · Latest 2456 | 2490 | May 2011 | 2456 |
| 43 | BUL · Jul 1990† · Latest 2450 | 2480 | Jul 1990† | 2450 |
| 43 | BUL · Jul 1996† · Latest 2404 | 2480 | Jul 1996† | 2404 |
| 45 | BUL · Oct 2004 · Latest 2411 | 2477 | Oct 2004 | 2411 |
| 45 | BUL · Jul 2007 · Latest 2333 | 2477 | Jul 2007 | 2333 |
| 47 | BUL · Jul 1987† · Latest 2304 | 2475 | Jul 1987† | 2304Sep 2010 |
| 47 | BUL · Jan 1991† · Latest 2425 | 2475 | Jan 1991† | 2425 |
| 49 | BUL · Apr 2024 · Latest 2440 | 2473 | Apr 2024 | 2440 |
| 50 | BUL · Mar 2014 · Latest 2446 | 2472 | Mar 2014 | 2446 |
| 51 | BUL · Jul 1973† · Latest 2314 | 2470 | Jul 1973† | 2314 |
| 52 | BUL · Jul 2007 · Latest 2323 | 2469 | Jul 2007 | 2323 |
| 52 | BUL · Jan 2011 · Latest 2321 | 2469 | Jan 2011 | 2321 |
| 54 | BUL · Apr 2007 · Latest 2276 | 2465 | Apr 2007 | 2276 |
| 55 | BUL · Jan 1977† · Latest 2284 | 2460 | Jan 1977† | 2284Jul 2008 |
| 55 | BUL · Jan 1979† · Latest 2249 | 2460 | Jan 1979† | 2249 |
| 55 | BUL · Jul 1987† · Latest 2443 | 2460 | Jul 1987† | 2443 |
| 58 | BUL · Nov 2010 · Latest 2218 | 2458 | Nov 2010 | 2218 |
| 59 | BUL · Jan 1986† · Latest 2420 | 2455 | Jan 1986† | 2420 |
| 60 | BUL · Oct 2005 · Latest 2101 | 2451 | Oct 2005 | 2101 |
| 61 | BUL · Jul 1972† · Latest 2296 | 2450 | Jul 1972† | 2296 |
| 61 | BUL · Jul 1983† · Latest 2337 | 2450 | Jul 1983† | 2337 |
| 63 | BUL · Jul 2024 · Latest 2429 | 2449 | Jul 2024 | 2429 |
| 64 | BUL · Jul 2025 · Latest 2447 | 2447 | Jul 2025 | 2447 |
| 65 | BUL · Jul 1973† · Latest 2415 | 2445 | Jul 1973† | 2415 |
| 66 | BUL · Jan 2009 · Latest 2438 | 2443 | Jan 2009 | 2438 |
| 67 | BUL · Nov 2011 · Latest 2290 | 2442 | Nov 2011 | 2290 |
| 68 | BUL · Jul 1994† · Latest 2219 | 2440 | Jul 1994† | 2219 |
| 69 | BUL · Jul 2009 · Latest 2400 | 2436 | Jul 2009 | 2400 |
| 70 | BUL · Jul 2016 · Latest 2377 | 2435 | Jul 2016 | 2377 |
| 71 | BUL · Oct 2013 · Latest 2354 | 2431 | Oct 2013 | 2354 |
| 72 | BUL · Jan 1976† · Latest 2285 | 2430 | Jan 1976† | 2285Aug 2021 |
| 72 | BUL · Jan 1977† · Latest 2304 | 2430 | Jan 1977† | 2304Sep 2010 |
| 74 | BUL · Jul 1972† · Latest 2365 | 2425 | Jul 1972† | 2365 |
| 74 | BUL · Jan 1991† · Latest 2403 | 2425 | Jan 1991† | 2403 |
| 74 | BUL · Jul 1998† · Latest 2228 | 2425 | Jul 1998† | 2228 |
| 74 | BUL · Sep 2009 · Latest 2425 | 2425 | Sep 2009 | 2425 |
| 74 | BUL · Sep 2011 · Latest 2315 | 2425 | Sep 2011 | 2315 |
| 79 | BUL · Jan 1984† · Latest 2342 | 2420 | Jan 1984† | 2342 |
| 80 | BUL · Jul 1986† · Latest 2255 | 2415 | Jul 1986† | 2255 |
| 80 | BUL · Jan 1988† · Latest 2250 | 2415 | Jan 1988† | 2250 |
| 80 | BUL · Feb 2016 · Latest 2325 | 2415 | Feb 2016 | 2325 |
| 83 | BUL · Jan 2006 · Latest 2344 | 2413 | Jan 2006 | 2344 |
| 84 | BUL · Jul 1995† · Latest 2117 | 2410 | Jul 1995† | 2117 |
| 85 | BUL · Sep 2026 · Latest 2378 | 2408 | Sep 2026 | 2378 |
| 86 | BUL · Jan 2008 · Latest 2392 | 2406 | Jan 2008 | 2392 |
| 87 | BUL · Jan 1989† · Latest 2075 | 2405 | Jan 1989† | 2075 |
| 88 | BUL · Feb 2015 · Latest 2261 | 2401 | Feb 2015 | 2261 |
| 89 | BUL · Jan 1998† · Latest 2286 | 2400 | Jan 1998† | 2286 |
| 90 | BUL · Sep 2015 · Latest 2230 | 2399 | Sep 2015 | 2230 |
| 91 | BUL · Mar 2010 · Latest 2100 | 2396 | Mar 2010 | 2100 |
| 92 | BUL · Jan 1978† · Latest 2189 | 2395 | Jan 1978† | 2189Sep 2010 |
| 92 | BUL · Jul 1988† · Latest 2029 | 2395 | Jul 1988† | 2029 |
| 94 | BUL · Aug 2014 · Latest 2302 | 2393 | Aug 2014 | 2302 |
| 95 | BUL · Jul 2009 · Latest 2373 | 2392 | Jul 2009 | 2373 |
| 95 | BUL · Jan 2020 · Latest 2392 | 2392 | Jan 2020 | 2392 |
| 97 | BUL · Jan 2026 · Latest 2344 | 2391 | Jan 2026 | 2344 |
| 98 | BUL · Jan 1983† · Latest 2367 | 2390 | Jan 1983† | 2367 |
| 98 | BUL · Jan 1989† · Latest 2267 | 2390 | Jan 1989† | 2267 |
| 98 | BUL · Jul 1989† · Latest 1977 | 2390 | Jul 1989† | 1977 |
| 98 | BUL · Jan 1990† · Latest 2261 | 2390 | Jan 1990† | 2261 |
| 98 | BUL · Jan 1992† · Latest 2382 | 2390 | Jan 1992† | 2382 |
| 98 | BUL · Jan 1992† · Latest 2234 | 2390 | Jan 1992† | 2234 |
| 98 | BUL · Jul 1994† · Latest 2313 | 2390 | Jul 1994† | 2313 |
| 98 | BUL · Jan 1995† · Latest 2150 | 2390 | Jan 1995† | 2150 |
Peak is a player's highest rating on any of FIDE's classical rating lists since July 1971. When a player reached the same peak more than once, the first month is shown; 'By Jan 2001' means the peak was already on the earliest list we have for that player, so it may be older. Latest is the rating on the most recent list that rates the player. Players are listed under the federation they represent today, with every rating they have held, including ratings held while representing another federation.
† From FIDE's rating lists before 2001, compiled by Wojciech Bartelski at OlimpBase (olimpbase.org).