Antonia Ivanova

Who was Antonia Ivanova?

Antonia Petrova Ivanova was a Bulgarian chess player with the title Woman Grandmaster.

She was the national girls' champion in 1948 and a short time later captured the first of her six Bulgarian Women's Championships. As the first very strong woman player in her country, she was chosen to be the subject of a propaganda film. Probably her best result in individual competition was first place at the 1954 Leipzig zonal tournament. She became a Woman International Master the same year and much later, in 1983, was honoured with the title Woman Grandmaster.

Antonia Ivanova was 6 times Bulgarian Women's Champion in 1951, 1952, 1954, 1957, 1958 and 1967.

She played for Bulgaria in two Chess Olympiads; Emmen 1957 and Split 1963.

She was married to the International Grandmaster Milko Bobotsov, but continued to play under her maiden name.