Gülümser Öney, originally Yılmaz (born 1956) is a Bulgarian-born Turkish female chess player. She is Turkey's most successful chess player being the eleven times national champion, including seven times consecutively from 1973.
Chess career
Gülümser was born in
Pleven
Pleven ( ) is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality. It is the biggest economic center in ...
, Bulgaria to Turkish parents. Her father, Lütfi Yılmaz, was a teacher and chess player from whom she learned to play chess. She became Bulgarian youth champion and captain of her high school's chess club.
Gülümser taught her brother
Turhan and sister
Gülsevil chess while they were still in primary school.
The family moved to Turkey in 1972. With five years of chess experience, she took part the next year at a tournament for high school students organized by the Turkish daily ''Cumhuriyet'' in
Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
. She completed the tournament unbeaten, which was attended by 186 youths including only six girls.
Following her graduation from high school, she attended
Istanbul Technical University
Istanbul Technical University, also known as Technical University of Istanbul (, commonly referred to as İTÜ), is an public university, public technical university located in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the world's third-oldest technical university ...
, where she earned a degree in
chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is an engineering field which deals with the study of the operation and design of chemical plants as well as methods of improving production. Chemical engineers develop economical commercial processes to convert raw materials ...
.
Gülümser Yılmaz became engaged to chess player Sait Rıza Öney on September 8, 1984,
and the couple later married.
Her brother Turhan later became Turkish Youth champion and then five times national champion between 1978 and 2004. Her sister Gülsevil also became Turkish Women's champion, in 1983.
Achievements
;
Turkish Chess Championship
*1973-1979 (seven times), 1981-1982 (twice), 1984 and 1986 - champion
; Women's Chess Balkaniadas (team)
* 1978 - 4th
* 1979 - 5th
* 1981 - 4th
* 1982 - 5th
References
External links
*
Gülümser Öneyplayer profile and chess games at chess-db.com
1956 births
Chess players from Pleven
Bulgarian Turks in Turkey
Bulgarian emigrants to Turkey
Turkish female chess players
Turkish chess players
Istanbul Technical University alumni
Turkish sportswomen
Living people
Bulgarian female chess players
Bulgarian chess players
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