Atanas Kolev (Bulgarian: Атанас Колев; born July 15, 1967) is a Bulgarian Grandmaster of chess. As of July 2009, his FIDE rating is 2569. His highest rating was 2582 in July 2000-January 2001.[1] Kolev is the coach of the Bulgarian women's national chess team.[2] Kolev and fellow Bulgarian grandmaster Kiril Georgiev are co-authors of The Sharpest Sicilian, a book about the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense, which was published in 2007. Atanas and Macedonian grandmaster Trajko Nedev are co-authors of The Easiest Sicilian, a book about the Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian, which was published in 2008.[3]
In June 2011 he tied for 1st–2nd with Ivan Cheparinov in the 3rd International Albena chess tournament.[4]