Nurgyul Salimova, born in Bulgaria, began her chess journey at age four under the guidance of her grandfather. She quickly emerged as a prodigious talent, winning the European Youth Chess Championship for girls under-8 in 2011 and securing multiple European and World Youth titles in subsequent years.

Salimova made her mark nationally by winning the Bulgarian Women's Chess Championship in 2017 and has since been a prominent figure in international chess. Recognized for her strategic depth and competitive consistency, she earned the titles of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and International Master (IM) in 2019.

In 2023, she reached the final of the Women's Chess World Cup, securing her second Grandmaster norm and demonstrating her readiness for elite competition. By July 2024, she achieved a peak FIDE rating of 2449. Her strong performance at the 2024 Women's Candidates Tournament in Toronto further cemented her status as one of the rising stars poised to join the top tier of global women's chess.