Badea earned her Woman International Master (WIM) title in 1981, her Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title in 1986, and her International Grandmaster (GM) title in 2008. Her impressive growth in her chess career made her a renowned personality in the chess world. She bolstered her standing further by winning the Romanian Chess Championship six times, underlining her dominance as one of the country's best female chess players.
Badea also represented her country in a number of international tournaments, including the Women's Chess Olympiads, where she took part 13 times between 1980 and 2004, further increasing her profile on the global stage. She claimed six medals from these events, highlighting her consistent performance and competitiveness. Furthermore, she also participated in the Women's European Team Chess Championships seven times and secured two team silver medals and a team bronze.