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Wednesday, 16 April 2008 |
 How long can one hide one's strength as a chess player? Ivan Cheparinov has used the perfect disguise for years, being passed for "Topalov's second" all the time. This way, he worked his way up to a rating over 2700 without anyone noticing it! It goes without saying that Bulgaria's second chess player is chuck full of talent and ambition as well.
Ivan Cheparinov was born November 26, 1986 in Asenovgrad, Bulgaria. Coached by his father, Ivan started playing chess at the age of five. Seven years later he won the junior title of Bulgaria, and in 2004 he became national champion of Bulgaria and received the Grandmaster title in October of the same year.
A first sign of his great strength was shown in December 2005. Cheparinov created a big upset at the World Cup in Khanty-Mansyisk: he eliminated first-seed Vassily Ivanchuk.
Cheparinov is said to have been responsible for many of the opening novelties Topalov played during his 2006 World Championship match against Vladimir Kramnik. (Cheparinov was also the one to have found the famous 12.Nxf7!? from the game Topalov-Kramnik, Wijk aan Zee 2008.)
In October 2006 Cheparinov won the Essent Open in Hoogeveen with 7/9, and in April 2007 he won the Sigeman & Co tournament in Malmö with the same score. He also shared first place - with six others - at the 2007 European Individual Chess Championship in Dresden, but Vladislav Tkachiev won the tie-break.
At the FIDE World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, November-December 2007, Cheparinov defeated Tkachiev and Mamedyarov but was eliminated by Carlsen. At the
According to his manager, Cheparinov isn't ready yet for a serious shot at the world title. But he'll make life difficult for his rivals, that's for sure, and with his aggressive style, backed up with top-notch opening preparation, who knows?
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