Alexander Cherepkov
Encyclopedia
Alexander Vasilyevich Cherepkov was a Soviet and Russian International Master of chess
. He was champion of Leningrad
three times: 1967, 1968 (after a playoff), and 1982 (after a playoff). He played in three Soviet finals
(1961, 1967, and 1968), and was awarded his IM title at the age of 64 in 1984, one of the oldest players to have reached this standard.
. He served in the Soviet
Red Army
during World War II
, and was decorated four times. He was a Soviet Master from the late 1940s, but took some time to climb through the deep hierarchy of talent. His first important result was clear 1st at Yaroslavl
1948 with 12.5/17 (this was likely a Soviet Championship quarter-final). His first attempt to qualify for the Soviet final saw him score 6.5/16 in the semi-final at Moscow
, 1949. In the Leningrad Championship of 1950 he scored 7/13 for 6th place, but he fell short again at the Soviet semi-final level (Tartu
1950) with 5.5/15.
Improving gradually, he made 50 per cent in two Master tournaments in Leningrad. In 1955 he scored 9/18, with the winner Vladimir Antoshin
, and in 1957, he scored 9.5/19, with the winners Boris Spassky
and Alexander Tolush
. At Vilnius
1960, he made 11.5/17 in the Soviet semi-final to advance to his first final at Moscow 1961 (URS-ch28), and scored a respectable 7.5/19; the winner was Tigran Petrosian
. A good result followed, 9.5/17 in the Spartak Club Championship at Minsk
1962, won by Anatoly Bannik
. Chessmetrics
.com, which rates historical chess performances, ranks Cherepkov as 34th in the world in May 1961 with a 2630 rating.
Cherepkov kept his strength and improved gradually as he got older. He won the first of his three Leningrad Championships in 1967 at age 47, and repeated the next year following a playoff. He qualified for the Soviet final in 1967 at Kharkov (URS-ch35); this was a Swiss format event with more than 100 players. He made his third and last appearance in the Soviet final at Alma Ata 1968 (URS-ch36), but could manage just 4.5/19. The next decade was filled with appearances in minor events and team championships, with mixed results.
He had a very good tournament at the Sokolsky Memorial, Minsk
1981, scoring 8.5/15 to tie for 5th-7th places; the winner was Valery Chekhov
. Cherepkov won his third Leningrad title in 1982 after a playoff. He then put together the best result of his career, winning the 1984 Leningrad White Knights tournament with 8/13, ahead of several Grandmasters. This was a sensational achievement at age 64. He earned the International Master title. Chessmetrics
.com ranks this as a 2665 performance. Another superb showing at age 70 came in the 1990 Leningrad International, where he finished clear 2nd with 9.5/13, behind Konstantin Sakaev
.
Cherepkov has continued to play in minor Russian events well into his 80s. There is a selection of 120 of his games at chessgames.com. A photo of him as a young man in army uniform can be found at bidmonfa.com/cherepkov_alexander.htm.
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
. He was champion of Leningrad
Leningrad City Chess Championship
The Leningrad City Chess Championship is a chess tournament held officially in the city of Leningrad, Russia starting from 1920. The city was called Petrograd from 1914 to 1924, then Leningrad until 1991, and Saint Petersburg afterwards...
three times: 1967, 1968 (after a playoff), and 1982 (after a playoff). He played in three Soviet finals
USSR Chess Championship
This is a list of all the winners of the USSR Chess Championship. It was the strongest national chess championship ever held, with eight world chess champions and four world championship finalists among its winners...
(1961, 1967, and 1968), and was awarded his IM title at the age of 64 in 1984, one of the oldest players to have reached this standard.
Biography
Alexander Vasilyevich Cherepkov was born in LeningradLeningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
. He served in the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and was decorated four times. He was a Soviet Master from the late 1940s, but took some time to climb through the deep hierarchy of talent. His first important result was clear 1st at Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historical part of the city, a World Heritage Site, is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl Rivers. It is one of the Golden Ring cities, a group of historic cities...
1948 with 12.5/17 (this was likely a Soviet Championship quarter-final). His first attempt to qualify for the Soviet final saw him score 6.5/16 in the semi-final at Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, 1949. In the Leningrad Championship of 1950 he scored 7/13 for 6th place, but he fell short again at the Soviet semi-final level (Tartu
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
1950) with 5.5/15.
Improving gradually, he made 50 per cent in two Master tournaments in Leningrad. In 1955 he scored 9/18, with the winner Vladimir Antoshin
Vladimir Antoshin
Vladimir Sergeyevich Antoshin was a Soviet chess Grandmaster, a theoretician and a national champion of correspondence chess.-Student Olympiad performances:...
, and in 1957, he scored 9.5/19, with the winners Boris Spassky
Boris Spassky
Boris Vasilievich Spassky is a Soviet-French chess grandmaster. He was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from late 1969 to 1972...
and Alexander Tolush
Alexander Tolush
Alexander Kazimirovich Tolush was a Soviet Russian chess grandmaster. He was one of Boris Spassky's mentors. Tolush was born and died in Saint Petersburg...
. At Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
1960, he made 11.5/17 in the Soviet semi-final to advance to his first final at Moscow 1961 (URS-ch28), and scored a respectable 7.5/19; the winner was Tigran Petrosian
Tigran Petrosian
Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian was a Soviet-Armenian grandmaster, and World Chess Champion from 1963 to 1969. He was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" due to his playing style because of his almost impenetrable defence, which emphasised safety above all else...
. A good result followed, 9.5/17 in the Spartak Club Championship at Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
1962, won by Anatoly Bannik
Anatoly Bannik
Anatoly Bannik is a Ukrainian Chess Master, who was of Grandmaster strength during his peak years. He is a five-time Ukrainian champion, and qualified for the Soviet Chess Championship final seven times. He was among the top half-dozen Ukrainian players from 1944 to 1966...
. Chessmetrics
Chessmetrics
Chessmetrics is a system for rating chess players devised by Jeff Sonas. It is intended as an improvement over the Elo rating system.-Implementation:...
.com, which rates historical chess performances, ranks Cherepkov as 34th in the world in May 1961 with a 2630 rating.
Cherepkov kept his strength and improved gradually as he got older. He won the first of his three Leningrad Championships in 1967 at age 47, and repeated the next year following a playoff. He qualified for the Soviet final in 1967 at Kharkov (URS-ch35); this was a Swiss format event with more than 100 players. He made his third and last appearance in the Soviet final at Alma Ata 1968 (URS-ch36), but could manage just 4.5/19. The next decade was filled with appearances in minor events and team championships, with mixed results.
He had a very good tournament at the Sokolsky Memorial, Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
1981, scoring 8.5/15 to tie for 5th-7th places; the winner was Valery Chekhov
Valery Chekhov
Valery A Chekhov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Junior Chess Champion ....
. Cherepkov won his third Leningrad title in 1982 after a playoff. He then put together the best result of his career, winning the 1984 Leningrad White Knights tournament with 8/13, ahead of several Grandmasters. This was a sensational achievement at age 64. He earned the International Master title. Chessmetrics
Chessmetrics
Chessmetrics is a system for rating chess players devised by Jeff Sonas. It is intended as an improvement over the Elo rating system.-Implementation:...
.com ranks this as a 2665 performance. Another superb showing at age 70 came in the 1990 Leningrad International, where he finished clear 2nd with 9.5/13, behind Konstantin Sakaev
Konstantin Sakaev
Konstantin Sakaev is a Russian chess Grandmaster , from St Petersburg and Russian Champion in 1999. He is also a chess writer. Sakaev is on the staff of the Grandmaster Chess School in St...
.
Cherepkov has continued to play in minor Russian events well into his 80s. There is a selection of 120 of his games at chessgames.com. A photo of him as a young man in army uniform can be found at bidmonfa.com/cherepkov_alexander.htm.