Two rapid tournaments start today

During the following days chess fans around the globe will have a great time, thanks to the invaluable invention called internet. Not one but two rapid tournaments start today, both with some of the very best in the world participating. Both can be followed live on their respective websites. In the Spanish town of L?ɬ©on, Anand, Topalov, Kasimdzhanov and Ponomariov play the 19th Magistral ?¢‚Ǩ?ìCiudad de Le?ɬ?n?¢‚Ǩ? will be held from July 4th to July 9th 2007, though the rapid chess will only be played on July 6th, July 7th and July 8th. But don't worry, today you can already tune in for the Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup that will take place in Odessa, Ukraine till 6th July 2007, with Smirin, Shirov, Tukmakov, Drozdovskij, Grischuk, Gelfand, Ivanchuk, Bacrot, Korchnoi and Radjabov. So have your lunch a bit later today, because they'll start at 13.00 CET today.

In L?ɬ©on, all four participants are former world champions. Their rate of play is 20 minutes + 10 seconds increment after each move. There will be two semi-finals, played on Friday and Saturday, and the two winners will play the final on Sunday the 8th. The semi-finals and final will consist of four games each. In case of a final draw, there will be a tie-break in form of blitz games (5 minutes for each player). The drawing of lots will take place tomorrow night, 20.00 CET. Today there's a simultaneous exhibition by Ruslan Ponomariov against students.

Here the official website.

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The tournament system for the Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup will be all-play-all. The time control is the same as in L?ɬ©on: 20 minutes + 10 seconds increment after each move.



The Odessa schedule is already known:

Round 1, 4th July 2007, 14:00 (13:00 CET) Smirin - Radjabov Shirov - Korchnoi Tukmakov - Bacrot Drozdovskij - Ivanchuk Grischuk - Gelfand

Round 2, 4th July 2007, 15:20 (14:20 CET) Radjabov - Gelfand Ivanchuk - Grischuk Bacrot - Drozdovskij Korchnoi - Tukmakov Smirin - Shirov

Round 3, 4th July 2007, 16:40 (15:40 CET) Shirov - Radjabov Tukmakov - Smirin Drozdovskij - Korchnoi Grischuk - Bacrot Gelfand - Ivanchuk

Round 4, 5th July 2007, 14:00 (13:00 CET) Radjabov - Ivanchuk Bacrot - Gelfand Korchnoi - Grischuk Smirin - Drozdovskij Shirov - Tukmakov

Round 5, 5th July 2007, 15:20 (14:20 CET) Tukmakov - Radjabov Drozdovskij - Shirov Grischuk - Smirin Gelfand - Korchnoi Ivanchuk - Bacrot

Round 6, 5th July 2007, 16:40 (15:40 CET) Radjabov - Bacrot Korchnoi - Ivanchuk Smirin - Gelfand Shirov - Grischuk Tukmakov - Drozdovskij

Round 7, 6th July 2007, 14:00 (13:00 CET) Drozdovskij - Radjabov Grischuk - Tukmakov Gelfand - Shirov Ivanchuk - Smirin Bacrot - Korchnoi

Round 8, 6th July 2007, 15:20 (14:20 CET) Radjabov - Korchnoi Smirin - Bacrot Shirov - Ivanchuk Tukmakov - Gelfand Drozdovskij - Grischuk

Round 9, 6th July 2007, 16:40 (15:40 CET) Grischuk - Radjabov Gelfand - Drozdovskij Ivanchuk - Tukmakov Bacrot - Shirov Korchnoi - Smirin

Here the official website.