Two elite players Le Quang Liem and Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son will represent Vietnam at the 2013 World Chess Cup which will be held in Tromso City, Norway from August 10 to September 5.

At the Scandic Hotel, grandmaster Liem, the 29th seed with Elo ranking of 2712, will meet the 100th seed Oliver Barbosa of the Philippines, Elo 2572, in the first round. The other grandmaster Son with Elo 2625 will take on GM Vladimir Akopian, Elo 2691, of Armenia.

The US$1.6 million event held under the auspices of the World Chess Federation will have 128 players partaking. There will be six rounds of matches comprising two games per round, with the winners progressing to the next round, plus the final seventh round comprising four games.

Cash prizes increase after each round, with the first round’s loser to have $6,000. The tournament’s winner will get $120,000.

Last year’s World Chess Championship was a chess match between the defending world champion Viswanathan Anand of India and Boris Gelfand of Israel, winner of the 2011 Candidates tournament. After sixteen games, including four rapid games, Anand retained his title.