The draw of the World Chess Cup’s participants, defined the pairs of rivals in the first round, took place the previous day.

64 games will be played in the first round. The pairs of rivals were formed on the following principle — the first in therating of the participants plays with the last one, the second — with the next to last and so on on the list.

Russian chess players will play 20 games, in 16 of which they will play with the representatives of other countries.Among the rivals of Russians there will be such players like David Navara (Czech Republic), Ivan Salgado Lopez (Spain) and Sergey Azarov (Belorussia).

The chess players, representing Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region — Vladimir Genba and Aleksey Bezgodov — will play in the first round with their compatriots Alexander Grischuk and Nikita Vitiugov.  While Aleksey Pridorozhni and NikolayKabanov from Surgut will compete for the right to play in the second round with FabianoCaruana (Italy) and Markus Ragger (Austria).

It should be reminded, that the tournament will take place in the knock-out system.Only 4 players in the last seventh round who would have wonthe previous rounds of 128 participants of the first round will be fighting for the pedestal.