YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The first tournament from FIDE Grand Prix series is held on December 14-29 in the capital city of Kalmykia, Elista. Grand master from Yerevan, double champion of World Chess Olympiad Vladimir Hakobian will perform in the tournament. His rivals will be Peter Leko (Hungary), Alexander Grushchuk, Dmitry Yakovenko, Ernesto Inarkiyev, Yevgeni Alexeyev (all of them from Russia), Shahriyar Mamediarov, Teymur Rajabov, Vughar Hashimov (all of them from Azerbaijan), Pavel Elyanov (the Ukraine), Ivan Cheparinov (Bulgaria), Rustam Kasimjanov (Uzbekistan), Vang Ju (China), and Etienne Bakro (France). By the decision of the International Chess Federation, one of the Grand Prix tournaments will be held in Yerevan, on August 8-24, 2009.

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