The Three K's and Anand: World No.2, NIIT Brand Ambassador, Viswanathan Anand will face the three K's in the Siemen's Giants Rapid Chess tournament in Frankfurt. The event will be held from the 28th Of June till the 2nd of July. The players are Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand, Vladimir Kramnik and Anatoly Karpov. On 3rd and 4th July Anand will play against the computer chess program, Fritz, in a four game match.

This is the first time that a rapid tournament has such a heavy line up. The event will be played in Ballsporthalle in Frankfurt. This place has been a host to world class events like the Davis Cup .The games will be of twenty-five minute duration for each player. Three games will be played each day in the four round event. The games will start at 18:30 hours Frankfurt time. The opening ceremony will be held on the 28th at 19:00 hours. The tournament will be a category 21 event. Last year it was a category 22 event. Nevertheless it will be the strongest rapid chess tournament for 1999.

According to Mr. Hans Walter Schmitt, the President of SC Frankfurt-West Chess Club, this event will be of importance due to the participation of the world's top players. The half a million Deutsche Mark event is sponsored by Siemens, Ordix, Goldmann & Sachs, Holiday Inn at the Main-Taunus centre, and Taunus Saving Bank.

Anand has played in all the editions of the tournament except in 1996 due to his wedding. He is an honorary member of the Frankfurt -West Chess Club and supports it's training activities. Anand has had inspiring results in this tournament winning in 1997 and 1998. Anand who has just come of a 5-1 win against Karpov in Leon hopes that he will be able to maintain his good performance in Frankfurt.

Other events that will be held during the same period include the Siemen's Master's Tournament featuring Alexander Morozevich, Michael Adams, Peter Svidler, Vesselin Topalov, Peter Leko, Judit Polgar, Cristopher Lutz and Fritz. There will also be the Ordix Open, the strongest rapid chess open.

Anand to take on Fritz: On 3rd and 4th July Anand will play Fritz in a four game match. The games will start at 20:00 hours on July 3rd and 13:00 hours. The games will also be of twenty-five minute duration per player. The program will run on a Siemens Nixdorf Primergy 870-Server. Fritz will play in the Master's tournament as the Winner of last year's open. The same hardware will be used in Anand's match. Last year, Anand played the same program on a Siemens Nixdorf Primergy 460-Server. Anand won 1.5 - 0.5.

Anand who used a computer to assist him in Leon finds it a little odd to have to play against the machine within a fortnight. "I guess I have played more against Fritzy than with it " said Anand.

The Tournament will have live Internet coverage. For links refer www.chesscenter.com/twic/twic.html
For Further information, please contact
Schachclub Frankfurt-West
c/o Hans-Walter Schmitt
Alte Ziegelei 5
D-65812 Bad Soden
E-mail Address (es):
hans-walter.schmitt@ffm2.siemens.de
Hans-walter.Schmitt@rm.sni.de