Levon Aronian to face former world champion Garry Kasparov at Sinquefield Cup

Armenian GM Levon Aronian will play with former world chess champion Garry Kasparov at the Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, Missouri, which takes place from 14-19 August.

Kasparov who retired from professional chess in 2005, was given a wild card entry for the event’s Rapid and Blitz competition, the organizers of the tournament reported.

Current world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway will also play at the tournament, as will Hikaru Nakamura, ranked second in the world.

The 2017 Sinquefield Cup is an elite international event, featuring 10 of the strongest chess players in the world.

To note, at 54, Kasparov will be the oldest player competing for the Sinquefield Cup.