World blitz chess champion Grandmaster Le Quang Liem will play Oliver Barbosa from the Philippines in the first round of next month's World Cup in Tromso, Norway.

Tournament No 29 Liem defeated Barbosa, No 100, when they last met at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games earlier this month.

Another Vietnamese representative Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, No 85, faces Russian Vladimir Akopian. It will be a tough match for the Vietnamese as his rival is seeded No 44.

The world tournament has attracted 128 masters and world No 2 Levon Aronian of Armenia is favourite to take first place.

No 1 seed Magnus Carlsen of Norway and world defending champion Viswanathan Anand from India are both absent as they are currently preparing for the world championships in November.

The World Cup begins on August 10 and finishes on September 3. — VNS