Chess Masters Final kicks off in Sao Paulo

Chess player Magnus Carlsen of Norway, left, and Fabiano Caruana of Italy compete during the Chess Grand Slam Final Masters inside a case of glass at the Ibirapuera Park in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) / Andre Penner

SAO PAULO — The fifth edition of the Chess Masters Final, which brings together six of the world's top-ranked and most promising players, has kicked off in Sao Paulo.

World champion Viswanathan Anand of India, no. 2 Levon Aronian of Armenia, Norway's Magnus Carlsen, Italo-American Fabiano Caruana, Russia's Serguey Kariakin and Spain's Francisco Vallejo are taking part in the competition.

The first leg of the tournament runs in Sao Paulo, Brazil's financial hub and largest city, from Monday through Sept. 29. The final half is to be held in Bilbao, Spain, from Oct. 8-13, organizers said on the tournament's web site. Last year's edition of the Chess Masters Final was also split between the two cities.

The tournament is made up of 10 rounds and includes a points-based scoring system, like soccer tournaments.