Zia, Rajib get tough starts

Grand Master Ziaur Rahman and International Master Enamul Hossain Rajib have been drawn against tough opponents in the Chess World Championship.
World Chess Federation (FIDE) released the first round fixture yesterday for the chess mega event to be held from November 23 to December 17 in Khanty-Mansiysk in Russia.
Zia will play against GM Dmitry Jakovenko of Russia. The country's national team player Jakovenko's current rating is 2710 while Rajib will play against GM Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine. Eljanov, also of the Ukraine national team, has a rating of 2691.
A total of 128 top-level players from all over the world will take part in the knockout first round.
Rajib qualified from the 6th Asian Individual Championship, which was held in September in the Philippines, and Zia will play as the nominated player of the FIDE president.