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Kasparov to defend ranking versus Kramnik

World No. 1 Garry Kasparov will defend his unofficial World Championship title against Vladimir Kramnik of Russia in London, in October, the World Chess Championship sponsors announced on Tuesday.

The tournament's new sponsor, UK Internet start-up Braingames Network, in a statement, said: ''We are delighted to confirm the challenger is to be...Vladimir Kramnik from Moscow.''

Kramnik is widely acknowledged as one of the top three players in the world, while Kasparov, the world's highest ranked player for the past decade, has not defended the world title he holds since 1995.

Kasparov, 36, broke away from the official World Chess Federation (FIDE) in 1993 because of their knock-out competition rules, to which he objects. He has not played a serious game against the FIDE champion -- currently Russia's Alexander Khalifman, who is ranked outside the world's top 30 -- since 1996.

''Whoever wins this match will be widely acknowledged as the best player in the world,'' said chess expert James Coleman of Britain's Chess Centre.

Kasparov is due to launch the championship at a London news conference on Wed nesday.

Agencies