The world's reigning chess champion, Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, faces Ukrainian-born Russian grandmaster Sergei Karjakin in the most eagerly awaited match in a generation starting on November 11.
Carlsen, 25, is the highest-rated player in chess history. He aims to retain his title at the World Chess Championship in New York, matching his wits against Karjakin, 26, who became the youngest grandmaster ever at age 12.
The prize purse of $1.1 million will be divided 60-40 between the two men, who are treated like rock stars in their countries.
Carlsen and Karjakin will play in a renovated Manhattan building on the city's historic waterfront, near Wall Street and the Brooklyn Bridge.
The championship has returned to the United States for the first time in 21 years. The last one was in the Russian city of Sochi in 2014.
All 600 seats for the inaugural game on November 11 were sold out, starting at $75 apiece. Two games are played on consecutive days, followed by a one-day break, for a total of 12 games.
Tens of millions of fans are expected to follow online, free of charge through the worldchess.com website.