Round 9 of the V Magistral Internacional Ciudad de Sant Joan de Alacant kicks off Friday in Spain. The ten-player round-robin brings together elite competition at classical time controls, 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. With half the tournament complete, the standings tighten considerably. Players have battled through eight rounds of demanding chess. This round separates contenders from pretenders in a field packed with masters seeking tournament victory and rating points.