BBC英语口语:两位超级象棋大师25年后再战

Background: 有史以来最大象棋对抗赛这周即将重新上演。加里·基莫维奇·卡斯帕罗夫将在西班牙巴伦西亚市对抗阿纳托里·卡尔波夫。25年前是这两位俄罗斯象棋大师首次对战争夺世界大师头衔，那场史诗般的比赛历时5个月之久。

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The hair is greyer, the waistlines larger than when they first faced off in September 1984.

But like two heavyweight boxers coming out of retirement, the mere prospect of Kasparov versus Karpov has chess fans enthralled.

Exactly a quarter of a century ago the 21-year-old Gary Kasparov fought the reigning world champion, Anatoli Karpov, to a standstill in an epic series which, after five months and 48 games, was called off - without a clear winner.

The organisers said the contest had put the health of both players at risk. But in a rematch the following year, the young pretender triumphed, heralding a new era in world chess.

Now aged 46, Gary Kasparov has prepared for this rematch by training with one of today's teenage prodigies, while the 58-year-old Mr Karpov has ‘sparred’ with a computer and grandmasters, from a base on the Spanish coast.

The two giants of Soviet-era chess will turn back the clock in a series of 12 games played, this time, under strict time limits. The host city, Valencia, claims to be the birthplace of the modern game.