Chess giants to renew battle after 25 years

Published on Tuesday 22 September 2009 00:29

CHESS eminences Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov are dusting off their knights and pawns for an exhibition rematch marking the 25th anniversary of their first title bout – a gruelling one that lasted five months and was eventually halted.

The two former champions will play 12 games of two kinds of speed chess starting today in the eastern Spanish city of Valencia. The four-day match is the highlight of a chess conference organised by the regional government, town hall and corporate sponsors.

Kasparov, 46, is considered by some to have been the best player in chess history. He retired from top-level professional play in 2005.

Karpov, now 58, was the reigning champion when Kasparov first challenged him in a match that started in September 1984 and spilled over into February 1985.