Chess Grandmaster Rematch 兩位超級象棋大師25年后再戰(zhàn)

By Steve Kingstone

媒體英語會帶大家一起學習BBC撰稿人在報道世界大事時常用到的單詞和短語。

Background ：有史以來最大象棋對抗賽這周即將重新上演。加里·基莫維奇·卡斯帕羅夫將在西班牙巴倫西亞市對抗阿納托里·卡爾波夫。25年前是這兩位俄羅斯象棋大師首次對戰(zhàn)爭奪世界大師頭銜，那場史詩般的比賽歷時5個月之久。

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.