Russian chess legend Gary Kasparov has won a re-match of his classic 1984 World Championship contest with compatriot Anatoly Karpov, ending a 12-match clash in the Spanish city of Valencia 9-3.

In relaxed surroundings worlds away from the original clash - played out amid Cold War tension which had converted Kasparov into a western favourite - Kasparov won five speed matches in the final eight-match clash late on Thursday.

The players plan to play again in Paris in December, a spokeswoman for the Valencia regional government said. In 1984 Kasparov, now 46 and a leading opponent of Russian Prime Minister Vladimimir Putin, waged an epic battle with then reigning champion Karpov, now 58, which was called off after 48 matches because of concern over the players' health.

Kasparov said the 1984 match was called off to save Karpov from defeat - and a nervous breakdown - as the match had come to symbolise the competing forces then at play in the Soviet Union. Karpov was a darling of the Soviet establishment.

By the time the 1984 match was halted, Karpov had won five games and Kasparov three, with 40 draws.

Both said they wanted to play on.