Vengeance is mine

The history of the world chess championship includes five title matches where the challenger was the former champion, seeking his revenge. These are Steinitz v Lasker, 1896; Alekhine v Euwe 1937; Botvinnik v Smyslov, 1958; Botvinnik v Tal 1961 and Karpov v Kasparov 1986. Steinitz and Karpov both failed in their bids to reclaim the championship, while Alekhine and Botvinnik were successful, the latter twice.
 
After the Candidates’ tournament in Khanty-Mansisk, the former champion Anand becomes the fifth deposed monarch of the chess world to have the chance to stage a comeback. When I organised the 2000 challenge by Kramnik to Kasparov in London, I offered Kasparov the right to an automatic return match should he lose the first time round. Chivalrously, he declined, but may have regretted this generous decision when he did in fact succumb to his younger rival.
 
This week, samples from the Botvinnik blueprint. He based his game on profound analysis of the psychology of his previous opponent.