Various champions have been accused of hypnotising their opponents, including Alexander Alekhine, Mikhail Tal and, not least, the reigning world champion, Magnus Carlsen. The respective accusers were the grandmasters and world-title candidates, Efim Bogolyubov, Pal Benko and the relatively recently deceased, Viktor Korchnoi.
The latter was an adept in the dark arts of presumed parapsychology; indeed Korchnoi’s 1978 challenge for the chess crown was dominated by suspicions of paranormal activity.
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