Euwe-Alekhine World Championship Rematch (1937)

WCC Overview

<< previous

HISTORY OF THE WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

next >>

Euwe vs Alekhine 1937
The Netherlands

Alexander Alekhine challenged Max Euwe to a rematch, and Euwe agreed to the challenge and the conditions. From October to December in 1937 the match was conducted, again in the Netherlands. If Alekhine had made the mistake of underestimating Euwe in 1935, he certainly did not underestimate him this time. Euwe won the first game with the black pieces, but in the end Alekhine's resolve (perhaps fueled by the 1935 defeat) proved to be too much for the Dutch Champion. After 25 games, with a score of +10 -4 =11, Alekhine gained the title for the second time.

After the match, Euwe wrote of his opponent with great admiration:

Alekhine's perfect technique and combinative talent are so well known that it is unnecessary to talk about them. His conduct of the endgame was shining. Even so, I admire most how he finished the adjourned games. I had to analyze them, too, so I know them well. When I think of how my opponent created ingenious ideas and how he finished them in unexpected ways, I have only the greatest admiration for Alekhine's playing style.¹

This was Alekhine's final title match. He held the title of World Chess Champion until his death in 1946.

click on a game number to replay game 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Alekhine 0 1 ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½

Euwe 1 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½

click on a game number to replay game 21 22 23 24 25
Alekhine 1 1 ½ 1 1

Euwe 0 0 ½ 0 0

FINAL SCORE: Alekhine 15½; Euwe 9½
Reference: game collection WCC Index [Euwe-Alekhine 1937]

NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]

    · Game #6     Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937     1-0
    · Game #22     Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937     1-0
    · Game #2     Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937     1-0

¹ World Chess Championship Index by Mark Weeks

page 1 of 1; 3 games

Game Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening
1. Euwe vs Alekhine 0-1 34 1937 Euwe-Alekhine World Championship Rematch D18 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Dutch

2. Euwe vs Alekhine 0-1 32 1937 Euwe-Alekhine World Championship Rematch E16 Queen's Indian

3. Euwe vs Alekhine 0-1 43 1937 Euwe-Alekhine World Championship Rematch E46 Nimzo-Indian

REFINE SEARCH: White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)

< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 3 OF 3 · Later Kibitzing>
Apr-09-10		The Rocket: "At the time, Euwe may we have been considered the favorite in the rematch, the idea being that Alekhine was drunk and washed up." Euwe was indeed concidered to be the favourite in this match beliave it or not.... it came as a suprise Alekhine took back the titel. That tells you how times had change when one of the greatest players of all time is an underdog against someone like Max Euwe.

Sep-25-10		BobCrisp: From game 6 onwards, Alekhine wore a white pullover with a life-sized black cat on it, knitted for him by his wife.

Apr-23-11		AVRO38: In terms of quality, the 1937 match is probably the greatest World Championship ever.

May-09-11		ARubinstein: <In terms of quality, the 1937 match is probably the greatest World Championship ever.> I assume you're joking.

May-10-11		perfidious: < ARubinstein: <In terms of quality, the 1937 match is probably the greatest World Championship ever.> <I assume you're joking.> Having seen some of <AVRO>'s other pronouncements, I rather doubt it. <positionalgenius: My disdain for Alekhine is justified.This guy simply ran and never played a WCC match again.> He could have played Keres, under the aegis of the Nazis, I suppose.

May-10-11		aliejin: "In terms of quality, the 1937 match is probably the greatest World Championship ever" I fully agree The games are of exceptional quality. Virtually no games no value

May-11-11		aliejin: "My disdain for Alekhine is justified" it is justified until you become aware of your ignorance Anyone who knows history (basic it is enough ) can imagine what it was Europe and the world from 1938 onwards ...

May-11-11		perfidious: <aliejin> Revisionist history lesson: In June 1938, Stalin and Hitler signed a treaty to make war on the forces of ignorance, released all prisoners in their respective countries, proclaimed their undying love for King George, and Capablanca beat Alekhine in six straight games to reclaim his world title. The AVRO event was won by Capa, 14-0, and Euwe returned to university in defeat.

Jul-18-11		AVRO38: The picture on this page appears to be of the 1935 match. Can anyone confirm?

Jul-19-11		sneaky pete: <AVRO38> You're right. The picture stems from page 7 of Tartakower's book (published by the newspaper De Telegraaf) of the 1935 match.

Jul-19-11		AVRO38: Thanks <sneaky pete>! The arbiter's desk and players' table were all raised in the 1937 match but here they all seem level with the ground. Also Alekhine was considerably heavier in 1937 than he is in this picture.

Jul-19-11		aliejin: "... When I think of how my opponent created ingenious ideas and how he finished them in unexpected ways, I have only the greatest admiration for Alekhine's playing style.. " This words of Euwe ( see above ) remember me the following words of Reti " Under the frozen layers of contemporary technique... In games won by Alekhine Shine burning desire to find new ways ... " ( From "capablanca" Panov )

Mar-04-12		StrongSquare: <WhiteRook48>..Capablanca lost the 1927 match by ACCIDENT????.....lol...what are you smoking? Alekhine studied Capablanca's games for years leading up to that match!

Mar-04-12		StrongSquare: <talisman> Alekhine by the 1930's had no reason to fear Capablanca, nor was he "ducking" him; he merely wanted Capablanca to raise 10,000 dollars stake money to play a return match. This condition was in accordance with Capablanca's own wishes in his "London Rules" of 1922...look it up...every prospective challenger from 1922 onwards had a very hard time raising that 10K...Alekhine resented this condition greatly, and THAT is why Alekhine didn't play him: Capa couldn't raise the 10K.

Mar-05-12		RookFile: Euwe didn't raise 10 thousand either, by the way, yet Alekhine played him. By the way, did you look at 1936 for example? How did Capa do that year compared to Alekhine? One other slight difference, heading into the rematch that this page covers, was that Capablanca had defeated Euwe in a match in 1931, but Alekhine had lost to Euwe in 1935.

Mar-05-12		AlanPardew: Euwe wasn't a signatory to the London Rules so he wasn't bound by it. But the Rules didn't require that $10,000 be the minimum match stakes, only that the champion could refuse to accept a challenge for a lesser amount. In both matches with Bogo (who was a party to the London Rules), Alekhine waived that right. <Alekhine resented this condition greatly, and THAT is why Alekhine didn't play him:> Yes, he resented it, but I think he also used it as a pretext to avoid playing Capa. In the same way that Fischer used his match conditions to avoid playing the 1975 match.

Mar-05-12		RookFile: In other words, Alekhine played two matches with a circus clown, and two more with a guy who lost a match to Capa. Yes, it's all clear now.

Mar-05-12		AylerKupp: That's 3 more matches than Fischer was willing to play unless he was given the advantage of retaining his title if the match with Karpov reached 9 wins for each player.

Mar-05-12		Olavi: Euwe or rather the Euwe committee raised the 10K in the sense that the winner's share was quaranteed. In other words, Euwe didn't receive a dime in 1935, while Alekhine got more than stipulated.

Mar-05-12		RookFile: Not every page of chessgames relates to Fischer, even though sometimes it seems so. The topic of this page concerns Alekhine, Euwe, and Capa.

Mar-06-12		AylerKupp: What does a page about the Euwe vs. Alekhine 1937 World Championship Match have to do with Capablanca or, for that matter, circus clowns?

Jun-01-12		theoreticaldraw: <perfidious: He could have played Keres, under the aegis of the Nazis, I suppose.> Bogo was also available, in case anyone was clamoring for a trilogy.

Jun-02-12		MORPHYEUS: <theoreticaldraw: <perfidious: He could have played Keres, under the aegis of the Nazis, I suppose.> Bogo was also available, in case anyone was clamoring for a trilogy.> You're not as funny as your brother.

Jun-02-12		Khapablanca: "Euwe won the first game with the black pieces" Chesgamess.com, fix it, please. Looks like Euwe has the WHITE pieces in that very first game..

Nov-26-12		perfidious: < theoreticaldraw: Bogo was also available, in case anyone was clamoring for a trilogy.> Entirely possible, but by WWII, Bogo was over the hill, just another hasbeenusetawas. Yet another AA-Bogo match probably would have lacked even propaganda value.

Jump to page # (enter # from 1 to 3)
< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 3 OF 3 · Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: You need to pick a username and password to post a reply. Getting your account takes less than a minute, totally anonymous, and 100% free--plus, it entitles you to features otherwise unavailable. Pick your username now and join the chessgames community!

If you already have an account, you should login now.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
No spamming, advertising, or duplicating posts.
No personal attacks against other users.
Nothing in violation of United States law.

See something which violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform an administrator.

NOTE: Keep all discussion on the topic of this page. This forum is for this specific tournament and nothing else. If you want to discuss chess in general, or this site, you might try the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.

Spot an error? Please suggest your correction and help us eliminate database mistakes!