ORIGINAL: Euwe - Alekhine World Championship Rematch (1937)Edward Winter, "Euwe and Alekhine on their 1937 Match"
http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...
<World Championship Disorder> Edward Winter (2002)
http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...
<DRAFT EDIT> in progress: <JFQ>
RESEARCH by <Karpova>, <dakgootje>, <thomastonk>, <crawfb5>, <JFQ>
#################################
<5 Oct - 7 Dec 1937> Nine cities in Holland
<DRAFT EDIT>
Immediately after losing his title to Max Euwe in Dec 1935, Alexander Alekhine challenged for the rematch which had been guaranteed in their initial contract. H.W. Zimdin, the main stockholder of Panhans AG, offered to finance the match if it were played in the Panhans Hotel in Semmering, Austria.<1> On 23 Feb 1936, Alekhine arrived in Semmering for negotiations with Euwe's representative Hans Kmoch and the Austrian organizers, reporting that his loss to Euwe in the 1935 match had been the "greatest lesson of his life." <2> By April 1935 the Semmering offer broke down, possibly due to problems guaranteeing the required purse because the Dutch guilder was outperforming the Austrian schilling.<3,4> On 17 May 1936 Alekhine and Euwe signed a contract to play their rematch in various cities in the Netherlands.<5>
Conditions would remain the same as the 1935 match. Win or lose, world champion Euwe would receive the entire purse of 10,000 guilders ($6,700), which he promised to donate to the Dutch Chess Federation.<6> From a mandatory 30 games, the first to 15 1/2 points with 6 wins would triumph, with Euwe enjoying draw odds.<7,8> The time control was 40 moves in 2 1/2 hours with the next 24 moves in 1 1/2 hours and 16 moves per hour thereafter. The 1st adjournment came after Black's 40th move and the 2d after Black's 80th move. Geza Maroczy was referee and the seconds were Reuben Fine (Euwe) and Erich Eliskases (Alekhine).<9>
In the period since their first championship match, Euwe had finished ahead of Alekhine at Nottingham (1936), Amsterdam (1936), and Bad Nauheim-Stuttgart-Garmisch (1937), and scored +2 -1 =2 against him in their individual encounters. According to Eliskases, Alekhine prepared seriously, girding himself with brisk walks and a health regimen of no tobacco or alcohol.<10> Alekhine had blamed his 1935 defeat in part on "tobacco in excess and, above all, alcohol" which "proved absolutely fatal in the long run."<11> Euwe trained by playing in the Stockholm Olympiad just before the match, explaining that "this kind of preparation was certainly necessary, since I had played very little this year."<11>
Euwe struck first in game 1, and after game 5 he still led by a point. <Game 6>- Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 was played in Haarlem's Great Concert Hall, which featured acoustics so sharp that Eliskases claimed "Every sound can be heard on the stage. The audience produces so much noise that it is impossible for the players to play."<12> Alekhine stunned the audience by offering a knight in the opening with (6.Nf3!), a move he later characterized as "putting before black a most difficult practical problem."<13> Eliskases describes Euwe's response: "The reaction!... He... was playing a losing game after only a handful of moves."<12> Indeed, Euwe erred with (6...b5?), after which Alekhine claims "the game is already lost, as White, in addition to his positional advantage, soon wins material."<14> Alekhine went on to win in just 23 moves and seize the match momentum. He won three of the next four games and clinched the title by game 25, becoming the first world chess champion in history to reclaim his title in a rematch.
Euwe attributed his loss partly to exhaustion, noting the irony that he "felt very tired in the second half of the match, perhaps as a result of the... strenuous exertion of the team tournament (Stockholm Olympiad)... in which I had participated with the object of playing myself into my best form." Euwe also described the psychological shock he experienced after Alekhine's dramatic surge through games 6-10: "When I discovered, after the tenth game, what kind of an opponent I had to contend with, I was already three points behind."<15> Alekhine attributed his win in part to a careful study of every game <Euwe> had played between the two championship matches. He also reported that he did not reveal any of his new opening ideas in games he played during this period.<8> Mikhail Botvinnik observed that the rematch "was more interesting than their 1935 match. In their first match, Alekine played poorly. In the second, he regained the form he had shown in his match against Capablanca in 1927."<16>
NOTES
<1> "Wiener Schachzeitung" (Dec 1935), p.353
<2> "Wiener Schachzeitung" (March 1936), p.66
<3> "Wiener Schachzeitung" (April 1936), p.121
<4> "Wiener Schachzeitung" (Dec 1936), p.353
<5> "Polygoon Hollands Nieuws (A filmed newsreel)," (17 May 1936)
Dutch transl. by <dakgootje>
http://www.geschiedenis24.nl/speler...
<6> "Het Phohi-Sportpraatje. Schaken en Voetbal" ("Het nieuws van den dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië," 24 Dec 1935), p.3
Dutch transl. by <dakgootje>
http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i...
<7> "Wiener Schachzeitung" (May 1936), pp.133-139
<7a> Leonard Skinner and Robert Verhoeven, "Alexander Alekhine's Chess Games, 1902-1946" (McFarland 1998), p.593
<8> Alexander Alekhine, "How I Regained the Title," "Chess Review" March 1938, p.64
<9> Alexander Alekhine, "The World's Chess Championship, 1937" (Dover Publications Inc. 15 April 1974), p.13
<10> "Chess" vol 3 1937, p.43. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.594
<11> "Manchester Guardian" (5 October 1937), pp. 11-12
<12> Alexander Munninghoff, "Max Euwe- the Biography" Piet Verhagen transl. (New in Chess 2001), p. 206
<13> Alexander Alekhine, "My Best Games of Chess 1908-1937" (Dover 1985), p.229
<14> Alexander Alekhine, "The World's Chess Championship, 1937" pp. 54-55
<15> Max Euwe, "How I Lost the Title" "Chess Review" 1938, p.35
Originally from <The Manchester Guardian>.
<16> Mikhail Botvinnik, "Alekhine vs. Euwe Return Match 1937"
Kay DeVault, transl. (Chess Digest 1973), p.3
###########################
<Rematch clause>? Did Euwe have a right to a guaranteed rematch in the contract for the 1937 match
<EDIT> <dakgootje>
Did a quick search, saw an interview with AA from January 1938. However, I think it was [at least partly] republished as an interview in.. Chess Review or some other magazine.
http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i...
Last 2 paragraphs concern the future, wherein he notes he'll defend the title against any opponent, that he has heard/understood that the next match will be one such as the rest of the chess community wants, and that the chances of Capablanca-Alekhine are substantial.
So <if> Euwe had right to rematch, AA knew little more than a month after regaining the title that Euwe wouldn't use it. Perhaps Euwe mentioned something like that in a postmatch-conference.
==================
<Euwe> post-match:
"It is not my intention to challenge my opponent as soon as possible, since I am well aware that the claims of others for a match for the highest title have more weight now. Nevertheless, if my tournament results justify my doing so, I may make an attempt to recapture the title four or five years from now. For the time being such an idea is out of the question, for my opponent is undisputedly my better."
Max Euwe, "How I Lost the Title" "Chess Review" 1938, p.36 (originally published in "The Manchester Guardian")
===
<EDIT> <dakgootje>
I might go into the matter further this afternoon/evening - but I quite doubt Euwe had the right for revanche. Do you know what happened in Stockholm 1937? Apparently something to do with how to decide the challenger.
Article of note is http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i...
Concerns the dinner that concluded the match, december 18th 1937. Euwe mentions AA would like to play Capa and hopes that if AA is victorious (and presumably in the rematch as well, though that's unclear) that AA will give him a chance as well.
AA hopes to play him soon again as well. He then continues saying the world championship should not be a private matter, that it should be for everyone, and that Euwe has experimented in this regard(!). Also that he disagrees with whatever happened in Stockholm, and hits out at FIDE a bit.
Haven't read the rest closely, but he's clearly angry at FIDE. And there're parts wherein he notes he wants to decide his own opponent rather than have it decided via some tournament.
So I'm not quite sure what this is all about. But it was clear right after AA became champion that Euwe wouldn't challenge. Even if he was allowed. The ball is quite obviously in Johnny's yard.
<-->
I think the crux of the 1937 stockholm matter is that FIDE claimed the right to decide the challenger. AA thinks they can sod off and that he'll decide for himself thankyourverymuch.
Which isn't exactly what we are looking for. But that Johnny is completely free to decide implies Euwe had no official right to challenge. Or otherwise did not accept the right, which is de facto the same.
=============
<EDIT> <dakgootje>
Euwe published an article concerning the Future of the World Chess Championship, 18 december 1937?
http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i...
Quite long, so haven't really read it yet. Only the first paragraph; apparently Euwe had made Match-arrangements for the next 5 years, in case he'd win. Think first Capa in 1939, then if he'd win Flohr in 1940, then the winner of the AVRO-tournament in.. 1942 or something.
AA had made no such arrangements, which caused the lack of clarity concerning the next challenger. And probably why AA spoke so extensively about that he wanted to decide for himself.
Which in turn strengthens my belief there were no prior rematch-arrangements.
Yeah, it seems very important. Of main importance is that Euwe talks about the rights of some contenders. He groups himself with Reshevsky and Fine as players with no clear backing organization who will depend on tournament results.
Oh, yes, he literally says "Rights of various contenders"; starting with Capa, Flohr and Keres.
I don't have time for an exact translation, but will give the general gist a bit broader than I've done yet later on. But considering that wording, that he doesn't mention any rights for himself, and the previous article - I think we can be rather sure he did not in fact have any special rights for contending the crown.
===
<EDIT> <dakgootje>
Translation of "De toekomst van het wereldkampioenschap schaken", Euwe, December 18th, 1937, Nieuwsblad van het Noorden
http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i...
<The Future of the Chess World Championship>, by dr. M. Euwe
Due to the victory of Alekhine a great deal of confusion has arisen with regards to the future of the World Championship. Alekhine didn't have any appointments made in case he'd win the revanche-match, whereas I in this regard was provided for the first five years. Many have found this clumsy of me that I'd sold the bear's skin before catching it - however these critics forgo that the way of things necessitates this, the psychological disadvantage nonetheless.
It was during my world championship that the world chess organization for the first time took official steps to obtain the control over the title. The decision of the congress in Stockholm to have the title defender play Flohr in 1940 would've been binding for me, in case I'd have managed to defend my title. This was the first hide, in fact not by my guilt.
The second appointment was the outcome of the result of the voting in Stockholm, which would've practically eliminated from the title a decent player like Capablanca. According to the rules of the world chess organization it was only possible to play for the title once every four years, and therefore Capablance would have had his first chance in 1944 (at the age of 56!). In order to meet this with more fairness (this unfairness was recognized by all delegates, even those in favor of Flohrs candidacy), I was willing to, after a possible victory over Alekhine, play Capablance already in 1939, after which the winner of this last match would play in 1940 against Flohr. So the bear had two skins.
My third promise is little known: in 1941 or 1942 to play against the winner of the to-be-held AVRO-tournament. Concerning these plans, which were proposed by my own chess organization KNSB, I was of course sympathetic.
Now that Alekhine has won the revanche-match, all these arrangements are nullified, and it's perhaps interesting to see what will come in its place. This will be easiest looking at the right of the various contenders for the World Championship. Starting with Capablanca, who lost his title in 1927 in Buenos Aires against Alekhine and hasn't got a revanche since. Alekhine has always been willing to play a second match, however on exact the same grounds of the first match. As the dollar has devaluated this agreement can be interpreted in two ways. I'll be neutral which interpretation is right, and therefore who is to blame that it didn't come to a match thus far, however I'm delighted that the chance is currently bigger than ever that both rivals will play in 1939. I have several days ago heard Alekhines remarks regarding this subject and in September spoken more than once with Capablanca. Both made a very serious impression and, which might be even more important, the same can be said from the South-American financiers of this revanche match.
Flohr is the official candidate of the World Chess Organization and this body will try all possibilities to get a meeting between Alekhine and Flohr before 1940. I deem it not impossible that Alekhine, in case he beats Capablanca in 1939, will be willing to play in 1941 (with two years in between) against Flohr - however not because Flohr is the candidate of the World Chess Organization because Alekhine will not recognize the Organization as law-maker regarding the world championship, partly based on the conduct of affairs in Stockholm.
Keres has placed himself at the center of attention due to his victory in the Austrian Eight-man-match (<literal translation of achtkamp>). Based on this success the organizers of this Match, the famous Panhaus-concern, have already sent a challenge to Alekhine, to player a match in 1938 against Keres. Of this match probably nothing will come, because Alekhine will probably hold on to (and rightly so!) the minimum amount of two years time between two subsequent matches, and moreover because Capablance is favored by Alekhine according to the declarations.
Botvinnik, despite relative failing against Lowenfisch, stays Russias premier man. As soon as the USSR sees a serious and promising contender in Botvinnik, then the creation of a match will of course be easy. The result of the match Botvinik-Lowenfisch means in that regard only a delay of a step, which will certainly be taken at some time.
Reshevsky, Fine and myself, are other contenders whose interests are not yet voiced by any body's and whose claims are closely intertwined with possible successes in tournaments. Of special importance in this regard is the AVRO-tournament which might take place in 1938, and in which six to eight of the strongest players in the world will compete.
Other primary conteders, either bercause they are among the older group (Lasker, Bogoljubov, Tartakower and others) will have much more problems - due to two reasons. First of all they will need a series of successes to make a claim, and secondly they won't often have the opportunity to take part in important matches, because nowdays there seems to be a movement to organize so-called elite-tournament with few participants. This is shown not only in the recently played German fourway-match and the Austrian eightway-match also in several other matches that are still being organized - namely the AVRO-tournament and the fourwaymatch on the Semmering (for which Alekhine, Capablanca, Keres and myself have received an invitation).
The chess world looks at the development of things with interest.
The most probable and also more just order of things seems to me: in 1939 Capablanca, in 1941 Flohr and in 1943 the most successful player in tournaments.
<Signature of Max Euwe>
#################
<MATCH CONDITIONS>
<The match was to consist of a <<<mandatory 30>>> games. First to 15 1/2 points with 6 wins would triumph, with Euwe enjoying draw odds. <<<Euwe>>> would receive the entire purse of 10,000 guilders ($6,700) win or lose.>
Referee: Geza Maroczy (Alekhine "The World's Chess Championship, 1937, p.13)
Match seconds: <Fine (Euwe), Eliskases (Alekhine)> (Alekhine "TWCC,1937 p.13
Skinner and Verhoeven, p. 593
Time Control: 40 moves in 2 1/2 hours; next 24 moves 1 1/2 hours; one hour for every 16 moves after.
1st adjournment after Black's 40th move; 2d adjournment after Black's 80th move. (Alekhine "TWCC,1937 p.13)
===
<Sources for Purse Information>
<<<<Euwe>>> would receive the entire purse of 10,000 guilders ($6,700) win or lose>
EDIT <dakgootje>
24 Dec. 1935
[First talks about Euwe being an amateur player]: "Even so for the latest worldchampionship match he has received nought; whereas Alekhin -as one knows- has gotten 10000 guilders."
Then it continues to shed light on the rematch, stating that Euwe would claim the 10000 guilders. However, he had already granted this fee to the Dutch Chess Federation to advertize chess.
Ever the gentleman ;)
Header: Het Phohi-Sportpraatje. Schaken en Voetbal.
Newspaper: Het nieuws van den dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië
Publication date: 24-12-1935
Page: 3
http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i...
===
EDIT <thomastonk> (Corroboration on the 10,000 guilders going to Euwe, win or lose):
And this one http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i... states that f 10.000 are needed for the return match.
And here you get this information from Euwe http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i...
===
<Source for Mandatory 30 games>
<mandatory <<<30>>> games>
Alekhine: <"...even after the match was over, in the five exhibition games which we were obliged to play under our <<<contract,>>> he produced high class play...">
-Alexander Alekhine, "How I Regained the Title," "Chess Review" March 1938, p.64
#################################
#######################################
<P. 121 of the April 1936 'Neue Wiener Schachzeitung': The Semmering project finally broke down. The return match (<<<Retourmatch>>>) will take place in autumn 1937 in the Netherlands. In beginning of May, Alekhine will travel to Amsterdam to sign the contract.>
<One of the reasons may have been the influence of the economic crisis on the respective currencies (Gulden and Schilling) as the 'Neue Wiener Schachzeitung' reiterates that <<<the Dutch Gulden beat the Austrian Schilling.>>> Although the Gulden had been devalued in the meantime. I'm referring to p. 353 of the December 1936 issue.>
===============
More on the Semmering project (Euwe-Alekhine rematch in 1937 in Austria, financed by Zimdin of Panhans AG):
<P. 92 of the March 1936 'Neue Wiener Schachzeitung': A new plan is in consideration, 15 games in summer 1937 in the <<<Hotel Carlton, Amsterdam>>> and then, after a short break, the rest in Panhans Hotel in Semmering, Austria.>
<P. 121 of the April 1936 'Neue Wiener Schachzeitung': The Semmering project finally broke down. The return match (<<<Retourmatch>>>) will take place in autumn 1937 in the Netherlands. In beginning of May, Alekhine will travel to Amsterdam to sign the contract.>
<One of the reasons may have been the influence of the economic crisis on the respective currencies (Gulden and Schilling) as the 'Neue Wiener Schachzeitung' reiterates that <<<the Dutch Gulden beat the Austrian Schilling.>>> Although the Gulden had been devalued in the meantime. I'm referring to p. 353 of the December 1936 issue.>
<NEGOTIATIONS>
<Semmering Negotiations>
Dec. 1935
<Alekhine-Euwe <<<rematch>>> would take place in early spring of 1936 in Austria, H W Zimdin, main stock holder of the Panhans Hotels, was willing to finance it and Euwe and Alekhine agreed to the invitation>
"Neue Wiener Schachzeitung" December 1935, pp. 353
===
Jan. 1936
<the January issue (1936, p. 17) reports that there'll be a meeting in Vienna on February 22, 1936 between Alekhine himself and Euwe's representative Kmoch (Euwe was job-relatedly prohibited) to <<<negotiate>>> their rematch.>
Neue Wiener Schachzeitung, January 1936, p.17
================
Feb. 23, 1936
<Semmering, Hotel Panhans , February 23, 1936. Present are representatives of the Panhans AG, Alekhine and Kmoch (for Dr. Euwe). Chairman was Zimdin, president of Panhans AG. So the Panhans AG is willing to fnance the rematch in the Panhans hotel. Now they'd to find a date, Euwe can't play prior to October 1, 1937 while the hosts don't want a later date than August 20, 1937. Both parties cite vitally important reasons. Yet, they are optimistic with regards to the <<<written negotiations>>> and the match is close to safe.>
There is also a report on Alekhine's visit in Vienna (he was there because of the above negotiations) on pages 65-67 by <j. h.> (so hannak again). I may return to it later.>
"Neue Wiener Schachzeitung" March 1936, p. 65
Feb. 23, 1936 (cont.)
<As he was in Vienna for the Semmering negotiations (Zimdin willing to finance a rematch), Alekhine undertook a bit more and Hannak reports on it on pp. 65-67 of the March 1936 'Neue Wiener Schachzeitung'.
P. 65: Apparently, Alekhine arrived in Vienna on February 23, which was also the day of the negotiations.Alekhine declared openly that he lost the match deservedly and that his opponent had won deservedly. No excuses or palliation. The Alekhine-Euwe committee behaved quite correct and the whole match was conducted in the spirit of true sportsmanship and fairness. (<<<Mit wirklich nobler Beherrschung und tapferem Freimut erklärte Aljechin ohne jede Verklausulierung, daß er den Wettkampf verdient verloren und daß ihn der Gegner verdient gewonnen habe. Es gebe keinerlei Ausrede und keinerlei Beschönigung. Auch das Aljechin-Euwe-Komitee habe sich durchaus korrekt benommen und der ganze Wettkampf sei im Geiste echter Sportlichkeit und Fairness geführt worden.>>> pp. 65-66).
P. 66: Alekhine is looking forward to the return match (<<<Rückkampf>>>), which will likely take place next year (Semmering negotiations) but he would be ready to start tomorrow. He lost to Dr. Euwe because he sinned against the steadfast law of chessgoddess Caissa: He regarded Euwe only as the solid mathematician and correct scientist, who could be disarranged inwardly by irrational and paradoxical. (<<<er habe in Euwe zunächst nur den soliden Mathematiker und korrekten Wissenschaftler gesehen, den man mit Irrationalismen und Paradoxen in innere Unordnung bringen könne.>>>). This worked in the beginning, as Euwe played weakly during the first 10 games, putting up much less resistance than Bogoljubov, for example. But this alleged psychological superiority ended in Alekhine's doom. Suddenly, Euwe became an energetic fighter (<<<energischer Kämpfer>>>). Now the psychological inferiority from the beginnig, became a psychological superiority. From game 14 onwards, Alekhine didn't have the feeling he could win, because he didn't deserve to win, as he wasn't the most worthy recently (gegenwärtig>
). In fact, he played well gain in the last games and fought determined against his fate but fate was just. Alekhine considers this match to be the greatest lesson of his life and wants to take it to his heart for the whole future (<<<Aljechin betrachte den Wettkampf als die größte Lehre seines Lebens und er wolle diese Lehre beherzigen für alle Zukunft.>>>).
P. 67: Alekhine can be aussured that his dignified demeanor and splendid spirit regained the old sympathis of the Vienna chess community.>
"Neue Wiener Schachzeitung" March 1936
===
More on the Semmering project (Euwe-Alekhine rematch in 1937 in Austria, financed by Zimdin of Panhans AG):
<P. 92 of the March 1936 'Neue Wiener Schachzeitung': A new plan is in consideration, 15 games in summer 1937 in the <<<Hotel Carlton, Amsterdam>>> and then, after a short break, the rest in Panhans Hotel in Semmering, Austria.>
<P. 121 of the April 1936 'Neue Wiener Schachzeitung': The Semmering project finally broke down. The return match (<<<Retourmatch>>>) will take place in autumn 1937 in the Netherlands. In beginning of May, Alekhine will travel to Amsterdam to sign the contract.>
<One of the reasons may have been the influence of the economic crisis on the respective currencies (Gulden and Schilling) as the 'Neue Wiener Schachzeitung' reiterates that <<<the Dutch Gulden beat the Austrian Schilling.>>> Although the Gulden had been devalued in the meantime. I'm referring to p. 353 of the December 1936 issue.>
===
17 May 1936
<Rematch Contract Signed>
The contract was signed 17 May 1936 in the Hotel Carlton, Amsterdam.
Narrator:
<"AMSTERDAM – The chessmasters sign the <<<contract for the return-match>>> which shall take place in 1937 in the Netherlands.""The Chief of the Department of Art and Sciences, mister P. Visser, speaks on behalf of the government.">
P Visser:
<"First of all, I’d like to express the sincere satisfaction of the <<<Dutch Government>>> that it has been decided that the match Aljechin-Euwe will take place once more.
This shall happen within the boundaries of our country">
-Polygon Dutch News, May 17, 1936
Dutch translation by <dakgootje>
http://www.geschiedenis24.nl/speler...
###########################
<MATCH CONDITIONS>
<The match was to consist of a <<<mandatory 30>>> games. First to 15 1/2 points with 6 wins would triumph, with Euwe enjoying draw odds. <<<Euwe>>> would receive the entire purse of 10,000 guilders ($6,700) win or lose.>
Referee: Geza Maroczy (Alekhine "The World's Chess Championship, 1937, p.13)
Match seconds: <Fine (Euwe), Eliskases (Alekhine)> (Alekhine "TWCC,1937 p.13
Skinner and Verhoeven, p. 593
Time Control: 40 moves in 2 1/2 hours; next 24 moves 1 1/2 hours; one hour for every 16 moves after.
1st adjournment after Black's 40th move; 2d adjournment after Black's 80th move. (Alekhine "TWCC,1937 p.13)
===
<Sources for Purse Information>
<<<<Euwe>>> would receive the entire purse of 10,000 guilders ($6,700) win or lose>
EDIT <dakgootje>
24 Dec. 1935
[First talks about Euwe being an amateur player]: "Even so for the latest worldchampionship match he has received nought; whereas Alekhin -as one knows- has gotten 10000 guilders."
Then it continues to shed light on the rematch, stating that Euwe would claim the 10000 guilders. However, he had already granted this fee to the Dutch Chess Federation to advertize chess.
Ever the gentleman ;)
Header: Het Phohi-Sportpraatje. Schaken en Voetbal.
Newspaper: Het nieuws van den dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië
Publication date: 24-12-1935
Page: 3
http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i...
===
EDIT <thomastonk> (Corroboration on the 10,000 guilders going to Euwe, win or lose):
And this one http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i... states that f 10.000 are needed for the return match.
And here you get this information from Euwe http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/i...
===
<Source for Mandatory 30 games>
<mandatory <<<30>>> games>
Alekhine: <"...even after the match was over, in the five exhibition games which we were obliged to play under our <<<contract,>>> he produced high class play...">
-Alexander Alekhine, "How I Regained the Title," "Chess Review" March 1938, p.64
#################################
<CHESS EVENTS BEFORE THE MATCH>
10 - 28 Aug 1936
<Nottingham 1936>
(Euwe shared 3d, Alekhine 6th, behind Botvinnik and Capablanca)
Nottingham (1936)
===
10 - 18 Oct 1936
<Amsterdam 1936>
(Euwe shared 1st with Fine, Alekhine 2d)
Amsterdam (1936)
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1936 <0-1>
===
28 Dec 1936 - 6 Jan 1937
<Hastings 1936/1937>
(Alekhine 1st, over Fine and Eliskases)
Hastings (1936/37)
===
31 March - 9 April 1937
<Margate 1937>
(Alekhine 3d, behind Fine and Keres shared 1st)
Margate (1937)
===
15 June - 10 July 1937
<Kemeri 1937>
(Alekhine 4th, behind Petrovs, Reshevsky and Flohr shared 1st)
Kemeri (1937)
===
18-27 July 1937
<Bad Nauheim 1937>
(Euwe 1st, Alekhine and Bogoljubov shared 2d)
Bad Nauheim-Stuttgart-Garmisch (1937)
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1-0>
===
31 July - 14 Aug 1937
<Stockholm Olympiad>
(Euwe wins bronze medal on 1st board, behind Flohr and Keres)
Keres vs Euwe, 1937 <0-1>
#################################
<MATCH PREPARATION>
<Alekhine>:
Alekhine on the 1935 Match:
<Alekhine considers this match to be the greatest lesson of his life and wants to take it to his heart for the whole future (<<<Aljechin betrachte den Wettkampf als die größte Lehre seines Lebens und er wolle diese Lehre beherzigen für alle Zukunft.>>>).>
"Neue Wiener Schachzeitung" March 1936, p.66
===
Sept 1937
<Znosko-Borovsky> interview with <Alekhine>
<"For the last two months, following on the tournament in Kemeri, Alekhine has been leading a very <<<well regulated kind of life.>>> He lives on his estate, goes to bed at 10 p.m., rises at 7 a.m., takes lots of walks, does some fishing, and plays no chess whatsoever- except for playing over games and studying some novel ways of opening. He sleeps well, has a good appetite and has put on wieght. He doesn't smoke, he doesn't drink, he has shunned excitement of any kind. I studied his behavior quite closely, and could not detect any jerky, nervous movements. He is quite calm, speaks fluently and slowly and altogether gives an impression similar to that he gave after his victory over Capablanca. Well- nearly the same.">
"Chess" vol 3 1937, p.43
In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.594
===
Alekhine: from "How I Regained the Title"
<"...I had (a) to make a careful analysis of all the games played by Euwe during the period between the two matches; (b) to take note of all his articles and commentaries... during the same period and try to read between the lines; (c) to prepare <<<new lines of play>>> specially for the match, on no account making any use of them in the tournaments preceding it; and (d) to adapt myself during the actual match to the program of openings prepared by my opponent an, while trying as far as possible to disprove his inventions (which turned out to be particularly difficult, because these innovations had plainly been deeply studied), simply to steer clear of anything that might show itself to be particularly dangerous in the games that followed.">
-Alexander Alekhine, "How I Regained the Title," "Chess Review" March 1938, p.64
===
Alekhine:
<"I was absolutely stale after about eighteen months of uninterrupted chess work. In particular, from May, 1934, on I played the match for the title against Bogoljubow, took part in the Zurich, Orebro, and Warsaw tournaments, undertook three long and tiring tours in North Africa, Spain, and Scandinavia, and meanwhile wrote the critical record of the Zurich tournament! The result was that I arrived for the opening of the match really sick of chess, and to force myself to think of chess I had recourse to various stimulants, such as tobacco in excess <<<and, above all, alcohol.>>> These stimulants might have done little harm in a short contest (and, indeed, I played fairly well in the first few games), but proved absolutely fatal in the long run; in these circumstances defeat became inevitable.">
-Manchester Guardian, 5 October 1937, pp. 11-12
##########################
<MATCH PREPARATION>
<Euwe>:
<"...there was very little of the 'old-fashioned' preparation, except for the habit of taking <<<ice-cold showers>>> and a new hobby: flying pleasure aircraft.">
-Munninghoff, p.185
===
Euwe: <"At the end of July and the beginning of August I took advantage of the opportunity to get some practice and participated in the <<<German quadrangular tournament>>> and in the team tournament in Stockholm. This kind of preparation was certainly necessary, since I had played very little this year...">
-Manchester Guardian, 5 October 1937, pp. 11-12
###############################
<COURSE of the MATCH>
5-6 Oct (The Hague)
<1st game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1-0>
################################
7 Oct (Rotterdam)
<2d game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1-0>
Euwe: <"I did not know how to <<<hold the draw>>> in positions that were drawn... This weakness is most obvious in the second, seventh, eighth, twenty-first, and twenty-fourth games.">
-Max Euwe, "How I Lost the Title" "Chess Review" 1938, pp.35-36
################################
10-11 Oct (Amsterdam)
<3d game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1/2>
################################
12 Oct (Amsterdam)
<4th game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1/2>
################################
14 Oct (Amsterdam)
<5th game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1-0>
################################
16 Oct (Haarlem)
<6th game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1-0>
6.Nf3?!
Alekhine:
<"Putting before black a most <<<difficult>>> practical problem.">
-Alexander Alekhine,
"My Best Games of Chess 1908-1937"
(Dover 1985), p.229
<Eliskases>: This game was played in the "Great Concert Hall" in <Haarlem>.
<<<Eliskases>>> on game 6 in the Great Concert Hall:
"The reaction! After Euwe's great effort in the fifth game he failed miserably in Game 6. He, who is able to handle the opening like no other man, was this time playing a losing game after only a handful of moves. After 23 moves Euwe's position was utterly hopeless...
p.206
Great Concert Hall: "The acoustics are excellent, which means: bad for a chess game. Every sound can be heard on the stage. The audience produces so much noise that it is impossible for the players to play.">
-"Max Euwe- the biography"
Alexander Munninghoff, p. 206
===================
Alekhine: "6...b5 After this mistake the game is already lost, as White, in addition to his positional advantage, soon wins material."
-Alexander Alekhine, "The World's Chess Championship, 1937," pp.54-55
################################
19 Oct (Rotterdam)
<7th game>
Bishop sac: 20...Qxg4
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <0-1>
Euwe: <"I did not know how to <<<hold the draw>>> in positions that were drawn... This weakness is most obvious in the second, seventh, eighth, twenty-first, and twenty-fourth games.">
-Max Euwe, "How I Lost the Title" "Chess Review" 1938, pp.35-36
################################
21 Oct (Leiden)
<8th game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1-0>
Euwe: <"I did not know how to <<<hold the draw>>> in positions that were drawn... This weakness is most obvious in the second, seventh, eighth, twenty-first, and twenty-fourth games.">
-Max Euwe, "How I Lost the Title" "Chess Review" 1938, pp.35-36
################################
24 Oct (The Hague)
<9th game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1/2>
################################
26 Oct (The Hague)
<10th game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1-0>
################################
30 Oct (Groningen)
<11th game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1/2>
################################
1 Nov (Amsterdam)
<12th game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1/2>
################################
3-4 Nov (Amsterdam)
<13th game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1-0>
################################
6-7 Nov (Zwolle)
<14th game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1-0>
################################
9-10 Nov (Rotterdam)
<15th game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1/2>
################################
11-12 Nov (Rotterdam)
<16th game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1/2>
25. … Qe5?
<<<whiteshark:>>> Immortalized under World Championship Quality Blunders>:
http://streathambrixtonchess.blogsp...
################################
14 Nov (The Hague)
<17th game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1-0>
################################
16-17 Nov (The Hague)
<18th game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1/2>
################################
20-21 Nov (Eindhoven)
<19th game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1/2>
################################
23 Nov (Amsterdam)
<20th game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1/2>
################################
25 Nov (Amsterdam)
<21st game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <0-1>
Euwe: <"I did not know how to <<<hold the draw>>> in positions that were drawn... This weakness is most obvious in the second, seventh, eighth, twenty-first, and twenty-fourth games.">
-Max Euwe, "How I Lost the Title" "Chess Review" 1938, pp.35-36
################################
27-28 Nov (Delft)
<22d game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1-0>
################################
30 Nov - 1 Dec (Rotterdam)
<23d game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <1/2>
################################
2 Dec (Rotterdam)
<24th game>
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937 <1-0>
Euwe: <"I did not know how to <<<hold the draw>>> in positions that were drawn... This weakness is most obvious in the second, seventh, eighth, twenty-first, and twenty-fourth games.">
-Max Euwe, "How I Lost the Title" "Chess Review" 1938, pp.35-36
################################
4-7 Dec (The Hague)
<25th game>
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937 <0-1>
################################
<5 EXHIBITION GAMES>
#############################
<EVALUATIONS>
Euwe:
<Alekhine is not only very strong, but he must be regarded as the best player in the world...
<"...I felt very tired in the second half of the match, perhaps as a result of the pretty <<<strenuous exertion>>> of the team tournament in Stockholm, in which I had participated with the object of playing myself into my best form... but even more important than the physical causes were the psychological. When I discovered, after the tenth game, what kind of an opponent I had to contend with, I was already three points behind. Then I appreciated how serious the situation was...">
<rematch clause>
"It is not my intention to challenge my opponent as soon as possible, since I am well aware that the claims of others for a match for the highest title have more weight now."
-Max Euwe, "How I Lost the Title" "Chess Review" 1938, p.35
===
Botvinnik:
<"The Alekine-Euwe Return Match of 1937 was more interesting than their 1935 match. In their first match, Alekine played poorly. In the second, he <<<regained the form>>> he had shown in his match against Capablanca in 1927.">
-Mikhail Botvinnik
"Alekhine vs. Euwe Return Match 1937"
Kay DeVault, transl.
(Chess Digest 1973), p. 3
===
Alekhine:
<"Euwe's play... was not only <<<not inferior>>> to but slightly better than his play in 1935, at all events in the first twenty games.">
-Manchester Guardian, 28 December 1937, pages 11-12
#########################
Alekhine:
<His... principal asset is undoubtedly his profound knowledge of the openings...
In view of this formidable asset my principal problem before the match was to try to enter the arena with better or at least equal chances in the opening play. To this end I had to (a) to make a careful analysis of all the games played by Euwe duing the period between the two matches; (b)to take not of all his articles and commentaries... (c) to prepare new lines of play specially for the match, on no account making any use of them in the tournaments preceding it; and (d) to adapt myself during the actual match to the programme of openings prepared by my opponent and... to steer clear of anything that might show itself particularly dangerous in the games that followed. Thus, for instance, after losing the first and fifth games I immediately abandoned the fashionable variation of the Slav Defense and also the Queen's Gambit Accepted." 64
<"Euwe has virtually never made an unsound combination...when he has the initiative in a <<<tactical>>> operation his calculation is to all intents impeccable."> 64
"With his (Euwe's) characteristic sporting spirit, the ex-champion has admitted himself that the result of this match corresponds with the relative strength of the players..." 64
A. Alekhine, "How I regained the title" "Chess Review" 1938, p.64
#########################
Kibitzing
