Chess history is full of big and surprising upsets:
• Harry Nelson Pillsbury winning Hastings 1895
• Vincent Keymer winning Grenke Open 2018
• Vjekoslav Nemec winning a won endgame somewhere back in 2015
In the World Championship matches, also, there were some surprising results. Alekhine’s victory over Capablanca in 1927 or Tal’s victory over Botvinnik in 1960 come to mind. However, in the entire history of World Chess Championship (and in chess, in general), there was no greater upset than Max Euwe’s victory over Alekhine in 1935.
On one side, we had a champion who has been winning one tournament after another in the last couple of years. Opposing him was a player who has been employed as a teacher, who played very little in 1933-1934 before the match and who had never won a major tournament in his life. Even though he did have a good score against Alekhine (7-7), virtually nobody gave him real chances. Euwe and Alekhine included.
In any case, he did win a match. And although his reign was rather short, due to this victory, chess generations to come will remember his name and analyze his games.
However, it wouldn’t be fair to say that Euwe was just a ‘one trick pony’. First of all, he is often underestimated as a chess player. He was a regular prize winner in various chess tournaments all the way until 1948.
However, it wouldn’t be fair to say that Euwe was just a ‘one trick pony’. First of all, he is often underestimated as a chess player. He was a regular prize winner in various chess tournaments all the way until 1948.
In fact, after WWII Botvinnik pointed him out as his greatest competitor. In the first post-war tournament in Groningen in 1946, a fierce race between these two players developed. Botvinnik barely survived their mutual encounter. In the end, he finished half a point ahead despite his loss in the final round – Euwe had lost his game against Kotov as well.
But even more importantly, Euwe would later become FIDE president in 1970. He would often take decision based on what he considered is right, and not on political grounds. He allowed Sosonko and Korchnoi to continue playing after their defections, despite the Soviet pressure. He was considered by many the best president FIDE ever had.
And last but not least, he was an incredibly prolific author of chess books. In total he wrote around 70 – more than any World Champion. Several of his volumes have gained wide acclamation.
Even though people consider him as an „accident Champion“, the truth is that he did more good for Chess than some of other World Champions (and not only World Champions) combined.
Today is the 118th anniversary of his birth!
Happy Birthday, Max the Fifth!
(If you like posts as these, check our complete list of Chess Birthdays )