The 1937 World Championship Rematch: Alekhine vs. Euwe
The 1937 world championship rematch between Alexander Alekhine and Max Euwe is one of the most dramatic reversals in chess history. Two years earlier, Euwe had surprised the world by defeating Alekhine. Now Alekhine came back to reclaim his title in decisive fashion, winning ten games to four with eleven draws.
Alekhine's Transformation
The Alekhine who arrived in the Netherlands in 1937 was a fundamentally different competitor from the erratic champion of 1935. Contemporaries noted that he was in excellent health, sharp and focused. His opening preparation had been updated and deepened. He had analyzed his 1935 losses carefully and knew exactly where he had gone wrong.
Euwe, for his part, was also well prepared. But Alekhine's improvement was simply of a different order. The champion-turned-challenger dominated from the early stages of the match and never really let Euwe back into serious contention.
Historical Significance
Alekhine's recapture of the world title was historically unique. No world champion before him had lost the title and then regained it. This remained true for several decades afterward. The achievement demonstrated both the depth of Alekhine's chess understanding and an exceptional capacity for self-renewal.
He would remain world champion until his death in 1946, the only world chess champion who held the title at the time of his death. No new world champion was crowned until the FIDE match of 1948, which was won by Mikhail Botvinnik.