The peak of chess logic.
The 5
th
World Champion is 100 years. He was born on the 20
th
of May 1901 in the
small Holland country Vatergrafsmers. His mother - Elisabeth Euwe was fond of
chess. Little Max often watched his parent's duels. At the age of 4 he can
play and soon began to defeat even his father - teacher Cornelius. The parents could
prepare Max to school, but during studying he reached big successes in chess.
When he was 12, he became a member of the Amsterdam chess club. Euwe has finished a school and entered the
Amsterdam University on mathematician department.
By luck a little country did not
see war. Holland prospered not like other European countries. Holland did not forget about chess. The future 5
th
World Champion was making progress and the basis of his strategy was understanding chess logic with a help of his profession of mathematician. Euwe "checked the harmony by algebra".
The moving of the young Dutchman to chess heights continued. At last in 1921 he
became the champion of Holland. After he has won this title at seven tournaments
and last time in 1952.
At the beginning of the 20th young
Max worked also on problems of mathematics. His friend Gans Kmoh called
him the genius of order inking about his play logic. In 1923 Euwe became
the doctor of mathematics. Short before the duel for chess crown Capablanca - Alekhin
the match Alekhin - Euwe took place, which became a prelude to meetings for the
world first place, which they have played together in the next ten years. Russian
grandmaster reached a minimum favour +3 - 2 = 5.
Euwe was very glad by result since he had the opponent of the highest class.
Soon after that Alekhin became the World Champion and then had won some shining tournaments and match victories, but to the middle of the 30
th
years his successes lost height. At this moment
Euwe's friends suggested him to challenge Alekhin for the match. All fee from
this duel (10 000 guilders) got Alekhin. After that match Euwe joked with bitter taste:
"Flor suggested me to go
for a rest to Riviera, but I did not know how I could get to central railway station
in Amsterdam".
In the match 30 games were played
and pretendent had won + 9 - 8 = 13.
Before the last game Euwe declared
that he would accept draw at any moment, as he was a point ahead.
Alekhin made conclusion in the end,
where he had two pawns less in desperate position.
It is difficult to remember the
match with such uncompromise and result fighting. In spite of the Alekhin's bad shape and his passion of mistic (remember two cats on the board) - the victory of
Euwe was outstanding success.
The mainly achievement of Euwe as World Champion - he gave FIDE the rights of organization the matches for the World Champioship. The exception was made only for the match-revenge Euwe - Alekhin in 1935. Alekhin's shining preparation allowed him to return the title of the World Champion for the first time in history of chess. The score of that match was + 4 -10 = 11.
During the Great Patriotic War, Euwe
leaded work of food helping, in fact underground charity organization.
The sudden death of Alekhin soon after the war created the problem of selection the future World Champion.
The very important was tournament in Groningen in 1946. Euwe was playing very
well. Result says itself +11 -2 = 6. But by the pity this result was only the second.
M. Botvinnik got half point
more. In 1948 took place the match-tournament of pretenders but Euwe already could
not fight for the high place because of his age. After this competition he went from fighting for champion's title.
In 1970 Euwe was elected the president
of FIDE. We may say now: the epoch of Euwe and his follower F. Olaffson was a gold
century of chess history. FIDE was headed by honest and respectable persons, chess professionals.
At the beginning of the 80th years rough inflation of chess titles has begun, a great number of competitions on level "chess
circus". The money had reason too much. At last years began degradation of
chess competion because of shortening of time control. This fact was confirmed
by the apply from three Champions. Euwe as the president of FIDE was in a hard
situation because of the breakdown of the match between R. Fischer and A. Karpov.
The 5
th
World Champion put
a great efforts to realize this duel and many times put off the date of answer
of
Fischer.
It was not a reason that Euwe did
not like Russians and liked Americans.
As a real chess-player he was dreaming
that this interesting competition would be held.
When FIDE president acknowledge Fischer's
defeat and went to Moscow to the Karpov's coronation, they remembered that
Dutch grandmaster is not only the FIDE president but also a member of the
national resistance movement during the years of the Great Patriotic War.
On day of 100 years to 5
th
World Champion, we have remembered this outstanding man, grandmaster, publisher, public activiter. We are in debt of his role on
the prosperity of chess.
Alexander Geller,
International Arbiter