World Chess Championship 1937

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The World Chess Championship 1937 was held across thirteen cities in the Netherlands, including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht. This was a much-anticipated rematch between reigning champion Max Euwe of the Netherlands and former champion Alexander Alekhine of France. Alekhine won the match and regained the world title he had lost two years earlier. It was the last World Championship before World War II and the first time in history that a former champion regained the title.

FIDE World Chess Championship 1937, Alexander Alekhine, Max Euwe

World Chess Championship 1937. Alekhine (left) and Euwe (right)
Wikimedia Commons: Unknown author (License: Public Domain) via Wikimedia Commons

Winner: Alexander Alekhine

Born: October 31, 1892, Moscow, Russian Empire
Died: March 24, 1946, Estoril, Portugal

After losing to Euwe in 1935, Alekhine undertook an intensive period of training and preparation, sharpening openings and match strategy. Contemporary reports described a markedly more disciplined routine leading into the rematch, and in 1937 he defeated Euwe convincingly. The match cemented his legacy and marked the first time a former champion reclaimed the title.

“Alekhine emphasized that championship success depended as much on months of study and preparation as on play at the board.”

Here’s a concise list of Alexander Alekhine’s World Chess Championship matches:

📌 Then came World War II, and Alexander Alekhine did not play any more World Championship matches before his death in 1946.

Opponent: Max Euwe

Born: May 20, 1901, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died: November 26, 1981, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Machgielis «Max» Euwe was the fifth official World Champion, having won the title from Alekhine in 1935. A respected mathematics professor and chess theoretician, Euwe’s triumph was seen as a victory of logic and discipline over intuition. He remained active in elite tournaments during his reign, including a strong showing at Nottingham 1936. Euwe agreed to a prompt rematch, and the Dutch Chess Federation organized a multi-city event of high national prominence. He held pace in the early phase but faded in the latter half of the match, and the 1937 loss ended his brief yet influential reign as world champion.

Match Overview

Match Dates: October 5 – December 4, 1937
Location: Thirteen cities across the Netherlands, including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Groningen, Utrecht
Format: Best of 30 games (first to 15.5 points; Euwe retains title in case of a 15–15 tie)
Time Control: 40 moves in 2.5 hours, followed by 16 moves per hour
Prize Fund: 10,000 Dutch guilders (5,000 to the winner)
Main Sponsors: Dutch Chess Federation, supported by leading newspapers such as Het Vaderland, De Telegraaf, Algemeen Handelsblad

Historical and Cultural Context

The 1937 rematch marked the end of the era of champion-controlled matches. Alekhine’s return to form showed the growing importance of professionalism and team preparation. The match drew broad media coverage, including radio and newsreels, and boosted chess’s popularity in the Netherlands. As the last World Championship before World War II—and the first in which a former champion regained the title—it stands as a notable watershed in championship history.

World Chess Championship 1937, Alexander Alekhine (FRA), Max Euwe (NED)

The World Chess Championship 1937 Games

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

Game 4

Game 5

Game 6

Game 7

Game 8

Game 9

Game 10

Game 11

Game 12

Game 13

Game 14

Game 15

Game 16

Game 17

Game 18

Game 19

Game 20

Game 21

Game 22

Game 23

Game 24

Game 25

FIDE World Chess Championship 1937

Alexander Alekhine, France

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World Chess Championship 1937 Sources

Quote Sources

General Sources

Photo Credits

World Chess Championship 1937. Alekhine (left) and Euwe (right)
Wikimedia Commons: Unknown author (License: Public Domain) via Wikimedia Commons
Date: 1937

Sources, image credits, and attributions for this championship are listed on this page. For general information about the World Chess Champions timeline, visit the main page.