Dr.Max Euwe
Submitted by
on Fri, 07/27/2007 at 9:49pm.
Prof. Max Euwe was World Champion from 1935-1937. Back in 1978, I discovered a book which gave addresses for World organisations. So I looked up FIDE ( International Chess Federation ).
I saw Prof. Euwe's name, and the FIDE address. I knew that Max had presided over the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match, so I decided to write a letter to him.
I congratulated Prof. Euwe on his chess success
against Alekhine in 1935, and he answered the 3
questions I asked of him:
"What was your favorite game, your worst moment in your chess career, and your best moment ?".
He thanked me for "my kind letter", and graciously answered my queries. I assumed that his worst moment was his loss of the World Title to Alexander Alekhine in 1937, just 2 years after winning in 1935 against the World Champion !! His favorite game was of course the deciding game of the World Title in 1935.
The worst moment was the time when as FIDE President, Fischer had not appeared for the World Championship after a postponement of several days, and Dr. Euwe felt that the match would not take place. The best moment came with the arrival of Fischer from New York (finally). In effect Prof. Max Euwe of the Netherlands saved the 1972 'Match of the Century' by delaying the proceedings, for which he had to publicly apologize to the Russian officials.
I recommend the account of Max Euwe's life and chess career by author Alexander Munninghoff, 'Max Euwe, the biography'. (New in Chess, 2001).
Finally, Mr. Euwe signed the letter in his own hand ("Euwe"). A most gracious 'amateur champion'. --Garnet Bezanson, Lunenburg (town),Nova Scotia, CANADA.