Max Euwe’s legacy in chess is marked by multiple milestones in his career – from being the 5th World Chess Champion (1935-1937) to leading FIDE as president (1970-1978), and even writing many successful chess books. His style was methodical, supported by deep research skills which enabled him to outprepare his opponents (even Alekhine!).
Some cool, lesser-known facts about Euwe are that he:
- Had a doctorate in mathematics and taught as a professor
- Was the first Dutch Grandmaster
- Won a record total of 12 Dutch National Championships
- Wrote over 70 chess books, more than any other World Champion
However, many still consider him to be an amateur player, despite all his accomplishments and he is often underrated as a World Champion. The new release, Max Euwe’s Best Games, is a book that counters this notion by showcasing Euwe’s brilliant chess abilities.
This collection of games delves into his entire career as a player, starting from the 19-year-old Euwe in the 1920s all the way up to the 70-year-old Euwe, demonstrating his abilities in all ages.
Written by Euwe’s successor in Dutch chess, Jan Timman, the reader is shown the most famous games and some lesser-known ones that have a lot to teach. Timman shows how Euwe was able to beat top players like Najdorf and Smyslov, but also how he sometimes blundered winning positions in games where he completely outplayed his opponent just to end up with a draw. The following is an excerpt from the book:
Max Euwe’s Best Games is a wonderful tribute to the chess legend. Written by Timman, a great analyst of our time, and also a player who had a personal friendship and working relationship with Euwe, there is undoubtedly a lot that the reader will learn from this book.
Max Euwe’s Best Games: Table of Contents
- Chapter 1: The 1920s
- Games 1-19
- Chapter 2: World Champion
- Games 20-45
- Chapter 3: Dethroned
- Games 46-61
- Chapter 4: After the War
- Games 62-80
Game Example
Here is a game example with annotations from the book:
Let us know what you think in the comments below, and don’t miss out on the special introductory offer!
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Sean Marsh