La prima sfiga di Machgielis Euwe fu quella di detenere la corona di campione del mondo tra due mostri inarrivabili: il mitico Alekhine ed il colossale Botvinnik. Un vaso di terracotta tra due vasi di ferro. La seconda risiedette nella sua semplice, grigia, monotona normalità. Niente colpi di testa, niente tic, niente bizzarrie a rendere colorita la sua vita di pur ottimo insegnante e studioso di matematica. Molte attività, è vero, da pugile a nuotatore, da aviatore ad autore di numerose pubblicazioni, tutte svolte, però, con quella razionalità and that quiet sense expressed in the game of chess that do not attract the sympathy of some biographers. And the paucity of studies on Our (so to speak), in relation to that devoted to other samples, demonstrates the modesty of the interest aroused. In short, Max Euwe seems to be the poor relation of the royal tribe of the Great Brains of the board. Also because his kingdom lasts the space of a morning. A couple of years, from 1935 to 1937 after having wrested the scepter from the already mentioned World Alekhine. But as he succeeded in ? Let's step back to see what he had done in the field of chess before the fatal. Born in Watergraafsmeer, today suburb of Amsterdam, 20/05/1901. A child prodigy, he learned chess at age six by her mother but gets thrown around doing the freak show as often happens in such cases. At 20, he became Dutch champions, a title that keeps for a long time continuously. Grandmaster at age 27 at some point the time comes for him to rethink about what to do in life: to leave the chess to devote himself body and soul to the teaching of mathematics, or even continue along this path.
The meeting of fate that led him to make a decisive choice is with Hans Kmoch, teacher and theorist who settled in the Austrian Netherlands and convinces him to hold on and launch a challenge to even the world champion. Kmoch not been a elite player (better known as a teacher is to remember his book "The Soul of chess pawns" published by Prisma) but it was definitely a cool guy and a determined hard and knew he was going to convince people. On the other hand are not seen around other worthy contenders but the surprising Flohr. Also because the real one, the right one (read Capablanca) is carefully avoided by the holder of the title. The match is set for autumn 1935 to Amsterdan. There is one and a half of preparation time to be physical, theoretical and practical, carefully prepared in the smallest details: the study of openings, participation in various tournaments attended by two seconds of exceptional value as Maroczy and Floh. The Dutch seem crazy, a little 'how it's going to happen to us Italians to win the football World Cup in 1982, they descend on the streets, robbing stores everything you can remember somehow the noble game. An enthusiasm for the Kings and Queens that will last over time providing significant results in chess in this country. Anyone Alekhine do not have to explain it to readers. Just remember ripping the scepter to the inimitable Capablanca in 1927, after literally mishandles the challenger Bogoljubow in 1929 and 1934, and put together a series of splendid successes in tournaments Sanremo, Bled, Bern convince him that, even if there were need, be the strongest in the world.
The match begins on October 3, 1935. The challenge takes place in various cities of Holland, the award of the title is based on thirty games. The trend is swinging encounter with initial flight of Alekhine passing even lead to ten to four. The challenger keeps well with the white but reveals major problems with the French defense. Decides to change his repertoire and to defend himself by pushing near the King pawn and 'the right move. It increased to 12 to 12, then you get to 14-12, the final +9 = 13-8 for Euwe. A triumph, even if obtained by the difference of one point, explaining that many more with the crisis of the sample with the strength of the challenger. Lasker says che le facili vittorie precedenti lo hanno reso troppo sicuro di sé, che non è più abituato a risolvere gli intricati enigmi sulla scacchiera e non si è portato dietro nessuno che lo aiuti. Inoltre beve, fuma come un turco, sente nostalgia della patria, ha problemi familiari, è sofferente di cuore. Notizie che già sappiamo e sulle quali è inutile insistere.
Nel periodo che va dalla fine del primo incontro all’inizio del secondo tutti e due i giocatori partecipano ad alcuni tornei senza però entusiasmare. Soprattutto il nuovo sfidante sembra in declino tanto che la FIDE preme per un confronto tra il campione del mondo e il già citato Capablanca. Ma Euwe ha una sola parola e la vuole mantenere. Alkhine sarà ancora il next opponent, because he thinks just beat him! E 'himself to tell "As I have already admitted, I was confident and optimistic before the match in 1937, and had reason to be. After the match of 1935 I participated in three tournaments that Alekhine had also taken part and I was always finished before him. Even the personal results I saw in the end or the Alekhine had done better in other tournaments. " The Russian champion was in fine form. Botvinnik us that tournament in Nottingham in 1936, when it materialized on the board a complicated position, the illustrious opponent, after making the move, he got up and started to go around the table like a kite, demonstrating both the lack of fairness but also the determination to prevail. He stopped smoking, it is fresh and bright, polished to perfection. Another man, or, if you will, a man reborn.
On October 5, 1937 at The Hague begins his revenge in thirty games. This time he brought with him a "second" value, the Great Master Eliskases and is well prepared for the study of openings. So well prepared in the sixth meeting sacrificed a knight on a variant known defense Slava. Euwe is perplexed, he does not trust that the capture would lead to incredible complications and lose the game. The world champion is assisted by a trio of bad brains: Flohr, Grunfeld and Kmoch that did not prevent, however, the defeat. Resists in the first part, then it must give way to dry a half past three p.m. at half past nine. At the end of the match recognizes sportsmanship that is his opponent's superiority "Alekhine has restored its reputation as the strongest chess player alive, and confirmed to be also the greatest chess player of all time."
not that the story ends here Euwe. Just browse through any encyclopedia to see a good number of wins and placings in the strongest international tournaments. In 1948, back in contention for the world title but remains in last place in the match held to appoint the challenger. He was elected president of FIDE in 1971, a post he held for a decade until 1981, when he disappeared.
Euwe was a great scholar of the theory that makes me more sympathetic. He has left us, not to mention other publications, over 12 volumes of opening theory, as many of the old game and the final eight volumes. Good match player he met the greatest champions of lost time often only measure. About him circulating the lapidary phrase Vincenzo Castaldi "Euwe was the greatest player without talent" that certainly impresses with its effectiveness. Toto said, crippled by about grammar, "Gentlemen are born. And I was born." With his regular features and the impeccable posture Mr. Machgielis will Euwe was also unlucky and untalented, but remains one of the greatest champions in the history of chess. It remains, above all, a gentleman. A true gentleman impeccable.
Fabio Lotti
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