Frequent readers of this blog know that Grandmaster Max Euwe is one of my favorite chess heroes. In 1935, chess prognosticators didn’t give Machgielis “Max” Euwe of the Netherlands much of a chance in his title match against World Champion Alexander Alekhine in part because Dr. Euwe wasn’t a professional chess player but rather a full time Math teacher at a girls’ Lyceum in Amsterdam. So it is one of the greatest chess underdog stories of all time that a humble high school math teacher who played most of his serious chess on school vacations was somehow able to outplay GM Alexander Alekhine 15 1/2 to 14 1/2 to become the fifth official World Chess Champion.
GM Max Euwe had a 4-0 record against fellow Dutchman Johan Herman Löhr. Grandmaster Euwe’s third career victory over J H Löhr in 1923 concluded with a pretty mate-in-3 that is definitely a puzzle worthy position.
