Alekhine's 1937 victory was the last World Chess Championship under champion-controlled conditions before FIDE assumed governance of the title.
Key Facts
- Match duration
- October 5 – December 4, 1937
- Location
- Netherlands
- Champion
- Alexander Alekhine (regained title)
- Previous champion
- Max Euwe (held title since 1935)
- Last champion-controlled championship
- FIDE took over after Alekhine's death in 1946
- Next championship
- 1948, after World War II hiatus
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Under the then-prevailing system, the reigning world champion controlled match conditions and could arrange a rematch. Max Euwe had defeated Alekhine in the 1935 World Chess Championship, and Alekhine, exercising his right as former champion, secured a return match to contest the title.
The 1937 World Chess Championship was contested between Alexander Alekhine and Max Euwe in the Netherlands from October 5 to December 4, 1937. Alekhine defeated Euwe to reclaim the world title he had lost in 1935, in what proved to be the last championship match played under the champion's own terms and conditions.
Alekhine's death in 1946 left the world title vacant, prompting FIDE to assert institutional control over the World Chess Championship for the first time. The 1937 match also stood as the final championship before World War II, with the next championship not taking place until 1948, fundamentally reshaping the governance and continuity of competitive chess at the highest level.
Result
at Netherlands