The people behind the game
Alexander Alekhine
A ferocious attacker and deep preparer who won the title from Capablanca, lost it to Euwe, and won it back. He is the only champion to die while holding the title.
- Born
- 1892
- Died
- 1946
- Country connections
- France / Russia
At the board
The games. The ideas.
Explore classic encounters and championship battles. Play every move, or jump straight to the moments that tell the story.
1935 · World championship · Game 26
The Pearl of Zandvoort
Known as the Pearl of Zandvoort, game 26 of the 1935 championship is a study in central pawns and coordinated pieces.
Read the position
Every move sets the scene.
Use the controls to explore the full game, or select an annotated moment below. Each explanation describes the position immediately after its highlighted move.
Complete move list 47 moves
The journey
A remarkable path.
Alekhine represented France after leaving Soviet Russia. He defeated Capablanca in 1927, lost the crown to Euwe in 1935 and recovered it in their 1937 rematch. Alongside his tournament career, he wrote extensively about his games and opening theory. [1]
Explore the championship record →The championship record
Time with the crown.
- 1927–1935, 1937–1946Open world championship
Reigns are periods of title ownership, not a count of championship victories. Open-ended reigns reflect the record checked on 18 October 2026.
Sources & credits
Biographical details and title records checked . Country connections describe the player’s career and background, rather than a live federation listing.
Portrait: George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress) · Public domain. Displayed in monochrome and cropped.
