Video - Max Euwe proclaiming Bobby Fischer as the new World Chess Champion

[Paul Macklin]

Have only ever seen the photo of the ceremony before. Short video here. Bobby gets a bit distracted by the gold medal he’s presented with. This was posted by someone on Twitter/X today https://youtu.be/4v60W_AstB4?si=1rZhfWbVIVuZia-K

[Geoff Chandler]

I've never seen the vid before either.

Bobby is looking at the medal and says; 'There is no name on it.'
Max replies; 'They did not know it' Both laugh.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Great video clip. Love the way Max Euwe adroitly heaved up the large laurel wreath and popped it over Bobby's head. They still do that laurel wreath even today, don't they?

Can anyone say what the live music is? Looks like a string quartet, but maybe a few more instruments than that. Can anyone think of other interesting opening and closing ceremonies from similar events?

[Joey Stewart]

That's an interesting piece of chess history, I've never actually seen max euwe or heard him talk or knew that he and fischers timelines even crossed over since there's about a 40 year gap between the two of them being world champions

[Roger de Coverly]

I've never actually seen max euwe or heard him talk or knew that he and fischers timelines even crossed over since there's about a 40 year gap between the two of them being world champions

Perhaps not someone who is familiar with the detailed theory of the Panov-Botvinnik line in the Caro. Their encounter in the 1960 Olympiad as annotated in Fischer's 60 Memorable Games is I think still important to Caro theory. Was Fischer right in his assessment? White had structurally bad pawns, but Black struggled to develop.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Can anyone say what the live music is?"

Sound wasn't great, but it was the national anthem of USA, which they seemed to play without warning, so everyone had to struggle to show suitable respect.

[Ian Thompson]

Sound wasn't great, but it was the national anthem of USA, which they seemed to play without warning, so everyone had to struggle to show suitable respect.

Euwe looked towards the musicians and waved his hand at 53 seconds into the video. They then started playing.

[Paul Heaton]

It’s an old video taken from the 2010 documentary “Me and Bobby Fischer”

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Euwe looked towards the musicians and waved his hand at 53 seconds into the video. They then started playing."

I thought they would warn the audience. I get the impression that Euwe was so fed up with the way the match had gone, that he thought, "Thank goodness that's over, here's your medal, now **** off."

[IM Jack Rudd]

Euwe has the possibly interesting status of having been both the only living world champion (between Alekhine's death in 1946 and Botvinnik's inauguration in 1948) and one of eight living world champions (between Karpov's inauguration in 1975 and his own death in 1981).

[Matt Mackenzie]

"Euwe looked towards the musicians and waved his hand at 53 seconds into the video. They then started playing."

I thought they would warn the audience. I get the impression that Euwe was so fed up with the way the match had gone, that he thought, "Thank goodness that's over, here's your medal, now **** off."

Though relief was likely also a big part of his feelings - all's well that ends well.

[Joey Stewart]

Euwe has the possibly interesting status of having been both the only living world champion (between Alekhine's death in 1946 and Botvinnik's inauguration in 1948) and one of eight living world champions (between Karpov's inauguration in 1975 and his own death in 1981).

Is that definitely right? Smyslov and Spassky lived even longer lifespans then him so presumably saw their fair share of contemporary champions as well

[Matt Mackenzie]

The second bit was not claimed as singular, unlike the first.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

The Euwe-Fischer video got a mention in Leonard Barden's Guardian chess column for today (05/09/2025):

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/ ... -samarkand

Euwe saved the Fischer-Spassky match from collapse by his flexible interpretation of the rules, and was the nicest of all the world champions. After I lost to him at Paignton 1951, he spent half an hour giving me advice on rook endings.

Comment from ENG IM Jeff Horner spotted in the comments:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/ ... -172454495