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Max Euwe, Netherlands, 1935-37

Euwe was the first amateur since Morphy to win the world chess title. Never fully committed to chess, he was a mathematics, mechanics, and astronomy professor in Amsterdam when he became champion.

Like Alekhine, Euwe learned chess from his mother. He began playing at age four, won his first tournament at age ten, and became Dutch national champion while still a university student.

The year he won the world title, the championship match was held in his home country of the Netherlands. He won and retained the title for two years before he was trounced in a rematch. Interestingly, he won a five-game exhibition match against Euwe that followed.

In later life Euwe wrote extensively about chess, and even served as FIDE president in the 1970's. He also established himself as a leading expert in computer technology.