Against all expectations, Max won the world chess championship in a match with Alexander Alekhine in 1935. Alekhine won the title back in a rematch two years later. After World War II, Euwe was still the best player in western Europe, and played in two world championship candidates tournaments. Max played for the world championship in 1948, in the match-tournament which decided the successor to Alekhine. He finished below Botvinnik, Smyslov, Keres and Reshevsky. Again he tried, at the Candidates' tournament in 1953, but this was also unsuccessful, though he was still a strong player.