Editing World Chess Championship (section)

====Capablanca, Alekhine and Euwe (1921–1946)====
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| total_width       = 350
| image1            = José_Raúl_Capablanca_1931.jpg
| caption1          = [[José Raúl Capablanca]] reigned as World Champion from 1921 to 1927, and proposed the short-lived "London Rules" for future Championship matches.
| image2            = Alexandre Alekhine 01.jpg
| caption2          = [[Alexander Alekhine]] was the World Champion from 1927 to 1935 and again from 1937 to his death in 1946. He is the only World Champion to die while holding the title.
}}
After the breakdown of his first attempt to negotiate a title match against Lasker (1911), Capablanca drafted rules for the conduct of future challenges, which were agreed to by the other top players at the 1914 Saint Petersburg tournament, including Lasker, and approved at the Mannheim Congress later that year. The main points were: the champion must be prepared to defend his title once a year; the match should be won by the first player to win six or eight games (the champion had the right to choose); and the stake should be at least £1,000 (about £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|1000|1914|r=-4}}}} in current terms).<ref name="graemecree1921WorldChessChampionship" />

Following the controversies surrounding his 1921 match against Lasker, in 1922 world champion Capablanca proposed the "London Rules": the first player to win six games would win the match; playing sessions would be limited to 5 hours; the time limit would be 40 moves in 2½ hours; the champion must defend his title within one year of receiving a challenge from a recognized master; the champion would decide the date of the match; the champion was not obliged to accept a challenge for a purse of less than US$10,000 (about ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|10000|1921|r=-4}}}} in current terms); 20% of the purse was to be paid to the title holder, and the remainder being divided, 60% going to the winner of the match, and 40% to the loser; the highest purse bid must be accepted. [[Alexander Alekhine|Alekhine]], [[Efim Bogoljubow|Bogoljubow]], [[Géza Maróczy|Maróczy]], [[Richard Réti|Réti]], [[Akiba Rubinstein|Rubinstein]], [[Savielly Tartakower|Tartakower]] and [[Milan Vidmar|Vidmar]] promptly signed them.<ref name="chessvilleLondonRules">{{cite web
 | url=http://www.chessville.com/misc/History/Mad_Aussie_Trivia_Archive_Three.htm
 | title=The Mad Aussie's Chess Trivia – Archive No. 3
 | author=Clayton, G.
 | access-date=9 June 2008
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516220224/http://www.chessville.com/misc/History/Mad_Aussie_Trivia_Archive_Three.htm
 | archive-date=16 May 2008
| url-status=usurped
 }}</ref> The only match played under those rules was Capablanca vs [[Alexander Alekhine|Alekhine]] in [[World Chess Championship 1927|1927]], although there has been speculation that the actual contract might have included a "two-game lead" clause.<ref name="WinterCapablancaVsAlekhine1927">{{cite web
 | title=Capablanca v Alekhine, 1927
 | url=http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/capablancaalekhine1927.html
 | author=Winter, E.
 | access-date=9 June 2008
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509083746/http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/capablancaalekhine1927.html
 | archive-date=9 May 2008
| url-status=live
 }} 

Regarding a possible "two-game lead" clause, Winter cites Capablanca's messages to Julius Finn and Norbert Lederer dated 15 October 1927, in which he proposed that, if the Buenos Aires match were drawn, the second match could be limited to 20 games. Winter cites ''La Prensa'' 30 November 1927 for Alekhine's conditions for a return match.</ref> 

Alekhine, Rubinstein and [[Aron Nimzowitsch|Nimzowitsch]] had all challenged Capablanca in the early 1920s but only Alekhine could raise the US$10,000 Capablanca demanded and only in 1927.<ref name="chessmaniacCapablancaOnlineTribute" /> Capablanca was shockingly upset by the new challenger. Before the match, almost nobody gave Alekhine a chance against the dominant [[Cuba]]n, but Alekhine overcame Capablanca's natural skill with his unmatched drive and extensive preparation (especially deep opening analysis, which became a hallmark of most future grandmasters). The aggressive Alekhine was helped by his tactical skill, which complicated the game. Immediately after winning, Alekhine announced that he was willing to grant Capablanca a return match provided Capablanca met the requirements of the "London Rules".<ref name="WinterCapablancaVsAlekhine1927" /> Negotiations dragged on for several years, often breaking down when agreement seemed in sight.<ref name="Fine1952WorldsGreatChessGames" /> Alekhine easily won two title matches against [[Efim Bogoljubov]] in [[World Chess Championship 1929|1929]] and [[World Chess Championship 1934|1934]]. In [[World Chess Championship 1935|1935]], Alekhine was unexpectedly defeated by the Dutch [[Max Euwe]], an amateur player who worked as a [[mathematics]] teacher. Alekhine convincingly won a [[World Chess Championship 1937|rematch in 1937]]. World War II temporarily prevented any further world title matches, and Alekhine remained world champion until his death in 1946.