Max Euwe ( 20 May 1901 â `` 26 November 1981 ) was the 5th World Chess Champion , from 1935 to 1937 . Machgielis ( Max ) Euwe ( last name is pronounced ) ( May 20 , 1901 â `` November 26 , 1981 ) was a Dutch chess Grandmaster , mathematician , and author . He was the fifth player to become World Chess Champion ( 1935 â `` 1937 ) .