Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933.

King-pawn Opening Series

Here are some chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.

Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.
Drag your cursor from one bracket to the other.

a)

White mates in 2.
Friedrich Saemisch vs Kurt Gumprich, Berlin, 1933
1q1r1n1k/1r4Rp/p5pP/np1pN1P1/3P4/P1N1PQ2/1PB5/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qf7 ]

b)

White mates in 2.
Victor Soultanbeieff vs Savielly Tartakower, Folkestone, 1933
5r2/p2Q1p1p/Pp2P1p1/2p5/2q1r3/8/1k4PP/R4R1K w - - 1 0
[ Qd2+ ]

c)

White mates in 2.
Karel Opocensky vs Arthur MacKenzie, Folkestone, 1933
2brr1k1/pp4p1/5R1p/3n4/q1PQ4/2BB4/P5PP/1R4K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rf8+ ]

d)

White mates in 2.
Karel Opocensky vs Jorge Pelikan, Prague, 1933
4kr2/pp1R1Npp/2p1Pb2/5N2/2n5/P3P3/3r2PP/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Re7+ Bxe7 Nxg7# ]

e)

White mates in 2.
Michal vs Jan Hruska, Prague, 1933
r6k/1pp2Rp1/p2p1N1p/5N2/7R/7P/2b3PK/2r5 w - - 1 0
[ Rxh6+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 2.
Dragoslav Ilic vs Sreten Djordjevic, Belgrade, 1933
5r1k/3q2rp/6R1/p3B3/2QpBPP1/b3P3/1p6/1K5R w - - 1 0
[ Rxg7 ]

b)

White mates in 2.
Eduard Glass vs Fritz Igel , Vienna, 1933
8/p1R5/3qpkp1/3r1p1p/1p2nQ1P/1P2PNP1/P4PK1/8 w - - 1 0
[ Qg5+ Nxg5 hxg5# ]

c)

White mates in 2.
Sima Vasiljevic vs Vojislav Popovic, Belgrade, 1933
r4r2/p1ppk1pp/1pb5/8/4n3/2Q2R2/PPP3PP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qe5+ ]

d)

Black mates in 2.
Paul Keres vs G Menke, Berlin, 1933
N2k1bnr/pp3ppp/8/4n2b/4Pp2/5NqP/PPPPK1P1/R1B1QBR1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxf3+ ]

e)

Black mates in 2.
Razinger vs Erich Eliskases, Ebensee, 1933
r6k/pQ4p1/7p/4n3/3pp3/B4qP1/2PPR2P/4K3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh1+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Black mates in 2.
Theodore Regedzinski vs Matibet Betbeder, Folkestone, 1933
5r2/p3p1k1/1p3pp1/2p2P2/8/1RQ1P2K/P4q2/2B4R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh8+ Kg4 gxf5# ]

b)

Black mates in 2.
Miodrag Ninic vs Zdravko Mihajlovic, Belgrade, 1933
8/pp3p2/2p3k1/3b2p1/1P3nK1/P7/4r3/R5R1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re3 w/...f5# ]

c)

White mates in 3.
Gerhard Weissgerber vs Carl Carls, Aachen, 1933
5rr1/pp1n1b2/2pp1kpQ/4qP1R/2P1P3/2N2B2/PP6/1K4R1 w - - 1 0
[ Qg5+ Kg7 f6+ ]

d)

White mates in 3.
Luis Roberto Piazzini vs Jacobo Bolbochan, Buenos Aires, 1933
r4b1k/pqp2Qp1/1n1p3r/2p5/4PR2/2N1B3/PPP5/2K4R w - - 1 0
[ Rxh6+ gxh6 Rg4 ]

e)

White mates in 3.
Holger Schenk vs Th Demetriescu, Ebensee, 1933
3r1k2/ppqb1ppQ/2pp3p/3P1nN1/2P5/1P3N1P/PB3PP1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bf6 if Ne7 Qxg7+ ]

'Characteristic Puzzles in the Opening' series

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. iv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 3.
Max Euwe vs FA Spinhoven, Hague, 1933
2r1b2k/pp2P1p1/6Pn/2p1P1N1/2P5/8/PP6/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rf8+ Ng8 Rxe8 ]

b)

White mates in 3.
Theodore Tylor vs George Thomas, Hastings, 1933
5k2/r4r1p/p2p1N2/2pPp1R1/2P1P3/4KN2/n7/6R1 w - - 1 0
[ Rg8+ Ke7 Re8+ Kxf6 Re6# ]

c)

White mates in 3.
Andor Lilienthal vs Vera Menchik, Hastings, 1933
r3r2k/4b2B/pn3p2/q1p4R/6b1/4P3/PPQ1NPPP/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Bg8+ if Kxg8 Qg6+ ]

d)

White mates in 3.
Pavel Krylov vs Alexander Alekhine, Prague, 1933
3r1b1k/5Q2/4PR1p/1bpPp3/2q1P3/2B3P1/7P/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxh6+ Bxh6 Bxe5+ ]

e)

White mates in 3.
Jose Raul Capablanca vs I Friedmann, Cuernavaca, 1933
r2qkbQ1/pb1n2p1/2p2r2/5N1p/Pp1P3N/4P3/1P3PPP/2R2RK1 w q - 1 0
[ Nxg7+ Ke7 Nhf5+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. v.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 3.
Eduard Glass vs Karl Palda, Vienna, 1933
6k1/4P1pp/1p6/pP3r2/P4P2/6P1/4Pq1P/3R3K w - - 1 0
[ Rd8+ ]

b)

White mates in 3.
Sava Vukovic vs Miodrag Ninic, Belgrade, 1933
7k/1R5p/3p4/p1pP1n2/2n1Np2/5P2/PP5P/2K5 w - - 1 0
[ Nf6 if Ng7 Rf7 ]

c)

White mates in 3.
Sima Vasiljevic vs Sreten Djordjevic, Belgrade, 1933
r5n1/p1p2R2/3b2p1/7k/3P2R1/2P4P/PP2B3/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rh7+ Nh6 Rg2+ ]

d)

White mates in 3.
Sima Vasiljevic vs Ranko Rankovic, Belgrade, 1933
rq2k2r/2Rp3p/pp1P2pB/4pnQ1/2B5/7P/PP3PP1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qf6 if Nxd6 Qxh8+ ]

e)

Black mates in 3.
Strasdas vs Kurt Richter, Berlin, 1933
2kr3r/ppp2ppp/q7/8/8/PQ1nbP2/1PK2PBP/R1B4R b - - 0 1
[ ...Nb4+ if axb4 or Kb1 Qg6+ or if Kc3 Rd3+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. vi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Black mates in 3.
George Page vs Vladimir Petrov, Folkestone, 1933
r4rk1/ppb2pp1/8/3p1q2/1Pp4K/2P1P3/P3QP2/R1B2R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...g5+ Kh5 Kg7 ]

b)

Black mates in 3.
Paul Vaitonis vs Eggert Gilfer, Folkestone, 1933
3r3k/1B4pp/Q4p2/4pP2/8/2P2R2/Pr4q1/R3K3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qd2+ Kf1 Qd1+ ]

c)

Black mates in 3.
Paul Helbig vs Schroeder, Hamburg, 1933
rnbqk2r/pp3pp1/4p3/3p3p/1P4nN/P5K1/2PNP1PP/R1BQ1B1R b kq - 0 1
[ ...Qc7+ if Kf3 Qc3+ ]

d)

Black mates in 3.
Edward Schwartz vs Albert Simonson, New York, 1933
5rk1/3N3p/6p1/p4r1q/5R2/2P1Q1K1/1P3n2/4R3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rg5+ Kxf2 Qh2+ ]

e)

Black mates in 3.
Alexander Chistiakov vs Kagan, URS, 1933
3rk2r/pp3p1p/6n1/2Qnp3/8/P1Pq4/R3NPPP/2B1K2R b Kk - 0 1
[ ...Qd1+ Kxd1 Ne3+ ]

"Tactics in the Queen's Gambit" by wtharvey.com

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. vii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Black mates in 3.
Josef Kolnhofer vs Hans Muller, Vienna, 1933
4r1k1/2p2p1p/1p6/p1p2rP1/2P3K1/PP1PP1P1/2RQ3q/4R3 b - - 0 1
[ ...h5+ if Kxf5 Qh3+ ]

b)

Black mates in 3.
Ranko Rankovic vs Milenko Dobrovic, Belgrade, 1933
r4rk1/pp4p1/2p4p/2Pb2q1/PP1P4/3N1P1n/2QNp2P/R6K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxf3 if Ne4 Rf1+ ]

c)

Black mates in 3.
Sreten Djordjevic vs Branislav Pavlovic, Belgrade, 1933
6r1/ppk5/3p4/2p1n3/4PBr1/2PP4/PPQ3PK/R7 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3+ if gxf3 Rh4# ]

d)

White mates in 4.
Gerhard Weissgerber vs Alfred Van Nuess, Aachen, 1933
r2q2r1/pb2b1Qp/1p2Bn2/8/Pn1P1k2/2N5/1P3PPP/R2R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh6+ Rg5 Ne2+ Ke4 Qxg5 ]

e)

White mates in 4.
Gerhard Weissgerber vs Ludwig Rellstab, Bad Pyrmont, 1933
3Q4/pbp2rk1/1p5p/4R1pP/1PP5/8/PKB2q2/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rxg5+ hxg5 h6+ Kxh6 Qh8+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. viii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 4.
Alexander Alekhine vs Lindenaar Baljet, Bandung, 1933
4r3/p2b1k1p/3P2pB/2p2p2/qp5Q/6P1/1P3P1P/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Re7+ if Kg8 Qc4+ ]

b)

White mates in 4.
Alexander Alekhine vs Lista, Bratislava, 1933
r2br2k/pbqn2p1/1p2Qn1p/2p1N3/3P1P2/P1PB4/1P1B2PP/3R1RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Nf7+ Kg8 Nxh6+ Kh8 Qg8+ ]

c)

White mates in 4.
Lodewijk Prins vs Razinger, Ebensee, 1933
r1n1b3/pqk2ppp/1pN3n1/3P4/PB2B3/1Q6/5PPP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qg3+ if Kd7 Bf5# ]

d)

White mates in 4.
Karel Opocensky vs Julius Nielsen, Folkestone, 1933
4QNk1/pq6/5pp1/1p5p/4pP2/1P1bP2P/P5PK/8 w - - 1 0
[ Nd7+ if Kh7 Qe7+ ]

e)

White mates in 4.
Johannes Van Den Bosch vs PLJ Rassers, Hague, 1933
rr3nn1/4pN1p/pp1pPpk1/3R1N1p/2P5/6P1/PP3P1P/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nh8+ Kg5 h4+ Kg4 Kg2 ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. ix.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 4.
Mikhail Botvinnik vs Mikhail Yudovich, Leningrad, 1933
r1b2r2/1p1nq1b1/1np1p1kp/p7/3PN3/1P2B3/2Q1BPPP/2RR2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bh5+ if Kxh5 Ng3+ ]

b)

White mates in 4.
Boris Verlinsky vs Vladimir Kirillov, Leningrad, 1933
r1r1qk2/p2b1p1p/p4Qp1/3P4/1pPB4/6P1/1P4BP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ d6 ]

c)

Black mates in 4.
Wilhelm John vs Jacques Mieses, Berlin, 1933
Q7/p4Npk/2p2q2/5P1p/3P1n2/2Pr1B2/P6r/1R3RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ne2+ if Kxh2 Qh4+ or if Bxe2 Rg3+ ]

d)

Black mates in 4.
Josef Dobias vs Jan Schulz, Prague, 1933
8/p4pkp/4p1p1/7b/1Q2P3/1P6/1P1r1qPP/6RK b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxg2+ Rxg2 Rd1+ ]

e)

Black mates in 4.
L Blumenoff vs Paul Keres, Tallinn, 1933
3r1rk1/1p3ppp/8/pP5q/3Np3/P3PbKP/1BR1B3/2R2Q2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qg5+ Kh2 Qe5+ Kg1 Qg3+ ]

'Tactics in the Sicilian' series

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. x.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 5.
Josef Rejfir vs Federico Norcia, Folkestone, 1933
r3qr2/p1pb1pkp/1p1p1Rp1/n2P2Q1/4P3/2PB2N1/P5PP/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Nh5+ Kg8 Qh6 if gxh5 e5 ]

b)

Efim Bogoljubow vs Friedrich Saemisch, Bad Pyrmont, 1933
4rrk1/p2n4/5P1p/P1pPp3/2b1N1p1/6P1/1B5P/4RRK1 w - - 1 0
[ f7+ Rxf7 Rxf7 Kxf7 Nd6+ ]

c)

Emanuel Lasker vs NN, Europe, 1933
rn3rk1/pbppq1pp/1p2pb2/4N2Q/3PN3/3B4/PPP2PPP/R3K2R w KQ - 1 0
[ Qxh7+ if Kxh7 Nxf6+ Kh6 Neg4+ mates ]

d)

Kornel Havasi vs Antonio Sacconi, Folkestone, 1933
2r1r2k/1q3ppp/p2Rp3/2p1P3/6QB/p3P3/bP3PPP/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bf6 if Rg8 Qxg7+ Rxg7 Rd8+ ]

e)

Vladas Mikenas vs Geza Maroczy, Folkestone, 1933
4r1k1/2q1Pppp/pn6/1p1R1P2/8/1B2Q3/P5PP/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rd8 if Rxd8 e8/Q+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. xi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Mir Sultan Khan vs Asmundur Asgeirsson, Folkestone, 1933
2b1r3/3n1p1p/p1Nb1nk1/3p2p1/N7/2B2PPB/PPR2K1P/8 w - - 1 0
[ Bxf6 Kxf6 Na7 ]

b)

A Voisin vs Karel Skalicka, Folkestone, 1933
5rr1/1b3ppk/p3pq1p/1p2N3/2pPPQ1P/6R1/PP3PP1/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxf6 gxf6 Nd7 if Rxg3 Nxf8+ ]

c)

Vitaly Chekhover vs Fedor Bohatirchuk, Leningrad, 1933
3r2k1/1p1P1p1p/6p1/4Pq2/1p6/rP2Q1PP/2R5/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rc8 Rxc8 e6 Rd8 e7 ]

d)

Grigori Levenfish vs Mikhail Yudovich, Leningrad, 1933
4q1r1/5kpp/2p1nb2/2PpQp2/r4P2/1N3P2/1BP1R2P/6RK w - - 1 0
[ Rxg7+ Bxg7 Qxf5+ Ke7 Rxe6+ ]

e)

Jose Raul Capablanca vs B Steiner, Los Angeles, 1933
r5r1/pQ5p/1qp2R2/2k1p3/4P3/2PP4/P1P3PP/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxc6+ if Qxc6 Qb4# ]

'Sac&Mate' - sacs that end in mate

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. xii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Alexander Alekhine vs Abraham Baratz, Paris, 1933
rr2n1k1/5p1p/p1R3p1/1p1N4/8/P7/1P3PPP/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nb6 if Ra7 Nc8 Rd7 Rxe8+ ]

b)

Arthur Dake vs Robert Willman, New York, 1933
5rk1/5r1p/pp4p1/2pPRn1n/P1P1N3/7q/1P2Q1NP/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Ng5 ]

c)

Paul Keres vs Vladimir Petrov, Tallinn, 1933
rnb1kbnr/ppp2ppp/8/8/5P2/3B4/PPPN2qP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 1 0
[ Be4 Qg4 Qxg4 Bxg4 Bxb7 ]

d)

Rudolf Palme vs Hans Muller, Vienna, 1933
5r1k/1ppn3p/p1nq2pN/3p1pQ1/3P3N/2P3P1/PP3PKP/4R3 w - - 1 0
[ Re8 if Rxe8 Nf7+ ]

a)

Meszaros vs Wessel, Budapest, 1933
5rk1/1p2ppbp/p2pb1p1/q7/P2NPPn1/5B2/1PP3PP/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxe1+ Qxe1 Bxd4+ Kh1 Nf2+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1933, pt. xiii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Rudolf Pitschak vs Josef Rejfir, Moravska Ostrava, 1933
8/8/1Pk5/2P1p2p/1pK2p1P/5P2/8/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...e4 ]

b)

Jan Schulz vs Amos Pokorny, Prague, 1933
2k1r3/1pp4p/8/2b1B3/6P1/PP5P/2r5/R3R2K b - - 0 1
[ ...Bf2 if Re4 Bg3 ]

c)

Aubrey Shoebridge vs Gregory Koshnitsky, Sydney, 1933
r2r2k1/5pp1/pp2pb1p/2PqNn2/5P2/BPP5/P1Q3PP/3RR1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ne3 if Rxd5 Nxc2 ]

d)