'Tactics in the Sicilian' series
Here are some chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1941.
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.
AJ Comber vs V Brandbury, England, 1941
r4k2/ppqbRprp/5Qp1/3p4/8/1P1P4/P5PP/4R2K w - - 1 0
[ Rxf7+ ]
b) 
White mates in 2.
Vladimir Petrov vs Boris Goldenov, URS, 1941
r3b3/5pp1/p6p/2R5/1P1k4/P2B2P1/4PK1P/8 w - - 1 0
[ Bf5 w/e3# ]
c) 
Black mates in 2.
Moshe Czerniak vs Carlos Guimard, Buenos Aires, 1941
6k1/1p6/4p3/1p1pP1b1/3P2p1/2P3p1/P3Rr2/6NK b - - 0 1
[ ...g2+ ]
d) 
Black mates in 2.
Viggo Klausen vs Christian Poulsen, Copenhagen, 1941
2b3k1/5pbp/6p1/P1QP4/5Pnq/3r4/4NRB1/1RB3K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh2+ ]
e) 
Black mates in 2.
Carlos Guimard vs Erich Eliskases, Mar del Plata, 1941
2r4k/R5p1/1pp4p/3P2rq/4Pp2/4nP1P/4B2K/Q5R1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxh3+ ]
Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1941 pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Black mates in 2.
Fred Reinfeld vs Herbert Seidman, New York, 1941
3r3k/p5p1/bpp4p/4Q3/1b1BB3/5RNq/PP3K2/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh2+ ]
b) 
White mates in 3.
Bjorn Nielsen vs Hartvig Nielsen, Copenhagen, 1941
r2q1r2/p1p2p1k/1p2p3/8/3P1Q1p/2P5/PP3P1P/2K3R1 w - - 1 0
[ Qe5 ]
c) 
White mates in 3.
Marcos Luckis vs Luis Roux Cabral, Montevideo, 1941
2Qn4/p4r1p/Pp2pPpk/4P3/4P3/3q1N1P/6PK/5R2 w - - 1 0
[ Qc1+ ]
d) 
White mates in 3.
Vassily Smyslov vs Isaac Boleslavsky, Moscow/Leningrad, 1941
Qnk1r2r/2p2p2/1pPbp3/1P3pq1/3P3p/PpN3P1/5PBP/1R2R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nd5 if exd5 Qb7+ ]
e) 
White mates in 3.
Vladas Mikenas vs Lebedev, Tbilisi, 1941
r1b1qr2/1p3p2/p3pk2/4N1bp/7P/2PQ2B1/P5P1/1B5K w - - 1 0
[ Ng4+ hxg4 Be5+ Kxe5 Qd4# ]
Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1941 pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
White mates in 3.
David Bronstein vs Vladas Mikenas, URS, 1941
4rR1r/p1k3p1/3p2b1/1Q1P3p/3q4/8/PP4PP/4R2K w - - 1 0
[ Re7+ if Rxe7 Qc6# or if Kc8 Qb7+ ]
b) 
Black mates in 3.
Igor Bondarevsky vs Mikhail Botvinnik, Moscow/Leningrad, 1941
6k1/pp1q1ppp/2p5/3n4/Q2P4/PPr4P/3NnBPK/5R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh3+ gxh3 Ndf4 ]
c) 
Black mates in 3.
Salo Landau vs Joseph Platz, New York, 1941
4k2r/5p2/p3b3/1pbpP1q1/6p1/6P1/PP1Q1RP1/RNrB1K2 b k - 0 1
[ ...Rh1+ Ke2 Qxe5+ ]
d) 
White mates in 4.
Paul Schmidt vs Heinz Nowarra, Krakow, 1941
r1q4r/p5p1/1pp1P1k1/7p/1bBP4/5Q2/PPP2P1P/1K6 w - - 1 0
[ Bd3+ Kg5 Qf5+ ]
e) 
White mates in 4.
Alexander Alekhine vs Supico, Lisbon, 1941
rn1q1r1k/p2pNppp/bp1Q4/2p1PN2/2B5/P1R5/5PPP/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qg6 if fxg6 Nxg6+ hxg6 Rh3+ ]
Tactics you can use from wtharvey.com
Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1941 pt. iv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
White mates in 4.
Paulin Frydman vs Franciszek Sulik, Mar del Plata, 1941
3r3k/p5b1/1rpNQ2p/8/5P2/8/PP1q2PP/1BR3K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nf7+ Kg8 Nxd8+ Kh8 Qe8+ ]
b) 
White mates in 4.
Ludwig Engels vs Arturo Liebstein, Montevideo, 1941
1r5k/1p4pp/8/pn1BNR2/3P2P1/q1P5/P6P/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nf7+ Kg8 Nd8+ ]
c) 
White mates in 4.
Luis Roux Cabral vs Arturo Liebstein, Montevideo, 1941
2r1b1r1/ppq3pk/4p1NP/3p4/3Pp2R/2P3Q1/PP3P2/2K3R1 w - - 1 0
[ Nf8+ Rxf8 hxg7+ if Kg8 Rh8+ or if Bh5 gxf8/N+ ]
d) 
White mates in 4.
Sanford Greene vs W D Goldwater, New York, 1941
r2q1rBk/pppbbp2/4p1p1/6N1/2PP4/3Q4/P1P2PPP/1nB1R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh3+ Kg7 Qh7+ Kf6 Ne4+ ]
e) 
White mates in 4.
Georges Renaud vs NN, Prague, 1941
r4r1k/pp6/1n4Q1/8/5P2/2N5/PPPq3P/1K2R3 w - - 1 0
[ Qh5+ Kg7 Re7+ ]
Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1941 pt. v.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Black mates in 4.
W Koomen vs Hans Kmoch, Baarn, 1941
6r1/1p1q1k2/2p2b1R/8/5Q2/P7/1P3P2/K7 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rg1+ Ka2 Qe6+ ]
b) 
Black mates in 4.
Hector Rossetto vs Arturo Liebstein, Montevideo, 1941
5r2/R1p3k1/3p2p1/4b3/1pP3P1/5B1Q/1P3K2/3q3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Bd4+ Kg3 Qxf3+ Kh4 Rh8+ ]
c) 
White mates in 5.
Paulin Frydman vs Carlos Guimard, Buenos Aires, 1941
r1bq1r1k/pp2bp1p/2p1ppn1/7Q/2BP3P/2P2NB1/PP3PP1/R3K2R w KQ - 1 0
[ Ng5 fxg5 hxg5 ]
d) 
White mates in 5.
Harald Malmgren vs D V Oesterberg, Sweden, 1941
3q1r1k/7p/1n1p1R2/1pnPpNpQ/p3P3/1PP3P1/2B2PK1/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rf7 Rxf7 Qxf7 if Qg8 Qf6+ ]
e) 
Black mates in 5.
Jose Raul Capablanca vs James Lewis, New York, 1941
6k1/pp1R1p2/7p/3Pr2P/2P4K/1P1q2P1/P5B1/5R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh5+ if Kxh5 Qg6+ Kh4 Qg5+ or if Kg4 Rg5+ ]
Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1941 pt. vi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Najdorf/Palau vs Czerniak/Pilnik, Abrogue, 1941
2rr2k1/pb2q1pp/3bp3/4Np1Q/1p2n3/1P1BP3/PB3PPP/2RR2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxc8 if Bxc8 Nc6 or if Rxc8 Bxe4 fxe4 Rxd6 Qxd6 Qf7+ mates ]
b) 
Kurt Rahn vs Ludwig Rellstab, Bad Oeynhausen, 1941
rnbqkb1r/pp2pp1p/3p2p1/8/3NP1n1/2N1B3/PPP2PPP/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 1 0
[ Bb5+ if Nd7 Qxg4 ]
c) 
Paul Schmidt vs Klaus Junge, Bromberg, 1941
2n1r1k1/4P1pp/1p3p2/p1p5/6P1/1P5P/P4PB1/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bd5+ Kh8 Bc6 Rxe7 Rd1 g6 Rd8+ ]
d) 
Carlos Guimard vs Hermann Pilnik, Buenos Aires, 1941
2r3k1/5pp1/4p2p/4n3/1n6/7P/1P1Q1PPK/RNqB4 w - - 1 0
[ Ra8 ]
e) 
Miguel Najdorf vs Gideon Stahlberg, Buenos Aires, 1941
r4bk1/pp2Bp1p/3P2p1/P7/n3p3/1P5P/5PP1/2R3K1 w - - 1 0
[ d7 Bxe7 Rc8+ ]
'Characteristic Puzzles in the Opening' series
Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1941 pt. vii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Isaac Kashdan vs Anthony Santasiere, Hamilton, 1941
r1r3k1/p3bppp/n3pn2/3p4/NP1P4/P4N2/5PPP/R1B2RK1 w - - 1 0
[ b5 if Rc4 Nb2 or if Nc7 b6 axb6 Nxb6 ]
b) 
Alexander Alekhine vs Cruz, Lisbon, 1941
r1bq2k1/ppp2r1p/2nb1npB/4p2P/2B1Q1P1/N7/PPP2P2/2KR3R w - - 1 0
[ hxg6 if Nxe4 Bxf7+ or if Kh8 Bxf7 ]
c) 
Erich Eliskases vs Victor Winz, Mar del Plata, 1941
8/5Qpk/7p/P1p1pp2/8/1P1q2P1/5PKP/8 w - - 1 0
[ Qc4 ]
d) 
Gideon Stahlberg vs Julio Bolbochan, Mar del Plata, 1941
5n1k/4q3/pr2b2r/1p1pPp2/2pP1P2/P1P1N1Q1/6RP/6RK w - - 1 0
[ Nxf5 if Qh7 Nxh6 Qxh6 f5 Bf7 e6 or if Bxf5 Qg8# ]
e) 
Gideon Stahlberg vs Sonja Graf-Stevenson, Mar del Plata, 1941
3R4/p3Bp1p/bp3Ppk/2p1n3/8/8/P5PP/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rd5 if Nc6 Bf8# ]
Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1941 pt. viii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Karel Opocensky vs Jan Foltys, Prague, 1941
2rqr1k1/p4ppp/bp6/2bN4/4n2Q/PB1RB3/1P3PPP/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxd8 if Rcxd8 or Rexd8 Nf6+ ]
b) 
Joseph Rauch vs B Schmidt, Saint Louis, 1941
1q4k1/5ppp/2b5/2PN4/8/4P3/5PPP/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Ne7+ Kf8 Nxc6 ]
c) 
Geza Fuster vs Friedrich Saemisch, Trencianske Teplice, 1941
4n2k/3nNpp1/3q3p/pp6/8/P2Q2P1/1B2PP1P/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bxg7+ if Kxg7 Nf5+ ]
d) 
Hans Kranki vs Wilhelm Ernst, Bad Oeynhausen, 1941
1r6/pq1p2kp/1pb2pp1/2p5/2Pb1P2/2NP2P1/PP2Q1BP/4R2K b - - 0 1
[ ...Re8 if Qxe8 Bxg2# ]
e) 
Reig vs Alexander Alekhine, Madrid, 1941
r2qk2r/1p3ppp/4pn2/pP1p4/Q1P5/P1b1P3/R2B1PPP/4KB1R b Kkq - 0 1
[ ...Ne4 if Bxc3 Nxc3 ]
Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1941 pt. ix.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Pal Rethy vs Erik Lundin, Munich, 1941
r2qr1k1/5ppp/pp2pn2/7P/1PP1n3/3QPN2/1B2KPP1/R6R b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxd3+ Kxd3 Nxf2+ ]
b) 
Milton Hanauer vs Anthony Santasiere, New York, 1941
5k2/6pp/R4p2/1p1P4/1N6/6bP/PP1r2P1/5K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rf2+ if Ke1 Rxb2+ or if Kg1 Rxb2 ]
c) 
G Sturgis vs Hermann Steiner, Saint Louis, 1941
r1b1nrk1/pp3ppp/2p1p3/q3P3/1bP1NBQ1/8/PP3PPP/2KR1B1R b - - 0 1
[ ...f5 if exf6 e5 ]
d) 
Alexander Alekhine vs Eusebo Gomez, Sevilla, 1941
5k2/3n1ppp/p7/2b1rPB1/PpR1B3/8/1P3P1P/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nb6 ]
e) 
Geza Fuster vs Ludovit Potucek, Trencianske Teplice, 1941
2rq1rk1/pb1nbppp/1pp1p3/8/2PPN3/2N3P1/PPQR1PBP/R5K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...f5 ]
f) 
Weaver Adams vs Jacob Levin, Ventnor City, 1941
r3r1k1/1p3ppp/1p1qb3/6Bn/1PBn4/P2P1N2/2P2QPP/R4K1R b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxf3 if Qxf3 or gxf3 Qe5 ]
g) 
Luncz vs Wolfgang Weil, Vienna, 1941
r1b1k2r/p2p1ppp/2p5/2b1p3/2P1P1nq/3B3P/PPQ2PP1/RNB2RK1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...h5 if Qe2 Qg3 ]
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