Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945.

Tactics you can use from wtharvey.com

Here are some chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945.
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.
Savielly Tartakower vs Folke Ekstrom, Hastings, 1945
r1r1n1k1/4RRp1/1Bp3Q1/3p4/2P4p/1P4PP/Pq4B1/7K w - - 1 0
[ Rf8+ ]

b)

White mates in 2.
Arnold Denker vs Jacques Mieses, Hastings, 1945
3rk2r/pR3ppp/2p1p3/4b3/8/B5P1/P1P2P1P/3R2K1 w k - 1 0
[ Re7+ ]

c)

White mates in 2.
B Armitage vs Jeff Reeve, London, 1945
r4r1k/1ppqNppp/p1p1b3/3n2BQ/3PR3/8/PPP2PPP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxh7+ ]

d)

White mates in 2.
David Bronstein vs M Kamyshov, Moscow, 1945
r2b2k1/1b3pP1/p6p/6p1/1P2p1n1/P6R/BB4PP/5R1K w - - 1 0
[ Bxf7+ ]

e)

White mates in 2.
Anatoly Ufimtsev vs Boris Verlinsky, Moscow, 1945
3b4/3b1p2/2qk1P1Q/8/2pPp2P/1p2P1R1/1P6/rB3RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qf4+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 2.
Alexander Chistiakov vs M Kamyshov, Moscow, 1945
8/p3Rp2/7R/rr5p/5k1P/1p1Kp3/1P3PP1/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rf6+ ]

b)

White mates in 2.
Djordje Avirovic vs Vojislav Popovic. Novi Sad, 1945
6k1/1p5p/p1qP2p1/Pb3p1n/1P1Q4/7P/6P1/B3R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh8+ ]

c)

White mates in 2.
Poul Hage vs Ernst Sorensen, Odense, 1945
r3r1k1/pp3p2/5Pp1/2P1B2p/1PB2P2/P2QPq2/8/2KR4 w - - 1 0
[ Qxg6+ ]

d)

White mates in 2.
Tigran Petrosian vs Kelendzheridze, Tbilisi, 1945
r3k2r/pp1b1p1N/3Pp2p/q2pP1B1/1n1P2Q1/3B4/1PP2PPP/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Be7 ]

e)

White mates in 2.
Julio Salas Romo vs Heriberto Appel, Vina del Mar, 1945
r2k1q1r/pb3p2/1pnp2pp/5B2/2P2P2/Pn2B3/1P3QPP/3RRK2 w - - 1 0
[ Bxb6+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Black mates in 2.
Max Euwe vs George Thomas, Hastings, 1945
5k2/p4r2/Ppp4r/8/7p/8/1P1Qn1KP/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...h3+ ]

b)

Black mates in 2.
Martin Christoffel vs Jacques Mieses, Hastings, 1945
5rk1/p2p2bp/1p2p3/6p1/2P2BK1/1PNQ1PP1/P6q/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxf4+ ]

c)

Black mates in 2.
L Alexander vs O Friedman, London, 1945
4rk2/1p6/5pQ1/p7/3q2n1/P1Rp4/1P1KbPPP/7R b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf4+ ]

d)

Black mates in 2.
Boris Ratner vs Alexander Konstantinopolsky, Moscow, 1945
1r4k1/3b2pp/1b1pP2r/pp1P4/4q3/8/PP4RP/2Q2R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh2+ ]

e)

Black mates in 2.
Djordje Avirovic vs Alexander Tsvetkov, Novi Sad, 1945
8/p1r2pk1/1b6/1Q1b2pp/3P4/3RPqPP/3B1P2/3R1K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh1+ ]

King-pawn Opening Series

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. iv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Black mates in 2.
M Beilin vs Paul Keres, Tallinn, 1945
8/1p2k1pp/5p2/4pP2/p1KpP1P1/Pr6/1P3R1P/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Kd6 ]

b)

White mates in 3.
Balakirev vs Eigenson, Barnaul, 1945
2r5/6k1/p5p1/1p4P1/4P3/1Q3P2/PPrqn3/1K1R3R w - - 1 0
[ Rh7+ if Kxh7 Qf7+ ]

c)

White mates in 3.
Jiri Pelikan vs Francisco Benko, Buenos Aires, 1945
6qk/p3pR2/3pNnQ1/1p1n3P/1P6/2P5/P7/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rg7 ]

d)

White mates in 3.
Tigran Petrosian vs Aron Reshko, Leningrad, 1945
3R4/5p1k/4b2p/6p1/2p1RP2/1pQ3KP/1P4P1/r5q1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh8+ Kg6 Rg8+ ]

e)

White mates in 3.
Braslav Rabar vs Vasilje Tomovic, Ljubljana, 1945
3q4/1b2r3/p3pN2/1p2PkpQ/8/P3P2P/1P4P1/2R3K1 w - - 1 0
[ g4+ Kxe5 Qxg5+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. v.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 3.
Mark Van Essen vs Malcolm Duff, Long Beach, 1945
r1q1k2r/p1pb1n1p/3pN1pn/1BpN4/4P3/2Q5/P1P2PPP/R3K2R w KQkq - 1 0
[ Qf6 if Ng8 or Nf5 Qe7+ ]

b)

White mates in 3.
Mariotti vs Arnold, New York, 1945
rnbq1knr/ppb4p/3NpPp1/3p4/1P1p1Q2/8/P1PB1PPP/R3KBNR w KQ - 1 0
[ Qh6+ Nxh6 Bxh6+ Kg8 f7# ]

c)

White mates in 3.
Vasja Pirc vs Vasilje Tomovic, Novi Sad, 1945
2bb1rk1/r5pR/p1q1ppQ1/1pp5/2BPPP2/1PB5/P5PP/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh5 ]

d)

White mates in 3.
Tepchiz Giorgadze vs Tigran Petrosian, Tbilisi, 1945
7r/p1r1kppp/1q2p3/2n5/2PR4/4P1QP/P5P1/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qg5+ ]

e)

White mates in 3.
Veselin Popov vs Juri Toshev, Sofia, 1945
r3r3/6pp/pB2R1n1/8/k7/1p5P/P5P1/2KR4 w - - 1 0
[ Rd4+ if Ka3 Bc5+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. vi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 3.
Ludek Pachman vs Robert Simerda, Prague, 1945
2qr3r/p2nQ1p1/1p1B3p/7k/6pP/3B4/P1P2PP1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qf7+ Kxh4 g3+ ]

b)

Black mates in 3.
Radzivillov vs Ratmir Kholmov, Arkhangelsk, 1945
7k/p1r4P/3p4/1P2n3/3K2b1/4P3/1Q1RN1P1/5q2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc4+ Kd5 Qf7+ Kxd6 Qe6# ]

c)

Black mates in 3.
Vladas Mikenas vs Vladimir Makogonov, Baku, 1945
5rk1/r5pp/b3R3/p2Q1p2/Ppp5/4P3/1PB1KPPn/R1B4q b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf1+ Kd2 c3+ bxc3 Qe2# ]

d)

Black mates in 3.
Julio Lynch vs Francisco Benko, Buenos Aires, 1945
1k4r1/p1p3q1/8/2R4p/4Q3/PP2P2P/5r2/1R5K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh2+ Kxh2 Qg3+ ]

e)

Black mates in 3.
Enrique Falcon vs Julio Lynch, Buenos Aires, 1945
3r4/2r3kp/2P3p1/4K1P1/4PN2/2N1bPR1/8/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re7+ Ne6+ Kf7 ]

'Characteristic Puzzles in the Opening' series

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. vii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Black mates in 3.
Joseph Rauch vs F Yerhoff, Canada, 1945
4nrk1/5ppp/2p5/1pb1P2Q/6R1/1bPq2NP/1P1B2P1/4K3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qb1+ Ke2 Qd1+ ]

b)

Black mates in 3.
Nikolay Kopaev vs Viacheslav Ragozin, Kiev, 1945
8/5pk1/3p2p1/2pPp1qp/QB3b2/3b3P/P4P2/R3K2R b - - 0 1
[ ...Qg2 Kd1 Qxh1+ Be1 Qf3# ]

c)

Black mates in 3.
I Aramanovic vs Alexander Konstantinopolsky, Moscow, 1945
3qr1k1/pp1r1bpp/5p2/1Nb5/8/5B2/PQ3PPP/2RR2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxd1+ ]

d)

Black mates in 3.
A Zhivtsov vs Boris Verlinsky, Moscow, 1945
6k1/p3Qp2/3n2p1/2p4B/5P1P/6PK/P1qr4/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh2+ Kg4 gxh5+ ]

e)

Black mates in 3.
Grigory Goldberg vs Viacheslav Ragozin, Moscow, 1945
1r4k1/R5p1/6Rp/3p4/3P1Pp1/4P3/5K1P/7r b - - 0 1
[ ...Rb2+ Kg3 Rg1+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. viii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Black mates in 3.
Bozidar Kazic vs Oleg Neikirkh, Novi Sad, 1945
8/1pk2b1p/5p2/pPP1b3/4P1K1/8/P4r1P/2R2B2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be6+ ]

b)

Black mates in 3.
Petar Petrov vs Andrey Malchev, Sofia, 1945
8/6p1/4pk2/1R2np2/P4P1K/r7/6P1/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng6+ Kh5 Nxf4+ ]

c)

White mates in 4.
Vassily Smyslov vs Evgeny Zagorjansky, Moscow, 1945
k2r4/pRrbb1p1/Q1P1p2p/5p2/4B3/q4NP1/P4P1P/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxa7+ Rxa7 cxd7+ Kb8 Qb6+ ]

d)

White mates in 4.
Alexander Chistiakov vs Vladimir Saigin, Moscow, 1945
1k2r3/pbNrq1p1/2R2p1p/1Q3P2/3Pp1P1/4P2P/1P6/1KR5 w - - 1 0
[ Na6+ Ka8 Rc8+ Rxc8 Rxc8+ ]

e)

White mates in 4.
Igor Bondarevsky vs Boris Verlinsky, Moscow, 1945
6kr/4q2p/bp2PppQ/p1bB4/2P5/7R/6PP/5R1K w - - 1 0
[ Rxf6 if Qxf6 e7+ ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. ix.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 4.
Bedrich Thelen vs Karel Prucha, Prague, 1945
r6k/p5pp/np1N4/2p5/3b1B2/1Q6/PP2qPPP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nf7+ Kg8 Nh6+ ]

b)

White mates in 4.
Charles Watson vs Gregory Koshnitsky, Sydney, 1945
8/p4p1p/p1p3p1/1rkqQ3/1r6/1P2P1P1/R3KP2/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rc2+ Kb6 Qb8+ ]

c)

White mates in 4.
Tigran Petrosian vs Rafael Kakiashvili, Tbilisi, 1945
4r2r/5k2/2p2P1p/p2pP1p1/3P2Q1/6PB/1n5P/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qd7+ ]

d)

White mates in 4.
Carlos Guimard vs Heriberto Appel, Vina del Mar, 1945
4rr1k/pb1q3p/1p3ppQ/3p1p2/3P2NP/2P2P2/PP2R1P1/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Re7 ]

e)

Black mates in 4.
L Spinks vs Cecil Purdy, Australia, 1945
1rr3k1/pQ3pbp/4b1p1/q7/8/1P4N1/P2B1PPP/1K1R3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Bf5+ Ne4 Bxe4+ Qxe4 Rxb3+ ]

More 'Tactics in the Sicilian' series

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. x.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Black mates in 4.
Svetozar Gligoric vs Milan Vidmar, Novi Sad, 1945
k7/p4p2/Qp6/4PP2/1b2q1p1/4B1Pp/2r1R2P/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc1+ if Bxc1 Bc5+ ]

b)

Black mates in 4.
Rodrigo Flores Alvarez vs Jose Maria Cristia, Vina del Mar, 1945
5rk1/pb5p/1p1P4/2p1P1n1/5p1R/P1BR4/1PQ2K1P/7q b - - 0 1
[ ...Ne4+ Ke2 f3+ Ke3 Qg1+ ]

c)

Black mates in 4.
Petar Petrov vs Juri Toshev, Sofia, 1945
8/1pr3kp/p3nrp1/3P4/8/1QP2p1P/PP2Nq1b/1R2RB1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf4 if Qb4 fxe2 ]

d)

Black mates in 4.
Vel Dzhogov vs Yury Benderev, Sofia, 1945
5r1k/7p/p5qP/2Bpb3/7Q/2P2rpR/PP3PK1/5R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...gxf2+ if Kh1 Qe4 ]

e)

Francisco Benko vs Guillermo Hand, Buenos Aires, 1945
2rr2k1/1b3ppp/pQ1ppq2/8/1PP1Pn2/4NP2/P3N2P/2R2RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Nxf4 Qxf4 Ng2 Qf6 Qxb7 ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. xi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Guillermo Hand vs Enrique Falcon, Buenos Aires, 1945
r1b1k2r/pp2ppbp/2nq2p1/8/3N4/4BB2/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 w kq - 1 0
[ Nxc6 if bxc6 Qxd6 exd6 Bxc6+ ]

b)

F Yerhoff vs Walter Holowach, Canada, 1945
8/4kp1p/p3p3/Pp4p1/1r6/1P1RP1P1/3K1P1P/8 w - - 1 0
[ f3 if e5 Kc3 ]

c)

M Kamyshov vs Victor Baturinsky, Moscow, 1945
2r3rk/1p2bpRp/p2p3B/3npPQ1/2b1P3/5B2/2PR3P/2qN2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxg8+ Rxg8 Qxg8+ Kxg8 Rg2+ if Kh8 Bxc1 ]

d)

Dokshytsky vs L Sherbakov, Moscow, 1945
r1bq1b1r/pppp2kp/2N2np1/3Q4/8/8/PPP2PPP/RNB1K2R w KQ - 1 0
[ Bh6+ Kxh6 Qd2+ ]

e)

Slobodan Radojcic vs Vasilje Tomovic, Novi Sad, 1945
3r3r/3n1k2/p4qpp/1p2pp2/7Q/2B5/PPP3PP/3RR2K w - - 1 0
[ Rxd7+ Rxd7 Qxf6+ Kxf6 Bxe5+ ]

"Sale" by wtharvey.com

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. xii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Plamen Stanchev vs Filip Filipov, Sofia, 1945
r1b1k2r/pp1qppbp/2n2np1/1B6/3Np3/2N1B3/PPPQ1PPP/2KR3R w kq - 1 0
[ Nxc6 if bxc6 Bxc6 ]

b)

Carlos Guimard vs Rodrigo Flores Alvarez, Vina del Mar, 1945
2b2r2/4p1kp/p3P1p1/2NP1p2/1rn5/5R2/6PP/R4BK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rf4 ]

c)

Emil Karastoichev vs Andrei Malchev, Sofia, 1945
r1bqr1k1/p2nbpp1/1pp2n1p/3p4/3P1B2/2NBPN2/PPQ2PPP/R4RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Nb5 if cxb5 Bc7 or if Nc5 Nc7 ]

d)

Filip Filipov vs Illja Bachvarov, Sofia, 1945
3rk3/p7/1p3n1p/2pp4/3P1N2/1PP5/P5P1/5R1K w - - 1 0
[ Ne6 ]

e)

L Neatby vs Joseph Rauch, Canada, 1945
r1bq1rk1/p1p1bppp/1p1p1n2/8/2BQPP2/1PN5/P1P3PP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...d5 if exd5 Bc5 ]

Chess puzzles from top-rated games of 1945, pt. xiii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

Igor Bondarevsky vs Vassily Smyslov, Moscow, 1945
4r1k1/r1p2ppp/2pb4/5bq1/N7/2PB1P2/PPQ3PP/1K1R3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxd3 if Rxd3 Qb5 b3 Rxa4 ]

b)

Fajer vs Slobodan Radojcic, Novi Sad, 1945
5rk1/1bq3pp/pN1Qpr2/P7/2P1p3/4P3/6PP/R2R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rf1+ ]

c)