'Characteristic Puzzles in the Opening' series
Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Paul Keres.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.Drag your mouse from one bracket to the other.
a)
White mates in 3.
Paul Keres vs Verbak, corr., 1932
rnbq1b1r/pp4kp/5np1/4p2Q/2BN1R2/4B3/PPPN2PP/R5K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qh6+ Kxh6 Rh4+ Kg7 Bh6# ]
b)
Black mates in 4.
Aivi Karu vs Paul Keres, corr., 1932
r3r1k1/5ppp/p7/1p6/2b1P3/PPqp1Q2/3R1PPP/4KB1R b K - 0 1
[ ...Rxe4+ if Qxe4 or Be2 Qc1+ ]
c)
Paul Keres vs Vladimir Petrov, Tallinn, 1933
rnb1kbnr/ppp2ppp/8/8/5P2/3B4/PPPN2qP/R1BQK1NR w - - 0 1
[ Be4 if Qg4 Qxg4 Bxg4 Bxb7 ]
d)
Black mates in 5.
L Blumenoff vs Paul Keres, Tallinn, 1933
3r1rk1/1p3ppp/3b4/pP5q/3Np3/P3PbPP/1BR1B2K/2R2Q2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxg3+ if Kxg3 Qg5+ Kh2 Qe5+ Kg1 Qg3+ or if Kg1 Bh2+ ]
e)
Paul Keres vs Toldsepp, corr., 1934
rn2k2r/pbppbppp/1p4n1/8/3PP1q1/2N2NP1/PPP1BK2/R1BQ3R w - - 0 1
[ Ng5 ]
1a)
mate in 3
Paul Keres vs Verbak
Paul Keres puzzles, pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 8.
Paul Keres vs M Schapiro, corr., 1935
1rq2b1r/2N1k1pp/1pQp4/4n3/2P5/8/PP4PP/4RRK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe5+ dxe5 Qd5 Qxc7 Rf7+ ]
b)
Paul Keres vs E Condolin, Helsinki, 1935
r2q3r/2p1nppk/pn1p3p/1P1P4/3QN3/8/1P3PPP/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6+ if gxf6 Qxf6 Qf8 Rxe7 or if Kg6 Qg4+ Kxf6 Re6+ fxe6 Qxe6# ]
c)
Paul Keres vs E Koorm, Tartu, 1935
r1bq1rk1/ppp2pp1/2n4p/3n4/2BP4/2P2N2/P4PPP/R1BQR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Ba3 if Re8 Rxe8+ ]
d)
Paul Keres vs E Mill, Tartu, 1935
2r1r1k1/3bqp1p/p5p1/1p2p3/P2QN3/8/1P3PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxd7 if Qxd7 Nf6+ ]
e)
J Lokup vs Paul Keres, Tallinn, 1935
3R4/pp3pk1/6p1/4bq2/4p3/P1B1P1pn/1P3PQ1/5K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxc3 bxc3 Qb5+ Ke1 gxf2+ ]
2e)
J Lokup vs Paul Keres
Paul Keres puzzles, pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Aivi Karu vs Paul Keres, Tartu, 1935
r2qrbk1/pp3ppp/2p5/2P1n3/1P2P3/P3NP2/3BQP1P/R4RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxd2 Qxd2 Nxf3+ ]
b)
K Kurrik vs Paul Keres, Tartu, 1935
3rkb1r/ppp2ppp/2n1bn2/6B1/4P3/P7/1P3PPP/RN2KBNR b KQk - 0 1
[ ...Nd4 if Bd3 Nb3 ]
c)
Black mates in 6.
E Viilip vs Paul Keres, Tartu, 1935
r5r1/pp1b3k/7p/3p1p1n/2P2P1q/PN2Q2p/1P2P2K/5RR1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rg2+ Rxg2 hxg2+ if Kxg2 Rg8+ or if Qh3 Qxh3+ Kxh3 gxf1/Q+ ]
d)
Eero Boek vs Paul Keres, Munich, 1936
4r1k1/3b1ppp/p4n2/2qp2N1/1Q1N4/8/P1P2PPP/1R4K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxb4 ]
e)
White mates in 6.
Paul Keres vs Gheorghe Alexandrescu, Munich, 1936
r6r/ppq3Q1/nb1kp2p/3p4/8/P5P1/3NBPP1/1R3RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Ne4+ dxe4 Rfd1+ Bd4 Qxd4+ Ke7 Qg7+ ]
3e)
mate in 6
Paul Keres vs Gheorghe Alexandrescu
Paul Keres puzzles, pt. iv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 5.
Paul Keres vs De Moraes Mendes, Munich, 1936
3r1r1k/p1p2bpp/2p4q/5Q1P/5P2/P4BP1/1B3PK1/3RR3 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd8 Rxd8 Qxf7 Qf6 Re8+ ]
b)
Paul Keres vs Efim Bogoljubow, Zandvoort, 1936
8/p2k4/1b1r1p2/2p1Q1p1/3p4/1P4P1/P3PPK1/1qB4R w - - 0 1
[ Qxd6+ Kxd6 Bf4+ ]
c)
Black mates in 6.
Gideon Stahlberg vs Paul Keres, Bad Nauheim, 1936
6k1/p2B1pp1/8/4q2p/Q2nP3/P2r4/6PP/1R5K b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3 if gxf3 Rd2 ]
d)
Leho Laurine vs Paul Keres, Tallinn, 1937
r4rk1/1bp1q1pp/3p4/1p4n1/1PP5/2B1RN2/4QPPP/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxf3+ gxf3 Qg5+ Kh1 Rxf3 Rxf3 Qg4 ]
e)
Rudolf Spielmann vs Paul Keres, Nordwijk-aan-Zee, 1938
rbb1k2r/8/p1n1pq2/1p1pn1Np/1P5P/P1NB2Q1/2P3P1/R1B1KR2 b Qkq - 0 1
[ ...Ng4 ]
4d)
Leho Laurine vs Paul Keres
Paul Keres puzzles, pt. v.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Paul Keres vs Karel Hromadka, Prague, 1937
3q2k1/3bR3/3p2pP/p1pn1pP1/5P2/1r6/4Q1K1/2BN4 w - - 0 1
[ h7+ Kh8 Bxb2+ Nc3 Bxc3+ Rxc3 Nxc3 ]
b)
Max Euwe vs Paul Keres, Amsterdam, 1939
2b1r2k/p1p4p/1p3p2/2p5/2Pb1N2/4r1P1/PP1R3P/1Q3K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rf3+ Kg2 Rxf4 gxf4 Rg8+ Kf3 Bg4+ Kg3 Bf5+ ]
c)
Black mates in 5.
Alexander Tolush vs Paul Keres, Leningrad, 1939
6k1/1RQ3p1/3p1p2/1P1Pr2p/7P/1q6/4p1PK/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qg3+ Kxg3 e1/Q+ Kh3 Re3+ ]
d)
B Malksoo vs Paul Keres, Tallinn, 1940
6k1/2p3pp/4bp2/2qN4/2P4n/r4P2/1Q2N1PP/3R1K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxf3+ if gxf3 Bh3+ mates or if Ke1 Nxg2+ Kd2 Bxd5 cxd5 Qe3+ ]
e)
White mates in 4.
Paul Keres vs V Rootare, Tallinn, 1942
r3r1k1/ppp2p1p/1b3Bp1/4P3/3P1n2/2PB1N2/PP6/2KR3R w - - 0 1
[ Rxh7 Kxh7 Rh1+ Nh5 Rxh5+ ]
5e)
mate in 4
Paul Keres vs V Rootare
Paul Keres puzzles, pt. vi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Paul Keres vs H Soonum, Tallinn, 1942
r1b2kn1/ppp2pq1/2np4/8/5B2/2N5/PPP4Q/2KR1B2 w - - 0 1
[ Bxd6+ if cxd6 Qxd6+ Ke8 Nd5 or if Ke8 Nd5 Kd7 Nxc7 Rb8 Bf8+ mates ]
b)
White mates in 4.
Paul Keres vs Pomar Salamanca, Madrid, 1943
7R/r1p1q1pp/3k4/1p1n1Q2/3N4/8/1PP2PPP/2B3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd8+ if Qxd8 Qe6+ Kc5 Nb3+ or if Qd7 Rxd7+ ]
c)
Paul Keres vs Rud Pruun, Tallinn, 1943
r1b2rk1/ppp2ppp/2n1qn2/8/1b1P1B2/2NB1N1P/PPP3P1/R2Q2KR w - - 0 1
[ d5 Nxd5 Nxd5 if Qxd5 Bxh7+ ]
d)
Roberto Navarro Moncada vs Paul Keres, Madrid, 1943
r1r3k1/1p3ppp/pq2p3/3nB3/1b6/N2QP3/PP3PPP/1K1R3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Bc3 if Bxc3 Nxc3+ or if Qc2 Bxe5 ]
e)
Black mates in 2.
Josef Lokvenc vs Paul Keres, Prague, 1943
1B4k1/6p1/5q1p/pPP2p2/8/1P2pnKn/2Q5/5B2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qg5+ ]
6c)
Paul Keres vs Rud Pruun
Paul Keres puzzles, pt. vii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Paul Keres vs Folke Ekstrom, Stockholm, 1944
r4r1k/pp4pp/2p1b3/4qp2/4nNPP/P2BP3/1PQ2P2/R3K2R w - - 0 1
[ Nxe6 if Qxe6 gxf5 ]
b)
Black mates in 5.
P Tamm vs Paul Keres, Tallinn, 1945
4rr1k/bQ1R3p/p7/5b2/5Pq1/2P1P3/PP6/R1B2K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bd3+ if Kf2 or Rxd3 Rxf4+ ]
c)
Paul Keres vs Alexander Kotov, Parnu, 1947
4kb1r/1b3p1p/p1qp1np1/B1n1p3/2N1P3/1PN3PB/2P2P1P/3QR1K1 w k - 0 1
[ Nxe5 if dxe5 Qd8# ]
d)
Paul Keres vs David Bronstein, Moscow, 1951
6k1/3qQ2p/2p1b3/3pPp1B/5PP1/8/7P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bf7+ if Kg7 Qf6+ ]
e)
Paul Keres vs Alexander Arulaid, Tartu, 1953
3rr1k1/pp3pp1/1np1bq1p/4N3/3P4/1B2R3/PP3PPP/2Q1R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxf7 ]
7a)
Paul Keres vs Folke Ekstrom
Paul Keres puzzles, pt. viii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 5.
Isaac Boleslavsky vs Paul Keres, Zuerich, 1953
r5k1/2Q4p/p5pB/1p3p2/4nP2/3q3P/P2n2PK/R7 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3+ gxf3 Qe2+ Kh1 Qxf3+ ]
b)
U Milistver vs Paul Keres, Tartu, 1953
4r2k/7p/1p1p4/pPpPbP2/7q/1P2p3/P5QP/2R1R2K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rg8 if Qe2 Qe4+ ]
c)
Paul Keres vs Laszlo Szabo, Budapest, 1955
1r2rk2/3b1pp1/p1p1p2p/q3P3/5Q1P/2NB2R1/PPP3P1/2K5 w - - 0 1
[ Rxg7 Kxg7 Qf6+ if Kg8 Qxh6 or if Kf8 Bg6 ]
d)
Carlos Incutto vs Paul Keres, Mar del Plata, 1957
r4bk1/2p2pp1/7p/3br1q1/1p2B3/4RQ1P/PP3PP1/R4NK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe4 if Rxe4 f5 ]
e)
Paul Keres vs Isaak Boleslavsky, Moscow, 1957
2r2k2/2r1npp1/pp1Rp2p/4P3/PPPN4/1K4P1/7P/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Nb5 if axb5 Rd8+ ]
8d)
Carlos Incutto vs Paul Keres
Paul Keres puzzles, pt. ix.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Stephan Fazekas vs Paul Keres, Hastings, 1958
1r3r1k/6bp/1nbq2p1/2p5/1p2NP2/2P1Q2B/1P1B3P/R3R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxe4 ]
b)
Paul Keres vs Nikolay Minev, Munich, 1958
bn2r3/1n2kp1p/p2p2pb/3Pp3/pPN1P3/3BN3/1B2KPPP/2R5 w - - 0 1
[ Nb6 if Nd7 Rc7 Rd8 Bxa6 ]
c)
Paul Keres vs Pal Benko, Bled, 1959
2r3k1/1bpn1p1p/p4bp1/1p6/5BN1/2P4P/PPB2PP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd1 if Nc5 or Rd8 Nxf6+ ]
d)
Paul Keres vs Svetozar Gligoric, Zurich, 1959
2br1r1k/2qnQ2p/p4pp1/4p3/P3P1N1/1BPp1N1P/5PP1/1R3K2 w - - 0 1
[ Nxf6 if Rxf6 Ng5 ]
e)
White mates in 3.
Paul Keres vs Corvin Radovici, Leipzig, 1960
2b2rk1/2q2pp1/1p1R3p/8/1PBQ4/7P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rg6 ]
9d)
Paul Keres vs Svetozar Gligoric
Paul Keres Puzzles, Part X.
White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White mates in 5.
Paul Keres vs Lothar Schmid, Zurich, 1961
k2r4/p2b3r/BpRQ1p1p/4p3/8/2P3P1/PPP2q1P/2KR4 w - - 0 1
[ Bb7+ Kxb7 Rc7+ if Kg8 Rxd7+ or if Ka6 Qa3+ ]
b)
Paul Keres vs Burkhard Malich, Varna, 1962
6k1/pb2Qp2/1p2p1p1/n3P3/3P4/5N2/P4PP1/2q2BK1 w - - 0 1
[ Ng5 if Qf4 g3 Qf5 Bd3 ]
c)
Paul Keres vs Aleksandar Matanovic, Moscow, 1963
4br2/5r2/2pR1pk1/2N1pN1p/4P1pP/6P1/P4RPK/2b5 w - - 0 1
[ Nd3 Ba3 Nxe5+ ]
d)
Paul Keres vs Coen Zuidema, Beverwijk, 1964
2rqr1n1/6kp/p1n2pp1/2NP4/BP3P2/2p5/P2Q2P1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe8 if cxd2 Ne6+ or if Qxe8 Qxc3 ]
e)
Paul Keres vs Svein Johannessen, Stockholm, 1967
r1b1r1k1/1p1n1pbp/p1pq2p1/8/3Bn3/2N2N1P/PP2BPP1/2RQR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxg7 Kxg7 Nxe4 if Rxe4 Qxd6 ]
f)
Paul Keres vs Peter Dely, Kapfenberg, 1970
r2q1rk1/pp4b1/3p2P1/2Pbp2R/nP4p1/4Q3/P3BP2/2K4R w - - 0 1
[ Rh8+ Bxh8 Rxh8+ ]
g)
White mates in 3.
Paul Keres vs Hillar Karner, Parnu, 1971
2bkr3/5Q1R/p2pp1N1/1p6/8/2q3P1/P4P1K/8 w - - 0 1
[ Ne5 dxe5 Qf6+ ]
10b)
Paul Keres vs Burkhard Malich
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