'Characteristic Puzzles in the Opening' series
Here are some chess puzzles from games of 1925.
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.
Massimiliano Romi vs L Savage, Bromley, 1925
r2qnbk1/6pp/p2pP3/2pP4/2p1N3/5Q2/PP1B2PP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qf7+ ]
b)
White mates in 2.
Alexander Alekhine vs Anna Stephan, Czechoslovakia, 1925
r1b2r1k/pp4pp/3P4/4qp2/2B1nN2/5R2/PP1Q2PP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Ng6+ ]
c)
Black mates in 2.
A Orr vs R A Heaney, Belfast, 1925
4B1k1/pp3p1p/6p1/2pP4/2P2b1q/5P2/P3r1QP/R5RK b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxh2+ ]
d)
Black mates in 2.
John Morrison vs F C Short, Scarborough, 1925
r2qr1k1/ppp4p/3p1bb1/2n3N1/2Pn1BpP/Q7/PP1N1PP1/1R1K1B1R b - - 0 1
[ ...Bc2+ ]
e)
White mates in 3.
Alexander Alekhine vs K Meck, Basel, 1925
6r1/6rk/pq1P4/1p2p1pB/2p1P2Q/2P3RP/PP4PK/8 w - - 0 1
[ Bg6+ Kxg6 Qxg5+ ]
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Frank Marshall vs Ilya Rabinovich, Baden-Baden, 1925
5kqQ/1b1r2p1/ppn1p1Bp/2b5/2P2rP1/P4N2/1B5P/4RR1K w - - 0 1
[ Rxe6 Re7 Bxg7+ ]
b)
White mates in 3.
Grigory Lowenfisch vs Freymann, USSR, 1925
b2rB3/p7/1n2kp2/2b2N1Q/2p1rP2/2P5/P5PP/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Qf7+ Kxf5 g4+ Kxg4 Qh5# ]
c)
White mates in 3.
David Przepiorka vs Lajos Steiner, Debrecen, 1925
5rk1/n1p1R1bp/p2p4/1qpP1QB1/7P/2P3P1/PP3P2/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxg7+ Kxg7 Bh6+ ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Max Euwe vs H Van Hartingsvelt, Amsterdam, 1925
rn4r1/1p2Q2p/pkb5/3RN3/8/8/PPP2PP1/2K5 w - - 1 0
[ Nc4+ ]
e)
White mates in 3.
Akiba Rubinstein vs Carl Carls, Baden-Baden, 1925
5r1k/4R2p/rp1N4/2pP3n/2Pn1P2/P5RP/6BK/8 w - - 1 0
[ Nf7+ Rxf7 Re8+ ]
2b)
mate in 3
Grigory Lowenfisch vs Freymann
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
W J Allen vs A Orr, Belfast, 1925
r4r1k/pp1R3p/1bp3p1/4p3/1q2NP2/8/PP3PQP/6RK w - - 1 0
[ Rxh7+ ]
b)
White mates in 3.
Efim Bogoljubow vs Siegbert Tarrasch, Breslau, 1925
rnq5/pp6/3QPp2/2pP4/P1k3pr/2B5/1P3PPP/R3K2R w KQ - 1 0
[ Qf4+ if Kxd5 0-0-0+ or if Kb3 Qe4 ]
c)
White mates in 3.
Lajos Steiner vs Ladislav Prokes, Debrecen, 1925
3k4/1Rn3pp/r1P2p2/pp3P2/1P1B4/P6P/6P1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rb8+ Ke7 Bc5+ ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Alexander Alekhine vs Peter Hermann, Geneva, 1925
8/p1pR4/6pk/3B4/5PP1/P7/6K1/r7 w - - 1 0
[ g5+ Kh5 Bf3+ ]
e)
White mates in 3.
Grigori Levenfish vs F I Duz-Hotimirsky, Leningrad, 1925
3kr2r/Q6p/2p1p3/3n1p2/P7/B2B4/5PPP/4b1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qb8+ Kd7 Qd6+ ]
Tactics you can use from wtharvey.com
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. iv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Santiago Rivas Costa vs J Gabarain, Montevideo, 1925
3r1r2/ppq2k2/2b2p1p/3pbQ2/6R1/2P5/PPB3PP/4RNK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rg7+ if Ke8 Qe6+ ]
b)
White mates in 3.
Akiba Rubinstein vs F I Duz-Hotimirsky, Moscow, 1925
r7/8/2R1R1p1/1p4kp/1p4p1/P5P1/4P1K1/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rxg6+ Kf5 Rce6 ]
c)
White mates in 3.
Emo Della Torre vs Luigi Bombicci Porta, Bologna, 1925
rr4k1/4q3/4pRB1/2ppb3/6Q1/1PP1R2P/6P1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bf7+ if Kh7 Qh4+ ]
d)
Black mates in 3.
Akiba Rubinstein vs Savielly Tartakower, Baden-Baden, 1925
8/1Q3ppk/1p5p/4qP2/P3P3/2R3PP/1P2b2K/3r4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bf3 if Rxf3 Qxb2+ ]
e)
Black mates in 3.
Ernst Gruenfeld vs Carlos Torre, Baden-Baden, 1925
r1b2rk1/pp4pp/2p1pq2/2bpPp2/2P1n3/1P3PP1/PBQ1P1BP/RN3R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxg3+ ]
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. v.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 3.
Josef Rejfir vs Bedrich Thelen, Bratislava, 1925
8/p5kp/1PR3pb/4p3/1PQ1P1q1/P5Nb/5P1K/3r4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh1+ ]
b)
Black mates in 3.
Marcel Duchamp vs Robert Crepeaux, Nice, 1925
8/1pQ3p1/6k1/7p/3bq3/5P2/5nPP/2R3K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd1+ Kf1 Qd3+ Ke1 Bf2# ]
c)
White mates in 4.
Friedrich Saemisch vs Rudolf Spielmann, Baden-Baden, 1925
4r3/6kp/ppr3P1/3p4/3Pq3/3nBR2/PP4QP/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Bh6+ if Kxh6 Qh3+ Kxg6 Rg1+ ]
d)
White mates in 4.
Albert Becker vs Endre Steiner, Berlin, 1925
2r4b/pp1Q3P/q2rp3/6B1/1kbP4/1PR5/P4P2/K1R5 w - - 1 0
[ Rxc4+ Rxc4 Rxc4+ ]
e)
White mates in 4.
Fricis Apsenieks vs Andre Louis, Bromley, 1925
r7/p3bQ2/bpp4p/q3Pnp1/3k4/P5B1/1P1N1PPP/2R2RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rc4+ if Kd3 Qxf5+ ]
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. vi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 4.
Benito Villegas vs Hector Anaya Oger, Montevideo, 1925
4kn1r/6p1/2R2p2/1p1Qp1p1/r2qP1P1/4R2P/5P2/5BK1 w k - 1 0
[ Rc8+ Ke7 Rc7+ Ke8 Qf7+ ]
b)
Black mates in 4.
A M Ewbank vs John Morrison, Bromley, 1925
6rk/1p6/p2p4/3Pb2q/P1B2p2/1PP1p3/6R1/4Q1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxg2+ Kxg2 f3+ ]
c)
Black mates in 4.
Frederick Yates vs Ernst Gruenfeld, Marienbad,, 1925
8/7k/p2B3p/3p1rpK/1P1p4/3PnrN1/P2R3P/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...R5f4 Bxf4 Rxf4 ]
d)
White mates in 5.
Sapiro vs Freudberg, Antwerp, 1925
5kr1/1n1q1b1p/3p1QpP/3p4/5B2/8/1PP2PP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bg5 if Na5 Re7 ]
e)
White mates in 5.
Carlos Torre vs Frederick Yates, Baden-Baden, 1925
2r3rk/4qp1p/p3p3/1p2P1P1/2pR1P2/4Q3/PPP2KP1/7R w - - 0 1
[ Rxh7+ Kxh7 Qh3+ Kg6 Qh6+ Kf5 Qh7+ ]
King-pawn Opening Series
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. vii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Paul Johner vs Hans Kmoch, Debrecen, 1925
r3kb1r/pp1nqp2/2p1p1bp/4P2N/3R1B2/1BP5/PP2QPP1/R5K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6+ Nxf6 exf6 if Qxf6 Be5 or if Qc5 Bxe6 fxe6 Qxe6+ mates ]
b)
Alexander Alekhine vs Edgar Colle, Paris, 1925
3r2k1/p2r1pp1/1pQ3p1/3P2q1/P7/6P1/5P1P/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxd7 Rxd7 Re8+ Kh7 Rcc8 ]
c)
Akiba Rubinstein vs Max Blumich, Breslau, 1925
r3r1kb/3qn2p/Q5pP/2pp2P1/3p1P2/1P6/P2B2B1/4RRK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe7 Qxe7 Bxd5+ ]
d)
Frank Marshall vs Akiba Rubinstein, Moscow, 1925
3rrnk1/pp3bp1/2p4p/4R3/3PN3/Pq3N2/5QPP/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nfd2 if Qa2 Nc3 ]
e)
Luis Palau vs J Gabarain, Montevideo, 1925
2r1r3/2qnn1bk/3p2pp/pBpP1p2/PpN1PP2/1P4PP/2QB3K/1R2R3 w - - 0 1
[ e5 if dxe5 d6 ]
7b)
Alexander Alekhine vs Edgar Colle
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. viii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Carlos Torre vs Friedrich Saemisch, Moscow, 1925
2rn1r2/pbq1bpk1/1p1pp2p/3n2pQ/2NP3N/2PB2B1/PP3PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe6 if Rh8 Nf5+ ]
b)
Richard Reti vs Walter, Bratislava, 1925
2r1k1r1/p3p2p/1pq1n1pB/4P3/Q1n5/2P5/P3B1PP/3R1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxc4 Qxa4 Bxe6 if Rb8 Bf7# ]
c)
Erwin Voellmy vs Alexander Alekhine, Basel, 1925
r4k1r/pp1n1pp1/2pq2bp/3p4/3P2B1/P1N2Q2/1PP2PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Re6 if Qc7 Rxg6 ]
d)
Orbach vs Kuhn, Breslau, 1925
r4rk1/1pn1q1p1/3p1p2/p1nPpP2/2B5/1PN1Q1P1/P6P/R4RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxc5 if dxc5 d6+ Qf7 dxc7 ]
e)
Fricis Apsenieks vs H G Wright, Bromley, 1925
rnbqkb1r/pp3ppp/3p4/2pP4/4nB2/2P5/PP4PP/RN1QKBNR w KQkq - 1 0
[ Qa4+ ]
8b)
Richard Reti vs Walter
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. ix.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Hans Kmoch vs Lajos Steiner, Debrecen, 1925
r4rk1/1p2ppbp/3p2p1/p6n/Pqb1P3/1P1Q2PP/NB3PB1/3R1RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Nxb4 Bxd3 Nxd3 ]
b)
Milan Vidmar vs Reginald Michell, Hastings, 1925
2q1r1k1/1b1r2pp/pR2p3/3n1p1Q/P2B1P2/2PB4/6PP/R6K w - - 1 0
[ Rxb7 if Rxb7 Bxa6 Nxf4 Qf3 Nd5 c4 ]
c)
Frederick Yates vs Reginald Michell, Marienbad, 1925
4r3/q3bp1k/p1R3pp/1p1r3N/3p1P2/3Q4/PP3P1P/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxe7 Qxe7 Nf6+ Kg7 Nxd5 ]
d)
Luis Palau vs Benito Villegas, Montevideo, 1925
3r4/p4pkp/1p2q3/3p2p1/3Rr3/1P3QPP/P4PK1/3R4 w - - 1 0
[ Rxe4 if dxe4 Qc3+ ]
e)
E Adams vs Carlos Torre, New Orleans, 1925
2r1r1k1/1pQ2ppp/3p1b2/p2P4/q7/5N2/1P2RPPP/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Re4 if Qb5 Qxb7 ]
'Tactics in the Sicilian' series
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. x.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Alexander Alekhine vs Rudolf Mikulka, Olomouc, 1925
r3qrk1/ppp2pb1/3pb1Q1/6B1/3PP3/1BP5/PP5p/R4R1K w - - 1 0
[ Rxf7 if Bxf7 Bf6 ]
b)
Karel Opocensky vs Eugene Znosko-Borovsky, Paris, 1925
r4rk1/1b3ppp/p4n2/1p5q/2pP1B2/2P2P1P/P5P1/1B1QRRK1 w - - 1 0
[ Re5 Qh4 Bg5 Qg3 Qc2 ]
c)
Alexander Alekhine vs Wap, Rotterdam, 1925
r1br2k1/pp3p1p/1qp3p1/8/3bPP2/PP6/1BQ2PBP/3R1RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxd4 Rxd4 Qc3 if c5 b4 ]
d)
Richard Reti vs Edgard Colle, Baden-Baden, 1925
6kr/1p2pp2/2p1q1p1/8/P2Q4/2PP2P1/3KP2n/R5R1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3+ if exf3 Rh2+ Kc1 Qb3 ]
e)
George Thomas vs Edgard Colle, Baden-Baden, 1925
2rr2k1/b4p1p/6p1/1pq1p3/2p5/2P2P2/PPR1QNPP/3R1K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxf2+ ]
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. xi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
George Thomas vs Frank Marshall, Baden-Baden, 1925
8/4bkpp/5p2/1b6/5P2/1p2P1K1/3R2PP/4N3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bb4 Rd1 Bxe1+ Rxe1 Bd3 ]
b)
Dawid Janowski vs Aaron Nimzowitsch, Marienbad, 1925
r3k2r/pbpn1p2/1p1p1qpp/5P2/2PPp1QN/2P1P3/P1B3PP/R4RK1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...h5 if Qg3 g5 ]
c)
Benito Villegas vs Octavio Trompowsky, Montevideo, 1925
2q1Rr1k/2p2prp/1pBp4/p4P2/2P2n2/2Q5/PP4PP/4R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe8 Rxe8+ Qxe8 Bxe8 Ne2+ ]
d)
Fedor Bohatirchuk vs Jose Raul Capablanca, Moscow, 1925
2r1r1k1/1p3ppp/p7/2bN4/Pq1B1Pn1/1P6/1P1Q2PP/2RR3K b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxd4 Qxd4 Bxd4 if Rxd4 Rxc1+ mates ]
e)
Ilya Rabinovich vs Peter Romanovsky, Moscow, 1925
r2r2k1/p4ppp/4pPb1/1pq5/8/Q1N2N2/PP1B1PPP/2KR3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf5 if Qb3 Rac8 ]
Chess puzzles from games of 1925, pt. xii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Peter Romanovsky vs Alexander Ilyin-Zhenevsky, Moscow, 1925
4nrk1/4bppp/3pp3/1N2P3/3R1P2/2Q5/1Pq3PP/2B4K b - - 0 1
[ ...Qe2 if h3 Qxb5 ]
b)
Akiba Rubinstein vs Rudolf Spielmann, Moscow, 1925
5rk1/2p3pp/1pp1q3/3n4/1PQ1p3/6PP/P3R3/2B2RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxf1+ Kxf1 Ne3+ w/Qxc4 ]
c)
Fedor Bohatirchuk vs Frank Marshall, Moscow, 1925
2r5/p1B2pkp/5p2/3N4/8/2Pb4/P3nPPP/R6K b - - 0 1
[ ...Bc4 ]
d)
George Fontein vs Max Euwe, Netherlands, 1925
2R5/1pp5/p2p2k1/3Pn2p/2PN3P/1P6/P3r3/7K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd2 if Ne6 Nf3 ]
e)
Hayndl vs E Crespi, Sarajevo, 1925
r2qk2r/1pp2ppp/p1nb1n2/3Pp3/2B3b1/2N1P1Q1/PP1BNPPP/R3K2R b KQkq - 0 1
[ e4 Qh4 Ne5 Bb3 Ng6 Qg5 h6 ]
f)
William Gibson vs Francis Wenman, Scarborough, 1925
2r1r1k1/pb2qppp/1pp1p3/4P3/2B1PP2/P5Q1/1P4PP/3RR1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qc5+ ]
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