King-pawn Opening Series



Here are some chess puzzles from games of 1927.
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.
H V Springer vs Ulrich Gebhardt, Munich, 1927
r1b1kb1r/pp1n1pp1/1qp1p2p/6B1/2PPQ3/3B1N2/P4PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxe6+ ]

b)
White mates in 2.
Carlos Maderna vs Carl Bauer, La Plata, 1927
2q1r1kb/2p1Qp1p/2rp2pB/2n2N2/p4PP1/1P5P/P1P5/2KR2R1 w - - 1 0
[ Qf8+ Rxf8 Ne7# ]

c)
White mates in 2.
Richard Reti vs Massimillano Romi, London, 1927
1nbr2k1/1p1qQ1pp/p7/5p2/4pP2/1P2P3/PB2B1PP/2R3K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bc4+ if Kh8 Bxg7# ]

d)
White mates in 2.
Max Euwe vs A Van Mindeno, Netherlands, 1927
r1b2rk1/pp3ppp/3p4/3Q1nq1/2B1R3/8/PP3PPP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxf7+ ]

e)
White mates in 2.
M Noordijk vs Salo Landau, Rotterdam, 1927
rnbq1b1r/ppp1p3/1n1p3p/4P1pk/3P1Q2/7P/PPP2PP1/RNB1K2R w KQ - 1 0
[ Qf7+ ]

Chess Puzzles from the games of 1927, pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 2.
Jose Raul Capablanca vs Prestes, Sao Paulo, 1927
3r4/p3Nq1k/1np3p1/3pP1P1/1Q6/8/PPP2P2/2K5 w - - 1 0
[ Qh4+ ]

b)
White mates in 2.
Jose Raul Capablanca vs Barroso, Sao Paulo, 1927
3r1nk1/1qp4r/1p2pPp1/p5N1/P1PP4/1P6/7Q/1K1R3R w - - 1 0
[ f7+ if Kg7 Qe5# ]

c)
Black mates in 2.
Monterinas vs Max Euwe, Amsterdam, 1927
7r/p3ppk1/3p4/2p1P1Kp/2Pb4/3P1QPq/PP5P/R6R b - - 0 1
[ ...Be3+ w/Qg4# ]

d)
Black mates in 2.
William Fairhurst vs Hugh Alexander, Birmingham, 1927
4r1k1/pp4p1/2p5/2p2K2/5P1p/1P3q2/P1PB3P/3R2R1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re5+ if Kxe5 Qd5# ]

e)
Black mates in 2.
Viakhirev vs Alexander Alekhine, corr., 1927
4r2k/ppp3pp/8/1PPb1p2/3P1P1b/P1Q2p1P/7R/R4KBq b - - 0 1
[ ...Qg2+ ]

'Tactics in the Sicilian' series



Chess Puzzles from the games of 1927, pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 2.
Ilya Rabinovich vs Grigori Levenfish, Moscow, 1927
rn2kb1r/ppp1pppp/8/8/4q3/3P1N1b/PPP1BPnP/RNBQ1K1R b kq - 0 1
[ ...Nh4+ ]

b)
White mates in 3.
C Portela vs A Nogues Acuna, Buenos Aires, 1927
r2q4/p2nR1bk/1p1Pb2p/4p2p/3nN3/B2B3P/PP1Q2P1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6+ Kh8 Qxh6+ Bxh6 Rh7# ]

c)
White mates in 3.
Heinrich Wagner vs Alfred Brinckmann, Bremen, 1927
6k1/2b3r1/8/6pR/2p3N1/2PbP1PP/1PB2R1K/2r5 w - - 1 0
[ Nh6+ Kh7 Nf7+ ]

d)
White mates in 3.
Arpad Vajda vs Carl Ahues, Kecskemet, 1927
6k1/2p4R/p2b1P2/1p3PN1/3P1p2/1P6/r4PK1/8 w - - 1 0
[ f7+ Kf8 Ne6+ ]

e)
White mates in 3.
Geza Maroczy vs Vladimir Vukovic, London, 1927
2r1kbr1/pn2p1p1/2p1P1Np/B2p2p1/2pP4/2N3P1/PP1R4/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rdf2 if Nxa5 Rxf8+ ]

3b)
mate in 3
C Portela vs A Nogues Acuna

Chess Puzzles from the games of 1927, pt. iv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Henri Weenink vs Hans Kmoch, London, 1927
r5n1/ppp1q3/2bp2kp/5rP1/3Qp3/2N5/PPP1B3/2KR3R w - - 1 0
[ Bh5+ Kxg5 Rdg1+ Kf4 Ne2# ]

b)
White mates in 3.
Rudolf Spielmann vs Rudolf L'Hermet, Magdeburg, 1927
r2r1k2/p2nqp2/2b1p2P/4B3/2p5/3B4/PPP2P1P/2KR2R1 w - - 1 0
[ Rg8+ Kxg8 h7+ ]

c)
White mates in 3.
Walther Von Holzhausen vs Gottlieb Machate, Magdeburg, 1927
2rkr3/2q2pQ1/p1b1R3/n1p4p/P1P2b2/1P6/2B2BPP/2N1R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxe8+ Bxe8 Qf6+ ]

d)
White mates in 3.
Peter Romanovsky vs Yakov Rokhlin, Moscow, 1927
2r3r1/1p1q1Npk/p3p2p/4P2Q/1P3P2/b1P5/P5PP/5R1K w - - 1 0
[ Ng5+ Kh8 Qg6 ]

e)
White mates in 3.
Lajos Steiner vs Josef Lokvenc, Vienna, 1927
br3k2/3r1pp1/pp1q4/3pb1P1/Pn2P2Q/1NN2R2/1PP4P/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh8+ Ke7 Rxf7+ ]

Chess Puzzles from the games of 1927, pt. v.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 3.
Dondini vs Ricci Roolandi, Viareggio, 1927
4R3/p2B1ppp/8/3pP1k1/4P2b/1n3P2/PP4PK/4q2R b - - 0 1
[ ...Bg3+ Kh3 Qxh1+ ]

b)
Black mates in 3.
Massimiliano Romi vs Gerard Kroone, London, 1927
2k5/5q1p/p5p1/2p1n3/Pp1p3Q/1P1P4/1BPbK1bP/R7 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf3+ Kxd2 Qe3+ ]

c)
White mates in 4.
FA Rojahn vs Emanuel Lasker, Copenhagen, 1927
r1b4r/ppQ2p2/3p4/1k3Pp1/4R3/3q4/1P4PP/2R3K1 w - - 1 0
[ Re5+ dxe5 Rc5+ ]

d)
White mates in 4.
Max Euwe vs Orla Krause, London, 1927
4k3/3r3p/1P1p4/3Q1p2/2P1p3/R5P1/1q5P/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qe6+ Kf8 Ra8+ ]

Tactics you can use from wtharvey.com



Chess Puzzles from the games of 1927, pt. vi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 4.
Davide Marotti vs Gastone Daveglia, Napoli, 1927
r4bk1/6np/3p1Q2/1p2p1N1/1Pp1R2N/2P4P/3q1P1K/8 w - - 1 0
[ Qf7+ Kh8 Ng6+ ]

b)
White mates in 4.
Jose Raul Capablanca vs Joao Souza Mendes, Sao Paulo, 1927
3r1k2/pb1p1rp1/1pn2Np1/2q1p1B1/2B1P3/7R/PPP2PPP/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rh8+ Ke7 Re8+ Rxe8 Rxd7+ ]

c)
Black mates in 4.
Okker vs Max Euwe, Amsterdam, 1927
6k1/2p4p/p5p1/4p3/1P1bP1bP/PN2n1P1/5r2/2R1R2K b - - 0 1
[ ...Bf3+ Kg1 Rg2+ Kh1 Ng4 ]

d)
White mates in 6.
Goglidze vs Assowsky, Tbilisi, 1927
r3r3/p5k1/1qpB1Rp1/1p2P1N1/2p1P3/8/PP1Q2PP/3b3K w - - 0 1
[ Bf8+ if Kg8 Rxg6+ Kxf8 Qd6+ or if Rxf8 Ne6+ Kh7 Qd7+ ]

e)
Saviely Tartakower vs Hans Kmoch, Bad Niendorf, 1927
1k3r2/p7/1p1P4/4P1p1/3P1q2/2P3pP/P5B1/4Q1K1 w - - 0 1
[ e6 if Qxd5 Qe4 Kc7 e7 Re8 Qb7# ]

See 3 moves ahead from wtharvey.com



Chess Puzzles from the games of 1927, pt. vii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Mikhail Botvinnik vs Viacheslav Ragozin, Leningrad, 1927
r5k1/pp5p/4R1n1/3q1r2/1P4Q1/3p4/1B3PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxg6+ hxg6 Qxg6+ Kf8 Qg7+ Ke8 Re1+ Kd8 Qe7+ Kc8 Rc1+ ]

b)
Mikhail Botvinnik vs N Pavlov Pianov, Moscow, 1927
4qr1k/2Rr1npp/p3b3/1p2Pp2/1Q3B2/P4N2/5PPP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd7 Bxd7 e6 if Bxe6 Rxe6 ]

c)
Max Euwe vs Lohr, Amsterdam, 1927
2kn4/1p1rb2p/p3pp2/2p5/4P3/N1P2R1P/PP4PB/4K3 w - - 0 1
[ Nc4 w/Nb6+ ]

d)
Edgar Colle vs William Fairhurst, London, 1927
5r1k/R4p1p/2p2q1p/8/6Q1/1Bn5/P2r1PP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf7 if Rxf7 Re8+ Rf8 Qg8+ ]

e)
Akiba Rubinstein vs Mojshe Hirszbajn, Lodz, 1927
r1b1r1k1/pp1nqp2/2p1p1pp/8/4N3/P1Q1P3/1P3PPP/1BRR2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd7 Bxd7 Nf6+ ]

7a)
Mikhail Botvinnik vs Viacheslav Ragozin

Chess Puzzles from the games of 1927, pt. viii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Vladimir Makogonov vs Vsevolod Rauzer, Moscow, 1927
3n3R/4k3/1p2pp2/3p3P/3N4/4rP2/6P1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd8 Kxd8 h6 Re5 g4 Re1+ Kg2 ]

b)
Gerard Oskam vs NN, Rotterdam, 1927
r2qkb1r/ppp1pppp/5n2/3Pn3/4P1b1/2N2N2/PP3PPP/R1BQKB1R w - - 0 1
[ Nxe5 if Bxd1 Bb5+ c6 dxc6 a6 c7+ axb5 cxd8/Q+ ]

c)
Luis Palau vs P Ipata, Buenos, 1927
3r1k1r/1p2nbp1/2pqBp2/p4P1p/3p3N/P2P2QP/1PP3P1/4RR1K w - - 0 1
[ Qxd6 Rxd6 Bxf7 Kxf7 Rxe7+ Kxe7 Ng6+ ]

a)
Alexander Alekhine vs Max Euwe, Amsterdam, 1927
2r2krR/1p6/p2p1n2/3PbN2/8/4BR2/PP6/1K6 w - - 1 0
[ Rxg8+ Kxg8 Ne7+ ]

b)
Carl Ahues vs Rudolf L'Hermet, Magdeburg, 1927
b2q2k1/p3Rp2/1p4p1/5p2/2Pr1B1Q/1P5P/P5PK/8 w - - 1 0
[ Qf6 if Qf8 Be5 ]

8c)
Luis Palau vs P Ipata

Chess Puzzles from the games of 1927, pt. ix.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Ladislav Prokes vs Bedrich Thelen, Prague, 1927
6k1/1b3ppp/p3pn2/q2pN3/3P1P2/2r1P1P1/P2Q2BP/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rb1 if Bc8 Rb3 ]

b)
Frederick Yates vs Richard Reti, Tunbridge Wells, 1927
r6k/4Qppp/p1r5/3bP3/2pq4/4N1RP/1P3RPK/8 w - - 1 0
[ Qd7 if Rc5 Rxf7 Qxe5 Rfxg7 ]

c)
Willem Schelfhout vs Max Euwe, Amsterdam, 1927
2kr3r/pppqp1bp/6p1/n4p2/1P1PpP2/4P2P/P1PN2P1/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxd4 if exd4 Qxd4+ ]

d)
A Orr vs WJ Allen, Belfast, 1927
r2q1rk1/4b1pp/p3b3/1pnpPp2/5B2/8/PPBN1PPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...g5 ]

e)
Dawid Przepiorka vs Carl Ahues, Kecskemet, 1927
3r3k/p4qpp/1p6/2P1Q1n1/2P2N2/6P1/PR3P1P/7K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd1+ Kg2 Rg1+ Kxg1 Nf3+ ]

a)
Salo Landau vs Richard Reti, Rotterdam, 1927
3r1rk1/p1p2ppp/b1p5/q7/1bp5/1PB1P1P1/P1Q2PBP/R1R3K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxc3 if Qxc3 Rd1+ ]

b)
Alexander Alekhine vs F Ureta, Santiago, 1927
8/1p6/8/p3kpp1/2R2r2/1PK2PpP/1P4P1/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxf3+ if gxf3 g2 or if Kd2 Rf2+ ]

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