Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Paul Keres.

White to move and win except where noted.

Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.
Drag your mouse from one bracket to the other.

a) White Mates in 3. Keres vs Verbak, corr., 1932

[ Qh6+ ]

b)
Keres vs Toldsepp, corr., 1934

c)
White Mates in 8. Keres vs M Schapiro, corr., 1935
[ Rxe5+ w/Qd5 ]

d)
Keres vs E Condolin, Helsinki, 1935
[ Nf6+ ]

e)
Keres vs J Wilkins, corr., 1933
[ Rxg8+ if Rxg8 Bh6+ w/Rf1+ ]
Tal vs Keres, 1962

Keres Puzzles, Part II. White to move and win except where noted.

a)
Keres vs Vladimir Petrov, Tallinn, 1933
rnb1kbnr/ppp2ppp/8/8/5P2/3B4/PPPN2qP/R1BQK1NR w - - 0 1
[ Be4 if Qg4 Qxg4 w/Bxb7 ]

b)
Keres vs E Koorm, Tartu, 1935
r1bq1rk1/ppp2pp1/2n4p/3n4/2BP4/2P2N2/P4PPP/R1BQR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Ba3 ]

c)
Keres vs E Mill, Tartu, 1935
2r1r1k1/3bqp1p/p5p1/1p2p3/P2QN3/8/1P3PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxd7 ]

d)
White Mates in 6. Keres vs Gheorghe Alexandrescu, Munich, 1936
r6r/ppq3Q1/nb1kp2p/3p4/8/P5P1/3NBPP1/1R3RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Ne4+ dxe4 Rfd1+ Bd4 Qxd4+ ]

e)
White Mates in 5. Keres vs De Moraes Mendes, Munich, 1936
3r1r1k/p1p2bpp/2p4q/5Q1P/5P2/P4BP1/1B3PK1/3RR3 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd8 Rxd8 Qxf7 Qf6 Re8+ ]

Keres Puzzles, Part III. White to move and win.

a)
Keres vs Efim Bogoljubow, Zandvoort, 1936
8/p2k4/1b1r1p2/2p1Q1p1/3p4/1P4P1/P3PPK1/1qB4R w - - 0 1
[ Qxd6+ ]

b)
Keres vs Wolfgang Hasenfuss, Kemeri, 1937
1qk4r/1pr2p2/p1b1pN2/4Pp1p/2pR1Q1P/P7/1P1R1PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qh6 ]

c)
Keres vs Theodore Tylor, Margate, 1937
r1r1nb1k/2qb1Bpp/p2p4/6BQ/1p1NP3/7P/1P3PP1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bd5 if Ra7 Qf7 ]

d)
Keres vs Karel Hromadka, Prague, 1937
3q2k1/3bR3/3p2pP/p1pn1pP1/5P2/1r6/4Q1K1/2BN4 w - - 0 1
[ h7+ Kh8 Qb2+ if Nc3 Qxb3 Qxe7 Qg8# ]

e)
Keres vs Erich Eliskases, Semmering, 1937
5k2/ppr2pq1/4rn2/1R5p/3P3Q/3B3P/P2B1PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxh5 if Ke8 Rh8+ Kd7 d5 Rd6 Bb5+ or if Nxh5 Qd8+ mates ]
Korchnoi vs Keres, 1965

Keres Puzzles, Part IV. White to move and win except where noted.

a)
Keres vs Storm Herseth, Stockholm, 1937
2nrkb1r/ppqn1pp1/4p3/1BP1N2p/8/1Q6/PB1P1PPP/2R2RK1 w - - 0 1
[ c6 bxc6 Rxc6 if Qb7 Rxe6+ mates ]

b)
White Mates in 4. Keres vs Pomar Salamanca, Madrid, 1943
7R/r1p1q1pp/3k4/1p1n1Q2/3N4/8/1PP2PPP/2B3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd8+ if Qxd8 Qe6+ w/Nb3+ or if Qd7 Rxd7+ ]

c)
White Mates in 4. Keres vs V Rootare, Tallinn, 1942
r3r1k1/ppp2p1p/1b3Bp1/4P3/3P1n2/2PB1N2/PP6/2KR3R w - - 0 1
[ Rxh7 ]

d)
Keres vs H Soonum, Tallinn, 1942
r1b2kn1/ppp2pq1/2np4/8/5B2/2N5/PPP4Q/2KR1B2 w - - 0 1
[ Bxd6+ if cxd6 Qxd6+ w/Nd5 or if Ke8 Nd5 Kd7 Nxc7 Rb8 Bf8+ mates ]

e)
Keres vs Johannes Turn, Tallinn, 1942
2rrb1k1/4Rpp1/2q3p1/p7/2B5/1P3R2/P3Q2P/1K6 w - - 0 1
[ Rexf7 if Bxf7 Bxf7+ Kf8 Be6+ ]

Keres Puzzles, Part V. White to move and win.

a)
Keres vs Ludek Pachman, Prague, 1943
2r3k1/p1rq1pp1/R1N1b2p/1P1p4/3Qn3/3BP3/5PPP/3R2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxe4 dxe4 Qxd7 if Rxd7 Rxd7 Bxd7 Ne7+ ]

b)
Keres vs Paul Schmidt, Salzburg, 1943
2b1r3/r2nk1pp/ppR2p2/2p3B1/6B1/8/PPP2PPP/2KR4 w - - 0 1
[ Re1+ w/Rxe8+ & Rxc8+ ]

c)
Keres vs H Israel, Tallinn, 1943
r1b1r1k1/3n1pp1/2p4p/p1qpP3/P7/2QBP3/1B1N1PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ e6 if Qxc3 exd7 ]

d)
Keres vs Rud Pruun, Tallinn, 1943
r1b2rk1/ppp2ppp/2n1qn2/8/1b1P1B2/2NB1N1P/PPP3P1/R2Q2KR w - - 0 1
[ d5 if Nxd5 Nxd5 ]

e)
Keres vs Folke Ekstrom, Stockholm, 1944
r4r1k/pp4pp/2p1b3/4qp2/4nNPP/P2BP3/1PQ2P2/R3K2R w - - 0 1
[ Nxe6 if Qxe6 gxf5 ]
Keres Puzzles, Part VI. White to move and win.

a)
Keres vs Alexander Kotov, Parnu, 1947
4kb1r/1b3p1p/p1qp1np1/B1n1p3/2N1P3/1PN3PB/2P2P1P/3QR1K1 w k - 0 1
[ Nxe5 ]

b)
Keres vs David Bronstein, Moscow, 1951
6k1/3qQ2p/2p1b3/3pPp1B/5PP1/8/7P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bf7+ ]

c)
Keres vs Alexander Arulaid, Tartu, 1953
3rr1k1/pp3pp1/1np1bq1p/4N3/3P4/1B2R3/PP3PPP/2Q1R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxf7 ]

d)
Keres vs H Hindre, Tartu, 1953
2R2r1k/p1n1qppp/np2p3/4P3/1P2N3/P5P1/5PBP/3Q2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qd7 ]

e)
Keres vs Robert Wade, London, 1954
rnb3k1/1p1nq1p1/p3p3/2ppPp2/3P1N2/2N2Q2/PPP2PP1/2K4R w - - 0 1
[ Rh8+ if Kxh8 Ng6+ or if Kf7 Qh5+ mates ]

Keres Puzzles, Part VII. White to move and win.

a)
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 ]

b)
Keres vs Andrija Fuderer, Goteborg, 1955
r1b1kb1r/6pp/p1p1p3/3pn1B1/q3N3/8/P1PQB1PP/1R3RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Bh5+ if Kd7 Rxf8 or if g6 Nf6+ Kd8 Nxd5+ ]

c)
Keres vs Boris Spassky, Goteborg, 1955
4rnk1/2qn2p1/p3b2p/1pp1N3/2P5/4P1Q1/PB4PP/1B3RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxg7+ Kxg7 Nxd7+ Kg8 Nf6+ Kf7 Nd5+ ]

d)
Keres vs Isaak Boleslavsky, Moscow, 1957
2r2k2/2r1npp1/pp1Rp2p/4P3/PPPN4/1K4P1/7P/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Nb5 ]

e)
Keres vs E Gordon, Santiago, 1957
3r2r1/2qb2p1/3k2B1/1pp1p3/3p3Q/2P2R2/1P3PPP/R5K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rf6+ if gxf6 Qxf6+ Be6 Ra6+ or if Kd5 Qe4+ mates ]
Keres Puzzles, Part VIII. White to move and win except where noted.

a)
Keres vs Nikolay Minev, Munich, 1958
bn2r3/1n2kp1p/p2p2pb/3Pp3/pPN1P3/3BN3/1B2KPPP/2R5 w - - 0 1
[ Nb6 if Nd7 Rc7 Rd8 Bxa6 ]

b)
Keres vs Pal Benko, Bled, 1959
2r3k1/1bpn1p1p/p4bp1/1p6/5BN1/2P4P/PPB2PP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd1 ]

c)
Keres vs Svetozar Gligoric, Zurich, 1959
2br1r1k/2qnQ2p/p4pp1/4p3/P3P1N1/1BPp1N1P/5PP1/1R3K2 w - - 0 1
[ Nxf6 if Rxf6 Ng5 ]

d)
Keres vs Istvan Bilek, Leipzig, 1960
3r1k1r/1p2b2p/p1b1QN2/2q2Pp1/6P1/P7/1PP4P/2KRR3 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd8+ Bxd8 Nd7+ Bxd7 Qxd7 ]

e) White Mates in 3. Keres vs Corvin Radovici, Leipzig, 1960

2b2rk1/2q2pp1/1p1R3p/8/1PBQ4/7P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1

Keres Puzzles, Part IX. White to move and win except where noted.

a)
Keres vs Burkhard Malich, Varna, 1962

6k1/pb2Qp2/1p2p1p1/n3P3/3P4/5N2/P4PP1/2q2BK1 w - - 0 1
[ Ng5 if Qf4 g3 ]

b)
Keres vs Milan Germek, Bled, 1961
2br1rnk/6b1/p2P2pp/4PpN1/B1q2B2/4Q2P/6P1/RR5K w - - 0 1
[ Bb3 w/Nf7+ ]

c)
Keres vs Zandor Nilsson, Stockholm, 1961
1nr1bq1k/p1p2nbp/1p1p2p1/3NNp2/3P1P2/BPP3P1/P2Q2BP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxg6+ hxg6 Ne7 ]

d)
Keres vs Martin Christoffel, Zurich, 1961
r2k2r1/p1p3pp/3b3n/1p4N1/P7/1nP4B/5PPP/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Ne6+ w/Nd4+ ]

e)
White Mates in 5. Keres vs Lothar Schmid, Zurich, 1961
k2r4/p2b3r/BpRQ1p1p/4p3/8/2P3P1/PPP2q1P/2KR4 w - - 0 1
[ Bb7+ Kxb7 Rc7+ ]
Keres Puzzles, Part X. White to move and win.

a)
Keres vs Anatoly Lutikov, Moscow, 1963
4r1k1/1pr3pp/3Q4/p3N1R1/4Pn2/P1q5/5PPK/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Qd8 if Rc8 Rxg7+ Kxg7 Rd7+ w/Qf6 ]

b)
Keres vs Aleksandar Matanovic, Moscow, 1963
4br2/5r2/2pR1pk1/2N1pN1p/4P1pP/6P1/P4RPK/2b5 w - - 0 1
[ Nd3 w/Nxe5+ ]

c)
Keres vs Coen Zuidema, Beverwijk, 1964
2rqr1n1/6kp/p1n2pp1/2NP4/BP3P2/2p5/P2Q2P1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe8 if cxd2 Ne6+ ]

d)
Keres vs Hillar Karner, Tallinn, 1966
4r3/5pkp/p1P3p1/3Nb3/8/5QPq/P4P2/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe5 if Rxe5 Qf6+ ]

e)
Keres vs Svein Johannessen, Stockholm, 1967
r1b1r1k1/1p1n1pbp/p1pq2p1/8/3Bn3/2N2N1P/PP2BPP1/2RQR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxg7 ]

Keres Puzzles, Part XI. White to move and win except where noted.

a)
Keres vs Edwin Bhend, Zurich, 1968
2r2nk1/ppr1R2p/5Bp1/8/3p2QP/8/PPq3P1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxc8 ]

b)
Keres vs Vlastimil Jansa, Budapest, 1970
4R3/5rrk/3p4/p2q3p/P2B4/2P4P/1P1Q2P1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rh8+ Kxh8 Bxg7+ ]

c)
Keres vs Peter Dely, Kapfenberg, 1970
r2q1rk1/pp4b1/3p2P1/2Pbp2R/nP4p1/4Q3/P3BP2/2K4R w - - 0 1
[ Rh8+ if Bxh8 Rxh8+ ]

d) White Mates in 3. Keres vs Hillar Karner, Parnu, 1971

2bkr3/5Q1R/p2pp1N1/1p6/8/2q3P1/P4P1K/8 w - - 0 1

e)
Keres vs Heikki Westerinen, Tallinn, 1973
rq4kr/1p4bp/6p1/p1B3N1/1P2P3/1b3P2/3Q2PP/4KB1R w - - 0 1
[ Qd3 if Ba2 Qc4+ mates or if Bf7 Nxf7 Kxf7 Qd7+ mates ]
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