Karel Trejbal (1885-1941) did not belong to the “first echelon” of chess players between the two world wars. This modest Czech - a referee by profession - was the only amateur among the chess professionals of that time.
However, he knew that in a series of tournaments, such as the one in Karlovy Vary in 1923, he would achieve high rankings, thanks to victories over Mises, Taras, Tartakover, Nimcovič, and future world champions Alekhine and Eve.
But Trejbal was also a great patriot. During the occupation of Czechoslovakia, he actively participated in the fight against the Nazis. Unfortunately, on May 30, 1941, Trejbal was arrested and then imprisoned.
Even in prison, his spirit did not weaken:
"We will see better days again, we just have to endure the hardships," Trejbal encouraged the prisoners.
On October 2, 1941, a German military tribunal sentenced him to death and he was executed the same day.
The Nazis never delivered his body to his family.
From the Karlovy Vary tournament in 1923, where he tied for sixth to seventh place with Nimcovič, falling 1,5 points behind Alekhine, Bogoljubov and Marocci, we report Trejbal's victory over future world champion Alexander Alekhine.
Damin Gambit
ALJEHIN - TREJBAL
KARLOVY VARY, 1923.
COMMENTS: DR. LJ.JONKE
1. d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Sf3 c6 4.e3 f5.
Trejbal enjoyed playing this system very much.
5. Nc3 Nf6 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.f4 Nxe5 8.fxe5 Ne4 9.Nxe4 fe4 10.Bd2 Qg5 Qe2 Be7 12.0-0-0 Rf8 13.g4 Bd7 14.Kb1 0-0-0 15.Bg2 h5! 16.h3
On 16.gh5, Be8 would follow!
16.. hg4 17.hg4 Th8 18.Rxh8 Rxh8 19.Be1
Th1 was better.
19.. Kb8 20.Lg3
Preparation 21.cd5
20.. Ka8! 21.Rc1 Qg6 22.c5 Qe8 23.b4
Because of this attack, White did not move the rook to h1.
23.. b5!! 24.cb6
It was better to play 24.a4 a6 25.Kb2 Kb7 26.Ra1 etc.
(DIAGRAM)
24…Qb8!
Here we see the meaning of Black's 23rd move. Black enters a better endgame.
25.Qa6
After 25. ba7 Qxb4+, White would be left with the weaker a-pawn.
25. Dxb6! 26.Dxb6 axb6 27.a3 Kb7 28.Kb2 Lg5 29.Te1
Forced! On 29.Bf4, White would lose a pawn with the move 29..Th4. Likewise, on 29.Rc3, Bh4 follows. 30.Bf4 g5 31.Bh2 Be1!
29…c5!! 30. bc5 bc5 31.dc5 Lb5! 32.Kc3
32.Bf4 was not good, because after Bxf4 33.ef4 follows Th2! 34.Rg1 Bf1! Excellent bishop position wins.
32..Kc6 33.Lf4
On 33. Kd4 there would be Ta8. And the black rook is more mobile than the white one.
33.. Lxf4 34.ef4 Kxc5
Black has achieved the winning position and Alekhine tries to cause confusion with his next move.
35.Bxe4 Th3+ 36.Kb2 de4 37.Rxe4 Rf3! 38.f5 ef5 39.gf5 Rxf5 40.e6 Kd6 41.e7 Re5 42.Rg4 g5 43.a4 Bd7 44.Rb4 Ke7 White surrenders.
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