8–14 September 1941 – Europaturnier held in Munich, was organised by Ehrhardt Post, the Chief Executive of Nazi Grossdeutscher Schachbund. Max Euwe had declined the invitation for München 1941 due to his "occupational obligations", as manager of a groceries business. This time he refused to participate, because Alexander Alekhine was invited. Euwe mentioned futile reasons. The real motive was Alekhine's offence of Euwe in his anti-Semitic articles.[2] Alekhine wrote six Nazi articles which first appeared in the Paris newspaper Pariser Zeitung in March 1941. He wrote a series of articles for the Deutsche Zeitung in den Niederlanden called "Jewish and Aryan Chess." The articles were reproduced in Deutsch Schachzeitung.[3] Among others, Alekhine had written about the "Jewish clique" around Euwe in World Chess Championship 1935.
3 September – Alexander Ilyin-Genevsky died, according to the Soviet official sources, on Lake Ladoga on a ship in a German air raid (he was the only one killed on the barge, which was displaying Red Cross flags) during the Siege of Leningrad, but is believed by some to have fallen victim to the Stalinist repression as the majority of the Old Guard of revolutionists. Three-time Leningrad City champion in 1925 (jointly), 1926 and 1929.
2 October – Karel Treybal arrested on 30 May, imprisoned and later charged with concealing weapons for use by resistance forces and the illegal possession of a pistol. He was condemned to death and executed by the Nazis in Prague, the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.
3 October – Frederick Hamilton-Russell died in Cleobury North, England. President of British Chess Federation.
16 October – Antanas Gustaitis was caught attempting to cross the border on 4 March, arrested by NKVD, and taken to Moscow where he was shot. Lithuanian champion in 1922.
29 December – Boris Koyalovich died during the siege of Leningrad.
