It is because of JavaScript that captures your clicks and, because of that, interferes with your keyboard shortcuts. If you disable JavaScript then shortcuts should start to work again. You can test it by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+I (Developer tools), then clicking Settings (gear icon) and enabling option Disable JavaScript.

Right click:

document.body.addEventListener('contextmenu', function(ev) { 
    alert('show your custom context menu'); 
    return false; 
}, false);

Ctrl + Left click:

document.body.addEventListener('click', function(ev) {
    if(ev.ctrlKey) {
        alert('select single table cell');
    }
}, false);

Contrary to others here, I do think there's a lot of value of standardizing your shortcuts across operating systems. It requires some effort, but once done it keeps you in the flow and focused on the work you're doing, without being self-conscious all the time of which operating system you're using. This is particularly true if you use a KVM, and it changing frequently and seamlessly between OSes but with the same mouse/keyboard.

By far the easiest solution I've found is to use BetterTouchTool. It's a commercial product, but it's only $21 for a lifetime license, it has a generous 45 days free trial, and it's incredibly robust and full-featured. It's a must-have if you'd like to customize and automate your Mac.

Here's the steps to configure ctrl+click to open a link in new background tab in Mac OS:

1. On BetterTouchTool configuration, click the bottom-left + button, Select App from Running Apps, select Chrome
2. On top select Normal Mouse (or press ⌘-6)
3. Click on the + button at the bottom, to create a new trigger action
4. Under Please select a trigger, just click with your left button, and select the ^Ctrl checkbox
5. Under Assigned action column, select Click here & select action
6. Under Action, select Mouse Click Actions, and CMD(⌘)+Click

Your configuration should look like this:

Now you can either use Ctrl-click or Alt-click to open links in a background tab.

I also have the same Samsung modelled specified by the OP. It came with an extension installed called Word CaptureX. When I disabled this extension, Ctrl+click worked again perfectly. Strangely, it only didn't work with google sites.

I eventually discovered that CTRL cause a drag operation evidenced by the change in the mouse pointer. By holding CTRL down I am able to drag a Window around not only by the title bar but by any part of the window including the hyperlink in the browser window. I had to turn this off in Unity under Windows > Moving and Resizing Windows > Special Key to move and resize Windows > Alt. (from Ctrl.)

Then under Mouse and Touchpad on the Touchpad tab I had to set Advanced > Two-finger click emulation > Middle Button, which apparently Chrome accepts as a mechanism for opening a link in a new tab. So while I don't have CTRL+click on a link working I have a two-finger touchpad press on a link working, which is acceptable.

Later, I restarted Chrome and CTRL+click appeared to be working again. Thus I suspect the first issue was the main thing.