Day 120: Uncastled king
Target rating: 758
Lesson of the day
Punishing the uncastled king: your opponent delayed castling, and now his king is stuck on its starting square under fire. In Chess960 this is deadlier than in classical chess — the king may start in the center or near the edge, and the familiar defensive setups simply do not apply. The signs: the victim still holds castling rights, and the files toward his king are half-open. Open lines before the king manages to hide.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e7 (d6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (c5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d4 (e3·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g5 (f3·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b6 (a5·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (g4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c7 (d6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e5 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f6 (g5·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h4 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g4 (g1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: king to e2 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d7 (g4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (c4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (c5·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·78)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h6 (g5·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e6 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c7 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (d3·40)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to g1 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e6 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h8 (a1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: knight to c8 (d6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 121 →