Day 181: Long-range opener
Target rating: 840
Lesson of the day
The long-range opener: a bishop, rook or queen strikes across the whole board straight from its starting area. In Chess960 the long-range pieces sit on unfamiliar squares, and a single pawn move can uncover a shot deep into the enemy camp. In the opening, trace with your eyes the diagonals and files of every long-range piece — yours and theirs. The mistake is pushing a pawn without checking whose line you have just opened.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b8 (f4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c4 (d3·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (d4·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·55)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h2 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: pawn to f6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (e1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a4 (a1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (b4·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d5 (h1·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f6 (a1·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d3 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f8 (c5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: pin on f6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e3 (f2·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: king to d1 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to b6 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to d3 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h3 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (h6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to c8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to c1 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (f4·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 182 →