Day 192: Uncastled king
Target rating: 856
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 g3 (f2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b3 (a2·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: bishop to c3 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: king to f2 (g1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a3 (b2·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (c5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c3 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·100)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e8 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e2 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a4 (c2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g4 (e3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b6 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to b7 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to c8 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (e3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·106)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: knight to b4 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: knight to c2Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to f2 (b6·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b5 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 193 →