Day 202: Long-range opener
Target rating: 857
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: queen to b4 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e6 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f6 (g5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·32)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a3 (b2·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a2 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h4 (h1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a2 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h3 (g2·31)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g6 (d3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g7 (a1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (b1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a8 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: bishop to a4 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to g3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to e1 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to e8 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Fork: bishop to d7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f1 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to b7 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to c3 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g4 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to h8 (h7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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