Day 225: Long-range opener
Target rating: 894
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 e7 (e4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (b4·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c5 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g5 (c1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b7 (f3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a8 (h1·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a4 (d1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: king to d2 (e1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e8 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b5 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c8 (c1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b8 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to h7 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: knight to g5 (f3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c2 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to d3 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to e6 (c5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to c3 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h8 (b2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to d7 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to f5 (g4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to b3 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 226 →