Day 232: Castling to safety
Target rating: 905
Lesson of the day
Castling to safety: the only escape from the attack is to castle — one move whisks the king to g1 or c1 and brings the rook into play as a bonus. In Chess960 this leap can cross half the board, which is exactly why it slips out of sight. Whenever your king is under pressure, ask first: can I still castle? The typical blunder is throwing that right away with a careless king or rook move.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (f3·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b4 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·67)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to g2 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h5 (g4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (e5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c3 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h5 (g3·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d1 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (f3·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Castling-960 to the rescue on g1 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Castling-960 to the rescue on a8Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Castling-960 to the rescue on h1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Castling-960 to the rescue on b1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Castling-960 to the rescue on h8 (f8·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: knight to e3 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: knight to f4 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to a8 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (c4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Fork: queen to c5Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: rook to a1 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to a8 (c6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e3 (f2·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (a4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 233 →