Day 246: Long-range opener
Target rating: 920
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: rook to c6 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (e1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (e3·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e4 (e1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c4 (e2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a4 (c3·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g5 (f3·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g3 (f2·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d6 (g3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (h1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c6 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c4 (c1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to d2 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b3 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to b2 (c4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (f5·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to a5 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: king to h2 (g1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: queen to e1 (e6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to c3 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to d2 (c1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 247 →