Day 254: Castling to safety
Target rating: 924
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. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·80)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c4 (a5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b5 (a4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b4 (b1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h6 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d5 (c3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h5 (g4·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b8 (b1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (d4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Castling-960 to the rescue on a1Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Castling-960 to the rescue on c1 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Castling-960 to the rescue on a1 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Castling-960 to the rescue on b1 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Castling-960 to the rescue on a1 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Fork: knight to f7 (d6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Pin: knight to f3 (e5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b4 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to h8 (e8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (g3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7 (e5·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to f4 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to h4 (h2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: knight to e6 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 255 →