Day 273: Uncastled king
Target rating: 805
Lesson of the day
Punishing the uncastled king: your opponent delayed castling, and now his king is stuck on its starting square under fire. In Chess960 this is deadlier than in classical chess — the king may start in the center or near the edge, and the familiar defensive setups simply do not apply. The signs: the victim still holds castling rights, and the files toward his king are half-open. Open lines before the king manages to hide.
Warm-up
1. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b4 (d3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b6 (g1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b2 (b1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (e3·33)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (b4·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g2 (f1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to c2 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f3 (e2·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h5 (d1·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e3 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a5 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f8 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·85)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to e1 (f1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to d1 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to f3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to e4 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (b7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g7 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f7 (e5·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g3 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c3 (d2·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (a2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
26. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c2 (d1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b1 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a7 (a6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 274 →