Day 288: Castling to safety
Target rating: 979
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 b3 (c2·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b3 (c2·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a4 (d1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to a8 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to h2 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h1 (g1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b4 (e1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e4 (d3·41)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a8 (h1·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c2 (b1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Castling-960 to the rescue on a8 (d8·2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Castling-960 to the rescue on g1 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Castling-960 to the rescue on a1 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Castling-960 to the rescue on c1 (d1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Castling-960 to the rescue on a1 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to c5 (d3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: pawn to a7 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to f5 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to d1 (e1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: pawn to g5 (h4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to c1 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (h1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (g1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: knight to d6 (e4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to a8 (h1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 289 →