Day 350: Uncastled king
Target rating: 898
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: queen to e4 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g4 (e3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to a5 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d4 (c3·36)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b7 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (e4·101)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b3 (a2·27)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c5 (e3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h4 (h2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: bishop to a8 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·105)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: king to c1 (d1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b2 (b1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: king to e2 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c4 (b5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: knight to g5 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to b7 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to f5 (d6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to h6 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to a5 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to h4 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h4 (h3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h1 (g1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to g4 (h3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: pawn to f7 (f6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 351 →