Day 361: Long-range opener
Target rating: 1064
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. Winning blow: queen to f6 (b2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e7 (d5·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to d6 (c5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (b8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to e8 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: knight to c6 (a7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to c5 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to b7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to d7 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f5 (f1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g7 (b2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a5 (a1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: bishop to f5 (b1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a7 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to g6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (f5·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to d5 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: bishop to e5 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (e4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to d7 (d6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 362 →