Day 441: Uncastled king
Target rating: 1026
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: pawn to e3 (f2·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c5 (d3·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g4 (h3·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a2 (a1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (b4·30)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h4 (h1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a5 (b4·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g4 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (a1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h1 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h4 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b6 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a3 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d8 (d1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (f3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to f3 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: bishop to c3 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to a6 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to d8 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: queen to e2 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to a7 (c5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to h5 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to h7 (h5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to c3 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 442 →