Day 450: Castling to safety
Target rating: 1176
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: knight to f7 (g5·27)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e7 (f5·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to d6 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to e7 (d5·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to b4 (b2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: king to a2 (b1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b6 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: king to a2 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (b5·25)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Castling-960 to the rescue on d8Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
12. Castling-960 to the rescue on h1 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Castling-960 to the rescue on g1 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Castling-960 to the rescue on c8 (g8)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
15. Castling-960 to the rescue on h1 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to a2 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d4 (g1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to g3 (e3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: bishop to f7 (h5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: knight to f6 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to c5 (f8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: knight to a3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to e2 (f2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to e8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: knight to c5 (b3·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 451 →