Day 456: Long-range opener
Target rating: 1184
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: knight to c6 (d4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to f7 (g5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c6 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to d1 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (a8·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to b2 (c1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b7 (a8·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: king to a2 (b1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: pawn to e4 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to e1 (d1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e5 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: queen to f4 (c1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: bishop to c6 (h1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: queen to g6 (b1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (g2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to h1 (g1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b5 (c3·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to e6 (e3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: pawn to b7 (a6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to f4 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to e2 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d5 (h1·31)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to c7 (h7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to b6 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 457 →