Day 541: Long-range opener
Target rating: 1304
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 (f5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: knight to f5 (h6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: queen to g8 (h7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to c6 (a6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e5 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to e7 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to b6 (c4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g6 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to f7 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: queen to b7 (h1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (h1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (a5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 2: queen to f7 (f3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (a1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to a3 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: king to b2 (b1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to c5 (e4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b2 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to a1 (b1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: king to c3 (c2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: king to h3 (g2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: king to b1 (c2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: bishop to h5 (f3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to h2 (g2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 542 →