Day 546: Uncastled king
Target rating: 1154
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. Winning blow: king to f1 (e1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: king to h2 (g1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: king to g1 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to h1 (g1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: king to a1 (b1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to b2 (c3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: bishop to c2 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: bishop to d3 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d2 (b4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: king to b1 (a2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g8 (g1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f5 (e4·71)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e3 (d1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (c4·113)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: king to e2 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f8 (f7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: pawn to d7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to h8 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to c6 (c3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to c8 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (f4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: pawn to b3 (a2·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: rook to d8 (d1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 547 →