Day 658: Uncastled king
Target rating: 1293
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: bishop to d6 (c5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: king to d3 (e2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to f2 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to g5 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to c3 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to e6 (e1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to e8 (d8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f5 (c2·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to a8 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (a2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g4 (e3·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c4 (e2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to b5 (c4·34)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (g8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d7 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to f6 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to e6 (g4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to d2 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: knight to b6 (c4·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to d7 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to g7 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 659 →