Day 736: Uncastled king
Target rating: 1583
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: rook to f8 (f1·21)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to d6 (e5·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to g6 (f4·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d6 (f4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to e3 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to c7 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to e6 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b7 (a5·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to f8 (g8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: pawn to c6 (c5·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to b7 (a5·27)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g7 (g6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d5 (d4·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to a3 (a2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a5 (a1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: bishop to f5 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: rook to e7 (d7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: rook to c3 (c1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: bishop to d4 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Discovered attack: knight to h3 (g5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: knight to d6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: pawn to b6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c8 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: rook to h8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: rook to c1 (e1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 737 →