Day 748: Long-range opener
Target rating: 1596
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: rook to b7 (d7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to d6 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (e5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: knight to f6 (d5·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to f7 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: pawn to b3 (a2·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to b7 (b1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: knight to g6 (f4·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to e5 (a1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to e8 (h8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b4 (e1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g4 (d1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h6 (c1·20)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: bishop to f6 (a1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b8 (b1·22)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: rook to d8 (d1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to h2 (h4·5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: rook to c6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c7 (c6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: pawn to h4 (h5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to d3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to g5 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (e7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 2: queen to h5 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: rook to g6 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 749 →