Day 816: Uncastled king
Target rating: 1733
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. Mate in 3: rook to h7 (h8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: rook to d6 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: rook to f8 (d8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: knight to f5 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: rook to d1 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: rook to f4 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to g6 (h6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: knight to d4 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: rook to b8 (b7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: rook to b1 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to b8 (c7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d6 (c5·37)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: king to h2 (g1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (a5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f6 (f1·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: pawn to h7 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to b8 (a7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: rook to b8 (b1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: bishop to f8 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: queen to g7 (g5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (c4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: bishop to f6 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to e5 (b5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: rook to f8 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: knight to d7 (f6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 817 →