Day 840: Uncastled king
Target rating: 1643
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: queen to c8 (g8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to g8 (h7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g8 (b3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: bishop to c6 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to c4 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: rook to g8 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a6 (e2·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: queen to h8 (c8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (g5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (c2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b7 (b2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d5 (e3·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e6 (e3·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g2 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: knight to h5 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: rook to f8 (f1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: bishop to f6 (e5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: pawn to b4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: pawn to b7 (a6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: knight to e8 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (c4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: rook to a7 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 841 →