Day 891: Uncastled king
Target rating: 1896
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 b7 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: bishop to d6 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e7 (h7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: rook to g7 (g3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: knight to f6 (g4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (c7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: rook to a7 (b7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to b7 (c6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: rook to f5 (f1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to g8 (e6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to d6 (d1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (d5·34)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d6 (e6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f6 (d4·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e6 (a2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to e6 (b3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: queen to f6 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Pin: queen to g6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: bishop to f6 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Discovered attack: knight to f3 (e5·6)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: rook to h7 (h4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Win the hanging bishop on g6Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: knight to e5 (c6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g5 (e4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: rook to c7 (c6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 892 →