Day 916: Uncastled king
Target rating: 1933
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. Winning blow: queen to f6 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: bishop to e4 (a8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to e7 (g8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: queen to e3 (e2·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: rook to b8 (b7·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to d8 (d7·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f1·23)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: pawn to a7 (b6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: knight to e7 (f5·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to a7 (a2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c5 (d4·64)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (d4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f5 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e8 (b8·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e7 (d6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: queen to d6 (d5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 3: pawn to a6 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 3: queen to e7 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 3: rook to f1 (a1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 3: rook to a7 (a1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 3: knight to b7 (a5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (f4·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 3: queen to e8 (c6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: bishop to g6 (f5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 3: rook to d7 (d1·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 917 →