Day 940: Uncastled king
Target rating: 1993
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 f5 (f1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: bishop to g7 (h8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: knight to e4 (d2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: king to g2 (f2·9)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: rook to h8 (d8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: king to c3 (d2·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to d6 (c7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Fork: queen to h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: king to c2 (c1·16)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: rook to g3 (e3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b8 (b6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e5 (d3·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b4 (e1·13)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h7 (h5·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d5 (e3·24)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: fork on f1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
17. Fork: knight to c6 (d4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Fork: queen to b4 (b2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Fork: knight to c6 (e5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: king to b1 (c1·44)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to f2 (f5)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to d7 (a7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to g6 (b1·17)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to h5 (f5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: rook to a7 (a1·12)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 941 →