Day 961: Uncastled king
Target rating: 2022
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. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c6 (e5·19)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: rook to h8 (h3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: pawn to h6 (h5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g1·11)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: bishop to f5 (b1·15)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to d7 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: rook to f6 (f7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f1·27)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: rook to h1 (g1·14)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to a6 (f1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c7 (a7·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to b5 (d3·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d5 (a8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to f5 (e3·26)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to e3 (d2·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: bishop to d4 (a1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: queen to d7 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: rook to e7 (e1·32)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: rook to f8 (f6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: knight to f3 (e1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to d1 (f1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to e6 (f5·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: rook to a1 (c1·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f1·28)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: queen to h8 (d4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 962 →