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Day 246: Long-range opener

Lesson of the day

The long-range opener: a bishop, rook or queen strikes across the whole board straight from its starting area. In Chess960 the long-range pieces sit on unfamiliar squares, and a single pawn move can uncover a shot deep into the enemy camp. In the opening, trace with your eyes the diagonals and files of every long-range piece — yours and theirs. The mistake is pushing a pawn without checking whose line you have just opened.

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c6 (c1·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (e1·12)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to f4 (e3·29)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to e4 (e1·7)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to f7 (h5)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c4 (e2·6)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to a4 (c3·17)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to g5 (f3·12)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g3 (f2·11)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to d6 (g3·4)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a8 (h1·11)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c6 (c1·4)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c4 (c1·9)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c4 (f1·4)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g6 (g3)Shuffle Rating 1010Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: king to d2 (c1·4)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b3 (b2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: knight to b2 (c4)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e6 (f5·21)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: queen to a5 (e1)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: king to h2 (g1·5)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Fork: queen to e1 (e6)Shuffle Rating 955Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: pawn to c3 (c2·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: king to d2 (c1·6)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Winning blow: bishop to d5 (h1)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: pawn to d5 (c4·9)Shuffle Rating 1060Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c4 (d2·11)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d4 (e3·31)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to f3 (g2·2)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 1: rook to f3 (f8)Shuffle Rating 1080Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 247 →