Exercise 13.1★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
13
Attacking the King · Yatish Chandra Shukla
The King in the Centre
Punishing a king that did not castle
In this lesson you will learn
- Why a king on e8 (or e1) is in danger once the centre opens
- Opening the e-file with pawn breaks and sacrifices
- Pins against the king, and checks that gain time
- Hunting the king across the board
Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.
13.1 Open the Centre!
A king that stays in the centre is safe only as long as the centre is closed. As soon as the central pawns are exchanged, files and diagonals open towards it, and the king has no pawn shelter of its own. The rule for the attacker is simple: if the enemy king is still in the centre, open the position — even at the cost of a pawn or a piece.
Typical weapons are pawn breaks such as d5 or e5, piece sacrifices on e6 or d5, and a rook on the e-file that pins whatever stands in front of the king.
13.2 Time Matters More Than Material
Against a king in the centre, development decides. Count the pieces each side has brought into play. If you are two or three moves ahead, a sacrifice that opens lines will usually work, because the defender has no time to castle or to bring the pieces over.
NoteChecks are your friends here: each check gains a tempo, and a king that has to move loses the right to castle.
LessonIf your opponent's king is still in the centre and you are ahead in development, open the position at once — before the king escapes.
13.3 Worked Examples
Cover the text below each diagram and find the best move before reading on.
Diagram 13.1White to move
Example 13.1
White to move. Find the mate.
Find the key move.
Solution. 1.♕a8+ ♕b8 2.♕xb8+ ♘c8 3.♖xc8# — the final position is a back-rank mate: the king is shut in on its first rank by its own pawns.
Diagram 13.2White to move
Example 13.2
White to move. Find the mate.
Find the key move.
Solution. 1.♕xb8+ ♗c8 2.♕xc8# — the final position is a back-rank mate: the king is shut in on its first rank by its own pawns.
Diagram 13.3White to move
Example 13.3
White to move. Find the mate.
Find the key move.
Solution. 1.♕a8+ ♗b8 2.♕xb8+ ♗c8 3.♕xc8# — the final position is a back-rank mate: the king is shut in on its first rank by its own pawns.
Diagram 13.4Black to move
Example 13.4
Black to move. How should the attack continue?
Find the key move.
Solution. 1...♕h4+ 2.g3 fxg3 3.♗g2 gxh2+ — Black wins a piece and the attack goes on.
Diagram 13.5Black to move
Example 13.5
Black to move. How should the attack continue?
Find the key move.
Solution. 1...♘d3+ 2.♔d2 ♘xf4 3.g4 hxg4 — Black wins the queen.
Diagram 13.6White to move
Example 13.6
White to move. Find the mate in one.
Find the key move.
Solution. 1.♕xc8# — A back-rank mate: the king is shut in on its first rank by its own pawns.
Remember
- A king in the centre is in danger as soon as the centre opens.
- Use pawn breaks and sacrifices to open the e- and d-files.
- Development counts more than material in these attacks.
- Checks gain time and stop the king from castling.
Exercises · Lesson 13
In every puzzle the defending king is still in the centre. Punish it.
Exercise 13.2★★ · Mate in 1
Black to move
Mate in one.
Exercise 13.3★★ · Mate in 1
Black to move
Mate in one.
Exercise 13.4★★ · Mate in 1
White to move
Mate in one.
Exercise 13.5★★ · Mate in 1
White to move
Mate in one.
Exercise 13.6★★ · Mate in 1
White to move
Mate in one.
Exercise 13.7★★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 13.8★★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 13.9★★★ · Mate in 2
Black to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 13.10★★★ · Mate in 2
Black to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 13.11★★★ · Mate in 2
Black to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 13.12★★★ · Mate in 3
White to move
Mate in 3.
Exercise 13.13★★★ · Mate in 3
White to move
Mate in 3.
Exercise 13.14★★★ · Mate in 2
Black to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 13.15★★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 13.16★★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 13.17★★★ · Find the move
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 13.18★★★ · Find the move
Black to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 13.19★★★ · Mate in 1
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 13.20★★★ · Find the move
Black to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 13.21★★★ · Find the move
Black to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 13.22★★★ · Find the move
Black to move
Find the strongest move.