How to Attack an Uncastled King
Buon giorno chess kids! How many times a week has your coach told you to castle? A million? Maybe you should castle more.
I wonder why some people refuse? Today we will look at an example of an uncastled king getting crushed! Who better to show how to crush, than Paul Morphy!! By, Mrs Jessica E Prescott (aka BoundingOwl).
How to attack an uncastled king:
1. Make sure your pieces are developed and your king is safe first (ahem "Castle").
2. Prevent your opponent from castling.
3. Open all the lines to the king!
4. Use your whole army.
Morphy is a big fan of castling. He demonstrates how to attack in the following game where he played blindfolded in a simul! Here is the position after move 7. Watch as Morphy, playing white, sacs his knight to open up the position and prevent his opponent from castling! Then, he sacs his other knight!
Now look at black's king! Right in the open!
What would you play next to follow up? Remember to use all your pieces. Try the next two moves yourself. Don't forget pp on the pp!
What would you play next to follow up? Remember to use all your pieces. Try the next two moves yourself. Don't forget pp on the pp!Excellent! Now what? According to the ideas above, we should open more lines and use all of our pieces. First open things up with another trade, then think, Which piece hasn't been moved yet? Next, you'll have to sac again!
How fun! Look at black's king! Whee--a journey to middle earth...White's next move is Bxd5, winning back some material and preparing a mating net for the king. What if black captures the bishop?
Black is in some serious trouble here. His king has wandered way far away from home and he has no cell reception out here. All his big friends are still undeveloped or gone! White is better in every line. Here is how the game continued.
Morphy announced a checkmate in a few moves, and I'm sure you can see, too, just how bad this is looking for black! He can't hold out much longer, and white can use his bishop, queen and rook together to finish him off.
Great work! Did you see how Morphy used the ideas outlined earlier?
Remember:
1. CDC
2. Prevent castling
3. Open lines
4. Use all your pieces!
And it's a snap to win! Want more Morphy? Click here!
