Is this O-O-O legal?

Black has a bishop on d3, and I (White) have an uncastled King and rooks that haven't moved, either. I'm playing correspondence chess with postcards in the USCF, and my opponent said my move, O-O-O, is illegal because the b1 square is covered by his Bishop. As long as the King doesn't pass through check, it's a legal move, right?

Yes it`s legal.

Yes, castling is only illegal if the King passes through check.

You are correct. The king doesn't pass through the b1 square on a queenside castle, therefore it is legal to castle, even if b1 is being attacked.

If c1 or d1 is attacked though, then it is illegal to castle.

nevermind: http://www.chessclub.com/resources/rules/Castling.html

Originally posted by lausey
You are correct. The king doesn't pass through the b1 square on a queenside castle, therefore it is legal to castle, even if b1 is being attacked.

If c1 or d1 is attacked though, then it is illegal to castle.

Make him forfeit the game!

This comes up occassionally, before you castigate him for being stupid, Victor Korchnoi asked the same question of an arbiter in one of his match games for the world championship against Karpov. Of course, korchnoi was suffering from incredible stress and blew a synapse, since everybody knows it's a legal move.

Originally posted by Sam The Sham
This comes up occassionally, before you castigate him for being stupid, Victor Korchnoi asked the same question of an arbiter in one of his match games for the world championship against Karpov. Of course, korchnoi was suffering from incredible stress and blew a synapse, since everybody knows it's a legal move.

Originally posted by 8D
Now that is being in the moment!

I imagine he was getting pummeled?! And it was all too much.