user32822: Basically, I want to keep my king safe after a kingside castle.

I want to avoid this:
8/8/8/8/8/8/5PPP/2r3K1 w - - 0 1

The configuration is such that none of my pieces can access the f1 square. I can’t trust any of the pawn advances, because:

For this one,
8/8/8/8/8/7P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1

I’ll get stuck if Black plays Bxh3 from this position.
8/8/4b3/6q1/8/7P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1


For this,
8/1b6/8/8/8/6P1/5P1P/6K1 w - - 0 1

the bishop/queen can control basically all of the squares that the king can move to.

For this,
8/8/8/8/8/5P2/6PP/6K1 w - - 0 1

the problem is that the king is susceptible to such attacks and can be pushed to the corner a1:
8/8/1b6/8/8/5P2/6PP/6K1 w - - 0 1



With my fledgling (1 month) experience of playing chess regularly, I have found these to be the two best configurations while playing:
8/8/8/8/8/5N1P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1

and
8/8/8/8/8/7P/5PPB/6K1 w - - 0 1

I would be really grateful if I could have some advice as to beneficial positions with regards to  keeping the king safe.

user11144: In praxis, a nonissue. You see a backranker coming from miles ahead. Unless you are really a beginner. But in this case, as you observed, the weakening of the king position is even worse: The backrank pattern can be learnt and avoided very easily. But a weakened king position can be used in several ways.
I thus would avoid any "luft" (it also costs a tempo!) unless it is really necessary for concrete reasons.
As soon as enough pieces have been traded, and your rook(s) want to go wandering, I'd say: h6 if there is still enough material to attack, g6 if an enemy rook can play stinker on the 7th (otherwise your king may get cut off too), f6 if not - to bring your king to the center fast.
You are also correct that the best surplus defender of the (white short) castled king is a Nf3, with h3 or not.

32822: <p>Basically, I want to keep my king safe after a kingside castle.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>I want to avoid this:</p>
<pre><code>8/8/8/8/8/8/5PPP/2r3K1 w - - 0 1
</code></pre>
<p>The configuration is such that none of my pieces can access the f1 square. I can’t trust any of the pawn advances, because:</p>
</li>
<li><p>For this one,</p>
<pre><code>8/8/8/8/8/7P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
</code></pre>
<p>I’ll get stuck if Black plays Bxh3 from this position.</p>
<pre><code>8/8/4b3/6q1/8/7P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
</code></pre>
</li>
<li><p>For this,</p>
<pre><code>8/1b6/8/8/8/6P1/5P1P/6K1 w - - 0 1
</code></pre>
<p>the bishop/queen can control basically all of the squares that the king can move to.</p>
</li>
<li><p>For this,</p>
<pre><code>8/8/8/8/8/5P2/6PP/6K1 w - - 0 1
</code></pre>
<p>the problem is that the king is susceptible to such attacks and can be pushed to the corner a1:</p>
<pre><code>8/8/1b6/8/8/5P2/6PP/6K1 w - - 0 1
</code></pre>
</li>
</ul>
<p>With my fledgling (1 month) experience of playing chess regularly, I have found these to be the two best configurations while playing:</p>
<pre><code>8/8/8/8/8/5N1P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
</code></pre>
<p>and</p>
<pre><code>8/8/8/8/8/7P/5PPB/6K1 w - - 0 1
</code></pre>
<p>I would be really grateful if I could have some advice as to beneficial positions with regards to  keeping the king safe.</p>
 11144: <p>In praxis, a nonissue. You see a backranker coming from miles ahead. Unless you are really a beginner. But in this case, as you observed, the weakening of the king position is even worse: The backrank pattern can be learnt and avoided very easily. But a weakened king position can be used in several ways.</p>
<p>I thus would avoid any &quot;luft&quot; (it also costs a tempo!) unless it is really necessary for concrete reasons.</p>
<p>As soon as enough pieces have been traded, and your rook(s) want to go wandering, I'd say: h6 if there is still enough material to attack, g6 if an enemy rook can play stinker on the 7th (otherwise your king may get cut off too), f6 if not - to bring your king to the center fast.</p>
<p>You are also correct that the best surplus defender of the (white short) castled king is a Nf3, with h3 or not.</p>
