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The opposition
When kings face each other, the side NOT to move wins the battle.
Intermediate · Pawn endgames · 3 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine.
Step 1
The kings face each other with one square between them. This is called the opposition. The king that must move has to give way. Here White must move, so White cannot get past: it is a draw.
Step 2
Moves: 1.Kd4 Kd6 2.e4 Ke6 3.e5 Ke7 4.Kd5 Kd7 5.e6+ Ke7
Watch: Black keeps facing the white king every time, and the pawn never gets through.
Step 3
Moves: 1...Kf7 2.Ke5 Ke7 3.e4 Kd7 4.Kf6 Kc6 5.e5 Kd5 6.e6 Kc4 7.Ke5 Kc3 8.e7 Kd3 9.e8=Q
Same position, but now Black must move. Black has to give way, the white king walks forward, and the pawn queens. Taking the opposition decides most king and pawn endgames!
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More lessons in Pawn endgames
- King leads the pawn: Walk your pawn to the last rank with the king in front as a bodyguard.
- The rule of the square: Can the king catch the pawn? Draw a square and you know at once.
- The outside passed pawn: A passed pawn far from the kings drags the enemy king away.
- Key squares: Reach the magic squares in front of your pawn and the win is certain.
- The Réti manoeuvre: A famous study: the king chases two goals at once and saves a lost-looking game.
Next lesson: The rule of the square