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will be first to study how to turn a material superiority in pawns to decisive advantage, after which we shall note
particular positions, in which a win is possible with an equality or even an inferiority in pawns.
The ending of KING AND PAWN AGAINST KING is one of the simplest albeit one of the most important of
elementary cases. The stronger side will evidently try to queen the pawn. But generally this is not possible if the
adverse King has command of the queening square. One important condition, though, must be complied with: the
weaker King must move into "opposition," and "opposition" is one of the characteristic and deciding factors in
most pawn endings. It is absolutely necessary for the learner to understand fully the meaning of the term
"opposition," and its value in elementary cases This knowledge is of far reaching influence in end-games.
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6 | | | | | | #K | | |
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5 | | | | ^P | | | | |
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4 | | | | | ^K | | | |
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A B C D E F G H
Diag. 49
In Diagram 49 White seeks to queen his pawn.
1. K-Q4, K-K2; 2. K-K5
With this move White assumes the opposition. That is, he moves into the same rank or file, separated by one
square only, so that both Kings stand on squares of the same colour. White has moved last, it is Black's turn to
move; it is said in this case that "White has the opposition." We shall soon see that Black is only able to draw the
game, if he succeeds in assuming the opposition himself (which means that, having the move, he should step into
opposition). 2. ... K-Q 2; 3 P-Q6 (Diagram 50).
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7 | | | | #K | | | | |
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6 | | | | ^P | | | | |
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5 | | | | | ^K | | | |
CHAPTER V. THE END-GAME 57
Chess Strategy
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4 | | | | | | | | |
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A B C D E F G H
Diag. 50
I propose now to recapitulate.
This is the critical moment, namely, when the pawn reaches the sixth rank. If now Black plays K-K1 he is
lost, for White playing K-K6 has the opposition. After 4. ... K-Q1, 5. P-Q7, Black is forced to allow the White
King to move to K7, covering the queening square; 5. ... K-B2, 6. K-K7, any; 7. P queens. But Black has a draw
in the position of Diagram 50, by playing 3. ... K-Q1!! (not K1). Now after 4. K-K6 he keeps the opposition
himself with K-K1; and after 5. P-Q7ch, K-Q1; 6. K-Q6, he is stalemated, or else wins the pawn if White plays
differently on his sixth move. The King draws against King and pawn if he commands the queening square, and if
he can retain the opposition on the first rank as soon as the pawn moves into his sixth.
It is of the utmost importance that the pawn should be at his sixth; if the pawn is still further back, the
opposition on the first rank is of no avail.
Diagram 51 will serve as an example. Having the move,
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8 | | | | | | | #K | |
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6 | | | | | | | | ^K |
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4 | | | ^P | | | | | |
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A B C D E F G H
Diag. 51
White would only draw with P-B5, because Black's K-B2 wins the pawn.
But White wins as follows: 1. K-Kt6, K-B1; 2. K-B6, K-K1; 3. K- K6, K-Q1; 4. K-Q6, K-B sq:
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8 | | | | #K | | | | |
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7 | | | | | | | | |
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6 | | | | ^K | | | | |
CHAPTER V. THE END-GAME 58
Chess Strategy
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5 | | | ^P | | | | | |
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A B C D E F G H
Diag. 52.
5. P-B5, K-Q sq. We see: Black has just assumed the opposition, but the pawn has not yet crossed to his sixth
square, and White, by playing P-B6, again forces Black to give up the opposition. It might be more clear to put it
in this way: with P-B6 White wins the opposition, in that he brings about a position with Black to move.
Therefore the game is won for White. Since the opposition on the outside rank is of no avail, when the pawn has
not yet played to his sixth square, the weaker side must try to keep away the opposing King from the sixth rank
until the pawn has reached that rank. This is possible in positions such as that in Diagram 53, where the stronger
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6 | | | #K | | | | | |
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3 | | | | ^K | | | | |
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2 | | | ^P | | | | | |
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A B C D E F G H
Diag. 53
King is not more than one rank ahead of his pawn, and the weaker King can assume the opposition. In the
position in Diagram 53 Black plays K-Q4 and maintains the opposition until the pawn moves, after which a
typical position, similar to the one treated in connection with Diagram 50 is brought about.
If White has the move, however, he wins easily by 1. K-B4, thus:
1. ... K-Q3
2. K-Kt5 K-B2
3. K-B5 K-Kt2
4. K-Q6 K-B1
5. K-B6
CHAPTER V. THE END-GAME 59
Chess Strategy
and there is opposition on the eighth rank whilst the pawn has not reached the sixth.
If the King is more than one rank ahead of his pawn, as in Diagram 54, the end-game can always be won, for
if Black
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4 | | | | ^K | | | | |
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3 | | | | | | | | |
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