| Searching for Opposition |
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| By Joel Benjamin | |
| March 27, 2007 | |
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Hello Joel,
Hello Joel, I need to know how to solve an endgame problem from a set position whether it's Black's or White's move. Both kings are at their starting positions and only one side has a pawn directly in front of their king. Is it a draw for either side no matter who moves? I've read that you have to waste a move somehow, which I don't really understand. I own some endgame books, but none deal with this position exactly. They all start with a king in the middle of the board. Thanks, Mark  White to move wins as follows: 1.Kd2 Kd8 2.Kd3 Kd7 3.Ke4 Ke6 Black has managed to maintain the "opposition", meaning that he has successfully faced off against the White king. Unfortunately, White has a "reserve pawn move" (this must be what you mean by wasting a move). 4.e3! This effectively wins back the opposition. Black's king will have to give way. White continues the process until the end. 4... Kf6 5.Kd5 Ke7 6.Ke5 Kd7 7.Kf6 Ke8 8.e4 Kf8 9.e5 Ke8 10.Ke6 Kf8 11.Kd7 and White queens the pawn. If Black is on move, the story changes because the White king does not get deep enough. 1... Ke7 2.Kd2 Kd6 3.Kd3 Kd5! Not 3... Ke5? 4.Ke3 putting Black in Zugzwang. 4.Ke3 Ke5 Now White does not have a reserve pawn move, so he cannot put Black in Zugzwang and force the king to step aside. Black can thus hold the draw. I would say that the books you read must have assumed readers would extrapolate that White would get to the given position by advancing the king in front of the pawn. I think you would benefit from the depth of explanation in Silman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner to Master - look for my review in the June Chess Life Magazine.
Joel Benjamin
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