Chess Strategy
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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8 | | | | | | | | |
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7 | | | | | | | | |
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6 | | | #K | | | | | |
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5 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | | ^K | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | | | ^P | | | | | |
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1 | | | | | | | | |
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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
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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8 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | #K | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | ^K | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | | | ^P | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | | | | | | | | |
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A B C D E F G H
Diag. 54
takes the opposition with K-Q3, White deprives him of it again,
winning a move by P-B3, and the position is similar to that in
Diagram 53, with White to move.
1. ... K-Q3
2. P-B3 K-B3
3. K-B4 and wins.
This settles all typical end-games of King and pawn against King.
There is, however, one exception to the rules set out, namely,
when a ROOK'S PAWN is concerned. Here the isolated King always
succeeds in drawing if he can reach the corner where the pawn has
to queen, for he cannot be driven out again. The Rook's pawn
affords another opportunity for the weaker side to draw. Diagram
55 will illustrate this, and similar positions are of frequent
occurrence in practice. Here Black draws with 1. ... K-B5. As he
threatens to capture the pawn, White must play 2. P-R4. Then
after the reply K-B4, White is still unable to cut the opponent
off from the corner with K-Kt7, as the loss of the pawn is still
threatened through K-Kt5. And after 3. P-R5 Black attains the
position which is typical for this end-game, namely the
opposition against the King on the Rook's file. The latter cannot
escape without giving up the contested corner, and the game is
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