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8 |    |    |    |    | #K |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
7 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
6 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
5 |    | #P |    |    |    |    |    | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
4 |    | ^P |    |    |    |    |    | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
3 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
2 |    |    |    | ^K |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
1 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
---------------------------------------
A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H

Diag. 62

In this position, too, there is ample scope for the study of the opposition.

If the pawns are still standing behind, the King who has the most advanced position has always the advantage, because he threatens to attack the opposing pawns should they leave their base.  White has more pawn moves at his disposal, and will nearly always succeed in assuming the opposition.  For instance, in Diagram 63, White, having the move, wins because his King gets first into the centre of the board.

1.  K-K3, K-Q2; 2.  K-B4, K-K2; 3.  K-Kt5 K-B2; 4.  K-R6, K-Kt1; 5.  P-KB4, K-R1; 6.  P-B5, PxP; 7.  K-Kt5, K-Kt2; 8.  KxP, K-B2.  Black has now the opposition but cannot maintain it, having no pawn moves available.  The White King threatens to capture any pawn that ventures forward.

9.  K-K5, K-K2; 10.  K-Q5, K-Q2; 11.  P-B4, P-B3ch; 12.  K-K5, K-K2; 13.  P-B5, and wins, as Black will soon be compelled to play K-Q2, after which a manoeuvre shown previously gives White the Queen’s Bishop’s pawn.

l3. ...  P-KR4; 14.  P-KR4, P-R4; 15.  P-R4!  K-Q2; 16.  K-B6, K-O1:  17.  K-K6, and so on.

If in Diagram 63 the King stood at Q2 instead of B1, he could just manage to draw.  White takes eleven moves to capture the Black King’s side pawns, and to queen one of

---------------------------------------
8 |    |    | #K |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
7 |    |    | #P |    |    |    |    | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | #P |    |    |    |    |    | #P |    |
|---------------------------------------|
5 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
4 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
3 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P |    | ^P | ^K |    | ^P |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
1 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
---------------------------------------
A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H

Diag. 63

his own, as can be easily seen.  In eleven moves Black captures the opposing QBP and queens his own.  We see here how the King’s position can be counterbalanced by the weakness of a pawn, and lead to a draw.  If the White QBP was not isolated but standing, for instance, at QKt2, Black would be lost, as calculation easily shows.