I shall take this opportunity of explaining what is called “distant opposition.” In Diagram 62, White with the move wins by 1. K-K2, thus assuming “distant opposition” (squares of the same colour!!). If Black now enters his second rank, White immediately plays into opposition on his third rank, e.g. 1. … K-Q2; 2. K- Q3, and still maintains it by 3. K-K3 if Black plays a waiting move such as 2. … K-K2. Now Black has no further waiting moves, as White threatens to capture one of the pawns. But playing into the third rank is of no use, as White then assumes the direct opposition, and wins as in Diagram 60. Black must allow White access to one side or the other. He could not have remained on the first rank at the outset either, for after 1. … K-Q1, White advances through a square, to which Black cannot assume the opposition, namely, 2. K-B3. If now Black wishes to answer the threat of K-B 4-Kt5 and plays K-K2, White answers 3. K-K3 as before.
2. K-K3 or KQ3 would be wrong, as Black would then succeed in assuming the opposition at K2 or Q2, and would be able to maintain it. White would be unable to circumvent this or to attack the pawns.
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 manœuvre 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