Outside Critical Square--Part 3
In this example, if White pushes the pawn he draws, as Black's King reaches the crucial area before White's. Again, the crucial area are the critical squares in front of the pawn. In this position, with a White pawn on g4, the critical squares are 2 ranks ahead, f6, g6 and h6.
So White needs to get his King to the crucial area, and occupy one of the critical squares.
A direct advance by White's King 1.Ke2 falls fowl to; 1...Kd7 2.Ke3 Ke7! (distant opposition) 3.Kf4 Kf6, and Black's King reaches the f6 critical square first, thereby preventing White from getting in front of his pawn.
Once again the solution lies in heading for the outside critical square, here h6. The outside critical square is the square farthest from the enemy King and therefore, more difficult to defend.
The winning way is using the "Underpass", sliding behind his pawn : e1-f2-g3-h4.
An excellent example employing several motifs...opposition, outflanking and reserve tempo.
Notice that although Black's King reached the critical square f6, White's 4.Kh5 takes control of g6, forcing the enemy King back allowing White's 5.Kg5 taking the opposition. Then after 5...Kh7, White outflanks (a turning maneuver) Black and advances up the board with 6.Kf6. And after 7.Kg6 Kg8 White uses his reserve tempo g4-g5, to force Black to give up the opposition, and White takes control of the Queening square g8, by occupying f7.
More later on these important techniques.
