Beginners: Learn Opposition!

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Avatar of Scottrf

Just played a game which showed the importance of learning opposition!

I traded rooks which was a mistake (knew I could take opposition but forgot about the tempo move of pushing the pawn), she correctly took with the king (rook pawn would be a draw after I stayed in the corner), but then a couple of moves later threw away an easy win by pushing the pawn behind the king allowing me to take opposition and draw the game. Kf3 would have won, I wouldn't be able to stop the pawn from queening.

Avatar of wbport

52 .. Kf3 wins.  If White had played 52. Kg2 instead, 52. .. g5 would have won, i.e., 53 Kf2 Kh3.

Avatar of TonyH

watch this.http://www.chess.com/video/player/king-and-pawn-endings-the-basics

Avatar of Scottrf
ChristianSoldier007 wrote:

inaccurate play, the position on move 28 is a draw

Wasn't really the point.

Avatar of Scottrf
ChristianSoldier007 wrote:

sorry i meant 58

I don't get you then? It's a draw from 53 onwards, and ended a draw.

Avatar of Scottrf

How would you win?

Avatar of Scottrf

And I then play Kg2.

Avatar of Scottrf

And I go backwards, Kg1. You can never push the pawn or get the king in front.

Avatar of Scottrf

I know it's a win at 51, my point was that 52...g5 is a blunder, and turns a won game into a drawn one.

Avatar of GreenPumpkin31

ye. g5 was a blunder. He should have waited for the right time to push the pawn.

Avatar of TonyH

52...g5?? if the player had basic understanding of oppisition its a very easy win at move 58 its a draw. CS007 if you didnt know this you need to study this basic concept of opposition until its 100% clear for you. no pawn + piece endgame can be learned unless you have this idea down since so many of them are based on knowing when to trade into a drawn pawn ending.

Avatar of TonyH

but its a draw after 52... g5 you know that right?

Avatar of pwwaring

Actually, Kf3 is the winning move, Kh4 doesn't lose, but is just shuffling pieces...

I think your "on move 57 try Kf4" is what caused some confusion.  After 52.. g5 it was done.

Avatar of Courtney-P

Easy way to remember the most basic K+P vs K endgame is a little poem I read in an endagame book I own.

King on your sixth....    

Pawn on your fifth....

Always wins!

Avatar of Conflagration_Planet

I did some a bit like that with Chess Mentor when I had a diamond.