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  • Lesson 31 of 32
  • Endgame basics
  • 3 min

The Opposition in Chess: King Endgame Basics

In the endgame the kings fight each other directly, and the opposition decides most of those fights. The idea is simple: two kings can never stand next to each other, so when they meet, whoever has to move must give way.

Step 1 of 4

  1. Face to face

    The kings stand on the same file with one square between them, the star on e6. Neither king can step onto it, because kings may never stand side by side. It's Black's move, so the black king has to step aside and let the white king forward. White has the opposition.

  2. Who has it?

    The same kings, but now it's White's move. Who has the opposition?

    Question

  3. Take the opposition

    The white king is on d5 and the black king on e7. Step in front of your pawn, face to face with the black king, and leave Black to move.

    Your move

    Take the opposition.

  4. Use it to defend

    The opposition helps the defender too. You are Black now, and the board has turned round to your side. The white king on e4 wants to step up to d5, e5 or f5. Stand in its way: face it with one square between you.

    Your move

    Hold the draw by taking the opposition.

What you learned

  • Kings that face each other with one square between them are in opposition.
  • The side that does not have to move has the opposition.
  • In king and pawn endings, the opposition decides whether the stronger king gets through.
  • The defender uses it too, to keep the attacking king out.

In this course

Unit 1The pieces

  1. The Chessboard and How to Set Up the Pieces
  2. How the Rook Moves in Chess
  3. How the Bishop Moves in Chess
  4. How the Queen Moves in Chess
  5. How the King Moves in Chess
  6. How the Knight Moves in Chess
  7. How Pawns Move and Capture in Chess
  8. Chess Piece Values: What Each Piece Is Worth

Unit 2Special moves

  1. What Is Check in Chess, and How to Get Out of It
  2. How to Castle in Chess: Kingside and Queenside
  3. En Passant in Chess, Explained on the Board
  4. Pawn Promotion in Chess: Turning a Pawn Into a Queen

Unit 3Winning the game

  1. What Is Checkmate? Learn to Mate in One
  2. Stalemate in Chess: Why It's a Draw
  3. How to Checkmate With a King and Queen

Unit 4Your first tactics

  1. The Fork: Attack Two Pieces at Once
  2. The Pin in Chess: Freeze a Piece in Place
  3. The Skewer in Chess: Attack Through a Piece

Unit 5Checkmate patterns

  1. Back-Rank Mate in Chess: Spot It and Stop It
  2. Smothered Mate in Chess: The Knight's Checkmate
  3. The Ladder Mate: Checkmate With Two Rooks
  4. How to Checkmate With a King and Rook

Unit 6More tactics

  1. Discovered Attack in Chess: Unmask a Hidden Attacker
  2. Double Check in Chess: Two Checks at Once
  3. Removing the Defender in Chess: Take the Guard

Unit 7Opening principles

  1. Control the Centre: A Chess Opening Principle
  2. How to Develop Your Pieces in the Chess Opening
  3. Scholar's Mate: How It Works and How to Stop It
  4. Fool's Mate: The Fastest Checkmate in Chess

Unit 8Endgame basics

  1. The Rule of the Square in Chess Endgames
  2. The Opposition in Chess: King Endgame Basics
  3. King and Pawn vs King: How to Win the Ending

Lessons for every game

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