What is Opposition in chess?
A king-and-pawn endgame technique of facing kings with one square between them.
Having the opposition - when it's the opponent's move and the kings face off - lets your king gain ground. It's the key idea behind winning many pawn endgames.
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- ZugzwangA position where any move you make worsens your position.
- FortressA defensive setup where the weaker side builds an impenetrable wall to force a draw despite being down material.
- Lucena positionThe key winning setup in rook-and-pawn vs rook endgames, solved by 'building a bridge.'
- Philidor positionThe key drawing defense in rook-and-pawn vs rook endgames.
- Key squaresSpecific squares that, once reached by the attacking king, guarantee a pawn promotes.
- TriangulationA king maneuver that loses a tempo to reach the same position with the opponent to move.