Opposition (chess)

The opposition in chess is a position in which both kings face each other in a certain distance. However, it is only in the final important because otherwise cancel the possible moves of the characters their effect. A distinction must be:

The Nahopposition or ordinary opposition, in which the kings compared to only separated by a field on a line, row or diagonal. It is important to Nahopposition on a line or row. The two kings block in this case each other the most direct route to the front, and the player must train located at the other one (possibly important ) reveal field. Very often the opposition is then directly connected to pressure to act. Especially in pawn endings this Zugzwangsituation can be exploited by forcing the opponent's king, the opposition and thus the blockade of an important field ( for example, a key field) giving up. Then the own king can penetrate into the opponent's position. It also says the party that can do this, have the opposition.

To stand the kings through a field diagonally isolated from ( diagonal opposition ), then indeed made ​​free no field directly on the basis of Zugpflicht. But either, the transition in the horizontal or vertical opposition allowed, or space to be abandoned. An example of this can be found in the so-called triangle maneuvers.

The remote opposition, in which the kings face isolated on a line through three or even five fields, is often the starting point for the transition to Nahopposition. In calculations one can stop when reaching the remote opposition, when you know that the position can be converted into the Nahopposition.

A training method to internalize the principle of opposition, presents the following scenario is: Both parties receive only the king on the back rank as own character. Who it first manages to reach the opponent's home row is the winner.

There is a further generalization of the concept of opposition (sometimes not very aptly referred to as virtual opposition). Consider occupied by the two kings fields as opposite corners of an imaginary rectangle (consisting of the fields on the chessboard ). Now have all Eckfelder this rectangle the same color, then there is opposition before, otherwise not. One can consider that previously described opposition positions are special cases of this general situation: If the rectangle has a side of length of a field, then the kings stand on a line or row. If the rectangle is a square ( with a side length of three, five or seven), then there is diagonal opposition. The main purpose of this general opposition positions is their placing in the Nahopposition.

Examples

As the examples show, the Nahopposition is a means which can be operated both the attacker for the conquest of key fields and the Defending. The key fields are highlighted in the diagrams with X, its occupation by the attacking king is playing crucial. In Diagram 2 leads 1.Ke4? Kd6 2.Kd4 KC6 only to draw, but it wins 1.Kc5! Kd7 2.Kb6.

Diagram 3 shows how the remote opposition can be used for capturing the Nahopposition. White on the train only stops with 1.Kf1! Kf4 2.Kf2! Ke4 3.Ke2! draw. On the other hand fails 1.Kf2? at first ... Kf4! 2.Ke2 Ke4! , And Black has the opposition, leading to the occupation of a key field.