Corresponding Squares in a Locked Pawn Ending
Black to play and draw, after Grigoriev
PlayOnly the kings really maneuver here: the one pawn move on the board, d3-d4, just needs an accurate answer. White has exactly one plan, and your defence is a chain of corresponding squares. On move one, exactly one square is right.
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Corresponding Squares: One Move Holds, Six Lose
Black to play and draw · Hold the draw against perfect play
Waking the engine…
The theory
Once White's one pawn break is answered, every square available to one king answers a specific square for the other. Hold the pairing and you always have a safe reply. Break it once and the game is over.
The plan you have to stop. White's king wants b3. From there it takes the c3 pawn, and the c2 and d3 pawns promote. The only other move White has is d3-d4; after 1...Kf3 2.d4 answer with Ke4 or Kf4, the only two squares that draw.
The pairs (Grigoriev, 1921). e1 answers f3. Then d1-e3, c1-d4, b1-c5 and a2-b4. Note that a2 is answered by b4, not by a4: from a4 your king would be too far from the kingside to come back.
Only one first move. With the white king on e1 your king belongs on f3, and Kf3 is the only move that draws. Every other king move loses.
In this drill the attacker never stops probing. Learn the five pairs and hold the half point.
Keep going
Grigoriev 1920: Two Spare Tempi and a Stalemate
White to play and draw
Killing the Reserve Tempo: f and h vs the h-Pawn
Black to play and win
Reciprocal Zugzwang: One Tempo Draws
White to play and draw
All 68 king & pawn positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)