Corresponding Squares in a Locked Pawn Ending
Black to play and draw, after Grigoriev
PlayWhite's king wants to reach b3 and win your c3 pawn. The rule: answer each of his squares with its corresponding square, even when that means giving him the opposition. Against e1 stand on f3, against d1 on e3, against c1 on d4, against b1 on c5, against a2 on b4.
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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
Watch the method: press play to see the winning idea run, or step through it move by move.
Ke3 takes the opposition, and it loses. After Kd1 you are the one in zugzwang. Kf3 Kc1 Ke3 Kb1 Kd4 Ka2 follows, and nothing stops Kb3.
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)