Mined Squares: The Steps That Lose
White to play and draw
PlaySome squares are poisoned. Step on the wrong one and you hand the enemy the win by zugzwang. This is the discipline of mined squares and corresponding squares.
No signup needed. The opponent never gives up, and every mistake gets explained.
Mined Squares: The Steps That Lose
Hold the draw against perfect play
Waking the engine…
The theory
When pawns lock and only the kings can move, the battle becomes a duel of corresponding squares. Each square for one king has a partner square for the other.
Mined squares. A mined square is one your king must not occupy on its own move, because the enemy king answers with its partner and puts you in zugzwang. Recognizing them keeps you safe.
Keep the correspondence. Match the enemy king so that whenever it moves, you have a matching square to step to. The defender who preserves the pairing never runs out of safe moves.
In this drill the attacker knows every mine. Walk the corresponding squares precisely and hold the draw.