Corresponding squares are pairs of squares, one for each king: whenever the attacking king stands on one, the defending king must stand on its partner to hold the position.
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The opposition is the simplest case. When the pawns are irregular and counting the squares between the kings no longer works, the pairs show which square to aim for and which one the defender cannot reach in time.
How to do it
- 1Start from the key squares your king wants to reach.
- 2Work backwards, pairing each square near them with the square the defender needs.
- 3Head for a square whose partner the defending king cannot reach in one move.
For your level
Pair the squares before you move: for every square your king could take, know the square the defender must answer with.
Check you have it
Question 1 of 1
Which white pawn has no friendly pawn on either neighbouring file?
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Common mistakes
- Moving the king first and working out the pairs afterwards.
- Trusting plain opposition when the pawn structure is irregular.
Questions
- Do I need to memorise corresponding squares?
- No. Work them out at the board, starting from the key squares and going backwards. The method is what you remember, not the squares.