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THE CHESS-PLAYER'S

remains, the greatest nicety of calculation is often required to know whether it can or cannot be queened, and in nine cases out of ten this depends upon which King can retain what among players is known as the Opposition ; that is, in its simplest sense, the power of keeping back his rival King, by so playing that at the last, when they face each other with one square only intervening, the defending King shall be obliged to yield the opposite square, and suffer his adversary to get command of that to which the Pawn is marching for promotion.

The following situations will serve to illustrate, in some degree, the nature and importance of the " Opposition," but nothing short of practical experience can make you master of the subject in all its bearings. In the first place, suppose your own and the adversary's King to be on their respective squares, thus :—

DIAGRAM No. 10
Black.
e8 black king
e1 white king
White.
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