The hardest game to win is a won game.
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[Event "rated untimed match"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White player"]
[Black "Black player"]
[Result "*"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[FEN "8/8/4k3/4p3/4K3/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[SetUp "1"]
[TimeControl "0"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
{ Eye Ball to Eye Ball, Toe to Toe.|This king and pawn endgame lesson
demonstrates the method to draw with a lone king against a king and pawn.
White, a pawn down, strives for a draw.|Black naturally tries to promote
his extra pawn to a queen and victory.|The two kings are in direct
opposition to one another.|White will force this opposition often in the
coming moves. } 1. Ke3 { The white king gives ground to black.|White will
use direct opposition to prevent the black king from leading his pawn to the
promotion square. When unable to maintain opposition, white will blockade the
advance of the pawn. } 1... Kf5 { Black plays to advance his king in front of his
pawn. If allowed to obtain such an advantage, then the black king may be able
to clear and hold a safe path for his pawn's march to promotion. } 2. Kf3 { The
white king takes the opposition to block the advance of the black king.|It
is worth noting that White will lose with any other move, because black will
then move his king in front of his pawn clearing the way for promotion. } 2... e4+ { The pawn crawls forward, lusting for the promotion square. } 3. Ke3 { The
white king blocks the advancement of the pawn. } 3... Ke5 { Black's move is forced.
Any other move allows white to capture black's pawn.|Black will advance
his pawn again using the same general line of play. Fortunately, white can
stop it from promoting by use of direct opposition, blockade, and eventually
stalemate. } 4. Ke2 Kd4 5. Kd2 e3+ 6. Ke2 Ke4 7. Ke1 Kd3 8. Kd1 e2+ 9. Ke1 Ke3 { Stalemate Draw.|Black is forced to move into a position which stalemates
white, or abandons his pawn.|Black's compulsion to move into an inferior
position is known as Zugzwang. Thus, white holds the draw despite black's
material advantage. } *