How to promote a pawn: key squares and opposition
Learn to win king and pawn against king as a pattern: king in front of the pawn, face the enemy king, climb past it on the side it leaves, and push the pawn only from the 6th rank.
King first, face the king
The whole win is one pattern. Your king goes in front of the pawn while the pawn waits. Face the black king, and when it steps aside, climb past it on the other side.
King first, the pawn waits. Play Ke3: your king faces the black king with one square between them. That is the opposition, and with Black to move it has to give way. Ke3 Kd5
1… Kd5 Black has to move, so it gives way and steps aside to d5.
The black king stepped aside to d5, so climb past it on the other side. Play Kf4: f4 is a key square, two ranks in front of the pawn. Kf4 Ke6
2… Ke6 The black king comes back in front of your king, to e6.
Face it again. Play Ke4: the opposition, with Black to move. Ke4 Kd6
3… Kd6 Black has to give way again and steps aside to d6.
Face the king, and when it steps aside, climb on the other side. Your king is on the 4th rank, and the pawn hasn't moved yet.
Climb rank by rank
The same cycle, one rank higher each time: climb on the side the black king left, then face it again.
The black king went to d6, so climb on the other side. Play Kf5. Kf5 Ke7
4… Ke7 The black king steps back to e7 to stay in front of the pawn.
Face it: play Ke5. The opposition again, and Black has to give way. Ke5 Kd7
5… Kd7 It gives way once more, to d7.
Climb on the other side: play Kf6. Your king reaches the 6th rank, and the pawn still hasn't moved. Kf6 Ke8
6… Ke8 The black king goes back to e8, on the pawn's file.
Face it once more: play Ke6. Your king stands on the 6th rank right in front of the pawn, and the black king can't come to d7, e7 or f7. Ke6 Kd8
7… Kd8 Black has to move, and it steps aside to d8.
Your king is on the 6th rank in front of the pawn. From here the pawn goes through whoever is to move. Now it can come.
Now the pawn
Your king keeps the way clear while the pawn walks up. At the end, step aside and protect the pawn from the side.
Now push the pawn. Play e4. e4 Ke8
8… Ke8 Black can only wait. It goes back to e8.
Play e5: the pawn comes up behind your king. e5 Kd8
9… Kd8 And back to d8.
The pawn needs e6, so your king steps aside. Play Kf7: from f7 it guards e6, e7 and e8, and the pawn walks through. Kf7 Kd7
10… Kd7 The black king comes up to d7, next to the pawn's path.
Play e6+: the pawn steps up with check, protected by your king. e6+ Kd8
11… Kd8 The king goes back to d8.
Play e7+: your king on f7 protects the pawn from the side and covers e8. e7+ Kd7
12… Kd7 The king steps to d7, but e8 is covered by your king.
Play e8=Q+: the pawn becomes a queen. e8=Q+
The pawn is a queen. The whole pattern: king in front, face the king, climb past it on the side it leaves, and push the pawn only from the 6th rank.
Key ideas
- King first, the pawn waits: your king walks up in front of the pawn.
- Face the enemy king with one square between them. That is the opposition: with Black to move, it has to give way.
- When the king steps aside, climb past it on the other side, then face it again. Rank by rank.
- Once your king stands on the 6th rank in front of the pawn, the pawn goes through whoever is to move. Only now push it. A rook pawn is different.
- At the end, protect the pawn from the side: a king right behind a pawn on the 7th rank can give stalemate.
Common mistakes
- Pushing the pawn too early, so the defending king gets in front of it.
- Handing the opposition to the defender: stepping next to your pawn instead of facing the enemy king.
- Stepping back off the 6th rank, which lets the defending king return in front of the pawn.
- Protecting the pawn on the 7th rank from straight behind and giving stalemate.