Answers.Body: <p>Diagonal opposition can be thought of as a means to an end. No matter where your opponent's King moves, you can get direct opposition sooner or later. Examples from your position:</p>
  
  <p>1...Kf7 2. Kf5 (White gets the direct opposition).</p>
  
  <p>1..Kg6 2. Ke6 (White gets the direct opposition).</p>
  
  <p>1...Kg8 2. Ke6 Kh8 3. Kf6 Kh7 4. Kf7 (White gets the direct opposition).</p>
  
  <p>As per your question regarding f8, g8, and h8, White could not reach the squares even if he had direct opposition in a similar position. Put White's King on e6, and Black's King on g6 (Black to move). You'll find that Black can defend the 3 squares, despite White having the opposition.</p>
  
  <p>The purpose of opposition is that it forces your opponent to move his King out of the way, letting you pass in one way or the other. Note that the way your opponent moves his King out of the way is <strong>up to him</strong>, so he could protect f8, g8, h8 indefinitely by keeping his King there. However, that would let your King pass his by playing Kf5, Kg4, Kh4 (and reaching the h-file, if that was your goal).</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-19T20:37:21.413Z
Answers.Text: I don't have a board to verify right now, but if Black king is on g7 and White takes g5 direct opposition, then White achieves his goal right?
Answers.UserDisplayName: ericw31415
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-20T00:04:50.603Z
Answers.Text: @ericw31415 If White's goal is to reach f8, g8, or h8 then yes, White achieves it. This is because Black's King has to move out of the way, and White's King can go past. For example, 1...Kf7 2. Kh6 Kg8 3. Kg6 Kf8 4. Kh7 Kf7 5. Kh8
Answers.UserDisplayName: Inertial Ignorance
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-20T00:39:17.817Z
Answers.Text: Ok yeah, I was thinking about outflanking
Answers.UserDisplayName: ericw31415
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-20T00:47:25.930Z
Answers.Text: @ericw31415 Yep, opposition is a very useful tool if you want to outflank your opponent's King.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Inertial Ignorance
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-19T02:51:05.447Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-03-19T02:51:05.447Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Inertial Ignorance
Answers.Body: <p>The advantage of opposition can be seen when there is a pawn on the board.</p>
  
  <p>And the point is that Diagonal Opposition can be easily converted to Horizontal or Vertical Opposition which is quite useful.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-18T17:32:29.597Z
Answers.Text: Thanks. In the situation I mentioned can white achieve vertical opposition ?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Abhi
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-18T17:39:41.007Z
Answers.Text: Nope, not with nothing else on the board.  But, of course, in real life there's always something else on the board.
Answers.UserDisplayName: D M
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-18T17:41:23.423Z
Answers.Text: There is no way to achieve vertical opposition in your example.
Answers.UserDisplayName: gnu-nobody
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-03-18T16:40:49.453Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: gnu-nobody
Body: <p>Suppose there are only two pieces on the board, black king and white king. Black king is at g7 and white king is at e5. It's Black's turn to move. So in this case white has the opposition. Black now plays Kg6.<br>
  Can white reach any of the last three squares f8 or g8 or h8. If the answer is "no", then what's the advantage of having diagonal opposition ?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2018-03-18T18:43:33.903Z
Comments.Text: If only the kings are left on the board then it cannot be "somebody's turn". The game is over when neither side can mate the opponent by any series of legal moves. The game is a draw. Neither side can have an advantage. Your question doesn't make sense.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Brian Towers
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2018-03-18T20:01:27.063Z
Comments.Text: Thanks Brian. I know, thats just an assumed position and play to learn about diagonal opposition.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Abhi
Tags: <endgame><kings>
Title: Advantage of Diagonal Opposition
ThreadText: # Advantage of Diagonal Opposition
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-18)
  
  Suppose there are only two pieces on the board, black king and white king. Black king is at g7 and white king is at e5. It's Black's turn to move. So in this case white has the opposition. Black now plays Kg6.  
  Can white reach any of the last three squares f8 or g8 or h8. If the answer is "no", then what's the advantage of having diagonal opposition ?
  
  **Tags:** endgame, kings
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: If only the kings are left on the board then it cannot be "somebody's turn". The game is over when neither side can mate the opponent by any series of legal moves. The game is a draw. Neither side can have an advantage. Your question doesn't make sense.  
  > **username_0**: Thanks Brian. I know, thats just an assumed position and play to learn about diagonal opposition.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2018-03-19. Score: 3
  
  Diagonal opposition can be thought of as a means to an end. No matter where your opponent's King moves, you can get direct opposition sooner or later. Examples from your position:
  
  1...Kf7 2. Kf5 (White gets the direct opposition).
  
  1..Kg6 2. Ke6 (White gets the direct opposition).
  
  1...Kg8 2. Ke6 Kh8 3. Kf6 Kh7 4. Kf7 (White gets the direct opposition).
  
  As per your question regarding f8, g8, and h8, White could not reach the squares even if he had direct opposition in a similar position. Put White's King on e6, and Black's King on g6 (Black to move). You'll find that Black can defend the 3 squares, despite White having the opposition.
  
  The purpose of opposition is that it forces your opponent to move his King out of the way, letting you pass in one way or the other. Note that the way your opponent moves his King out of the way is **up to him**, so he could protect f8, g8, h8 indefinitely by keeping his King there. However, that would let your King pass his by playing Kf5, Kg4, Kh4 (and reaching the h-file, if that was your goal).
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: I don't have a board to verify right now, but if Black king is on g7 and White takes g5 direct opposition, then White achieves his goal right?  
  > **username_2**: @username_3 If White's goal is to reach f8, g8, or h8 then yes, White achieves it. This is because Black's King has to move out of the way, and White's King can go past. For example, 1...Kf7 2. Kh6 Kg8 3. Kg6 Kf8 4. Kh7 Kf7 5. Kh8  
  > **username_3**: Ok yeah, I was thinking about outflanking  
  > **username_2**: @username_3 Yep, opposition is a very useful tool if you want to outflank your opponent's King.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2018-03-18. Score: 1
  
  The advantage of opposition can be seen when there is a pawn on the board.
  
  And the point is that Diagonal Opposition can be easily converted to Horizontal or Vertical Opposition which is quite useful.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Thanks. In the situation I mentioned can white achieve vertical opposition ?  
  > **username_5**: Nope, not with nothing else on the board.  But, of course, in real life there's always something else on the board.  
  > **username_4**: There is no way to achieve vertical opposition in your example.  
  
  ---
  
  