Opposition

Because the computer of Margriet crashed some time ago she has to use mine for solving problems.
Today she solved a lot, so I worked a few hours on endgames.
Because to calculate an endgame move and then do another because my calculations are always wrong is a too meager method.

A lot of writers on the endgame have a so called 'scientific approach' to chess.
Which means that they are very afraid to be incomplete.
So it can happen that the first 7 chapters of a book are totally useless, because they handle about endgames you probably never get on the board. Just to be complete.
It took me 3 weeks to find out where on earth to start with endgames.
Now I know, it is of course very simple: you have to begin with king + pawn endgames.
Because any other endgame can become such an endgame, if pieces are traded off.

John Nunn has written a nice booklet. He talks about opposition, triangulation and the Reti-manoeuvre as the base for king + pawn endgames.
Today I studied the opposition. I knew the concept already ofcourse, but I decided to dig deeper in it.
I think I now know from every postion on the board how to get/keep the opposition of the kings.
I have a good grasp of the "bypass method" now. There is one little mystery yet at the subject, but I hope to find out the details by tomorrow.

TCT	# problems	circle 1	circle 2	circle 3
Step 3	540	96%	97%	.
Step 4	560	94%	390 done	.
Step 5	580	75%	.	.