Last week’s endgame puzzle was posted in honour of GM Yuri Averbakh’s recent 100th birthday.

The main line of the solution runs 1. Kg5! Kb2 2. Kf4! Kc3 3. Ke3! Kc4 4. Kd2! Kb5 5. Kc3! Kxb6 6. Kb4!.

It’s basic endgame knowledge that this type of position is a draw with Black to play: White retains the opposition by following the black king. However, it’s a win for Black with White to play: now Black has the opposition so White has to give way.

You do have this basic endgame knowledge, don’t you? If not, you could do worse than start by reading Averbakh’s endgame books!