Opposition control is a simple method used to attenuate near-wall turbulence and reduce drag in wall-bounded turbulent flows [H. Choi, P. Moin, and J. Kim, J. Fluid Mech.262, 75 (1994)]. This method employs blowing and suction at the wall in opposition to the wall-normal fluid velocity a small distance from the wall. Results from direct numerical simulations of turbulent channel flow indicate that, when the control at the wall is based on detection of the wall-normal velocity in a plane sufficiently close to the wall, the opposition control strategy establishes a “virtual wall,” i.e., a plane that has approximately no through flow, halfway between the detection plane and the wall. As a consequence, drag is reduced about 25&percent;. When the detection plane is at a greater distance from the wall, a virtual wall is not established, and the blowing and suction increase the drag significantly. ©1998 American Institute of Physics.