"Deux fous gagnent toujours, mais trois fous, non!"-- Alexander ALEKHINE, on the advantage of the Two Bishops at amateur level
This session looks mainly at endings involving BB vs. BN or NN and no other pieces. They demonstrate that, even where pawns are evenly placed, the two bishops are often enough to force a win.
If you have the two bishops, be prepared for patient manoevring, and do not assume an automatic win. Game 3.1 is a particularly long encounter where White gradually builds up a winning position but slips at the end and should have only drawn.
Firstly, there is 'creeping round the edges'. In the following position, Black seems to have a successful blockade.
Again, Black is in zugzwang, and must give way allowing the f-pawn to advance; once it reaches f7, the bK must go to f8, and the wK can go 'round to support the other pawn.
9... Ke7 10. Kg7 1-0
In the following position, Black had lost a [pawn in the opening, and is now forced to exchange rooks. However, I was not too unhappy about this as I assumed the position was drawn. What does it look like to you?
1... Rb7 2. Rxb7 Kxb7 3. Bc5 Bf7
4. Kd4 Kc6 5. Bf8 g6 6. Be7 f5
7. f4 Kd7 8. Bc5 Kc6 9. Bb6 Kd6
10. c5+ Kc6 ?!
Now the wK penetrates and the bishop is short of squares. The rest of the game is an object lesson in how difficult it is to defend with a bishop when the pawns are on the same colour.
[10... Ke6 11. c6 Be8 12. Kc5 also wins]
11. Ke5 Be8 12. Ke6 Kb5 13. Ke7 Bc6
14. Kf7 Kc4 15. Kg7 Kd5 16. Kxh7 Be8
17. Kg7 Ke6 18. h4 Kd5 19. Kf8 Bd7
20. Kf7 Bc6 21. Kxg6 Ke6 22. h5 Be8+
23. Kg5 Bd7 24. Bc7 Kf7 25. Be5 Kg8
26. Kf6 1-0.
threatening b4 and then b5 and if ...axb,
the a-pawn will not recapture but run to a8.
So, if the pawn gets to a5, it cannot be stopped
7... Bg7 8. Ke2
[8. b4 Bc3 9. b5 axb5 10. axb5 Ke8
11. Ba7 Kd7 and if now 12. b6 ?
12... Bd4 and the win is not straightforward]
8... Bc3
the second step is over;
now we have the fourth idea
9. Kd3 Bb4 10. Bxa6 h6
11. Bb7 g5 12. fxg5 hxg5 13. Kc4 Bd2 14. b4
and soon won
...1-0.
White cannot improve his position any more, and breaks through with sacrifice to create a passed pawn
16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. a6 c5+ 18. Ke3
[18. bxc5 Nb8 19. Bxb8 Be8 20. Kd5 was simpler]
18... Nb6 19. Bxb6 Be8 20. Bxc5+ 1-0.
Against a doubled pawn the two bishops will generally be able to force a gain of material, or an outside passed pawn.
1... Kg6 2. Kg2 Bd5 3. b4 Kf7
4. Ng3 Ke8 5. Ne2 Kd7 6. Nc3 Kc6
7. Kh2 Bb3 8. Kg2 Bc4 9. Kg1 Bd3
10. Kg2 Bc4 11. Nb1 b6 12. Kg1 Bd3
13. Nc3 Be7 14. Kf2 Bxb4 15. Nxe4 Be7
16. Nc3 Bh4+ 17. Kg1 Bc4 18. Kg2 a5
19. Kg1 b5 20. Kg2 h5 21. Kg1 Bb3
22. Kg2 b4 23. Ne2 Bd5+ 24. Kf1 Bc4
25. Be1 Bxe1 26. Kxe1 Bxe2 27. Kxe2 a4 0-1.
2.4
Zagorovsky - Bryson, Corr, 1994
Here Black is a pawn up, but must play carefully because he is unable to cramp the knight 36... Bc5 37. Be3 b3 ! 38. Kg2 !! 38... Be6
[38... Ba4 39. Kf2 Bb4 40. Bc1 ! and Kf2-e3xe4]
[38... Bg4 39. Kf2 Bd1 40. Nc6 !]
39. Kf2
[39. Nxe6 Bxe3 40. Nc7 Bc5 41. Nxa6 Ba3 42. Kf2
[42. Kf1 Kf8 43. Ke2 Ke7 44. Kd2 Kd6 !
45. bxa3 e3+ 46. Kxe3 b2]
42... Bxb2 43. Nc5 Bd4+]
39... Bd5 40. Nf5 Bb4 41. Bd4 g6 42. Nh6+ Kf8 43. Ng4 f5 44. Nf6 Bc6
45. Nxh7+ Ke7 46. Ng5 Kd6 47. Ke3 Bxa5 48. g4 Be1 49. Be5+ Kd5 50. gxf5 gxf5
51. Nh7 a5 52. Nf6+ Kc4 53. Ke2 Bb4 0-1
54. h4 a4 55. h5 a3 56. bxa3
[56. h6 a2 57. h7 a1=Q 58. h8=Q Qe1#]
56... Bc3 57. Bxc3 Kxc3 58. h6 b2
59. Nxe4+ Bxe4 60. h7 b1=Q 61. h8=Q+ Kb3
An isolated pawn may be
serious enough for a forced loss.
2.5
Rubinstein - Gajdos, Bremen, 1905
1. Kf2 Bd7 2. Ke1 Nb5
[2... Bb5]
3. Bc5 Ke6 4. Kd2 f5 ?
a positional blunder
5. b3 Nd6 6. a4 Nc8 7. Kc3 Ne7
8. Bd4 g6 9. Kb4 Bc6 10. Kc5 Kd7
11. a5 Nc8 12. Bd1 Na7 13. h4 Nb5
14. Bc2 Nc7 15. g3 Ne8 16. Be5 !
16... Ke6 17. f4
17... Kd7 18. b4 Nc7 19. Bxc7 !
19... Kxc7 20. Bb3 h5 21. Ba2 Kd7
22. Bxd5 Bxd5 23. Kxd5 Kc7
24. Ke5 1-0.
Where there is a weak colour complex the two bishops can usually clear a path for the king by constricting the enemy pieces.
Outside Passed Pawn
7. Nd3 Bc2 8. Nc5 gxf4+ 9. gxf4 b6
10. axb6 axb6 11. Nd7 b5 12. b4 h4
13. Nc5 g3 14. hxg3 hxg3 15. Kf3 Bh4
16. Be3 Bd1+ 17. Kg2 Kg4 18. Bd2 Bf3+
19. Kg1 Kf5 20. Be3 Be4 21. Bd2 g2
22. Nxe4 Kxe4 23. Kxg2 Kxd4 24. Kh3 Be7
25. Kg4 Kd3 and the d-pawn decides.
1-0
1. e5 Be4 2. Bc3 Bxf3 3. gxf3 Kf8 4. Kg3 Ke8 5. Kf4 Kd7 6. Ke4 Kc6
7. Kd4 Kb5 8. Bd2 h5 9. f4 Bf8
10. f3 a5 0-1.
The following game belongs in the 'blocked pawn structure' section, but it soon becomes unbalanced.
30... Bf6 ? 31. f4 exf4 ?
32. gxf4 Kg7 33. Kg2 Bd8 34. Kf3 h5
35. Bf2 Bc7 36. Be3 Bd8 37. Bc4 Be7
38. Bd2 Bd8 39. e5 Bh4 40. Be3 Be1
41. Ke4 Bh4 42. a4 a5 43. Bf1 Bd8
44. Kd5 Bh4 45. Be2 Bd8 46. f5 gxf5
47. Bxh5 Ng5 48. Bxg5 Bxg5 49. Kc6 Bd8
50. c4 Kf8 51. Kd7 Bh4 52. Kc7 Bg3
53. Kxb6 Bxe5 54. b3 Bc3 55. Kxc5 1-0.
[2. Bc8]
2... Ne8 3. Ke2 Bd6 4. Bc3 b6 ?
[4... Kd8]
5. g3 f6 ?
step 1 is completed, and now (after
the errors) there is a forced win!
6. f4 Bc5 7. Be4 Kd7 8. b4 Be7
9. Kf3 Nd6 10. Bd3 Ke6 11. g4 g5 ?
step 2 is now completed.
[11... Kf7 12. Bd4 Ke6 13. a3 Kf7 14. c5 bxc5 15. Bxc5 Nc8 16. Bf5 Bxc5
17. bxc5 Ne7 18. Bd7 zugzwang - the wK will go to the Q-side]
12. a3 Nf7 13. Bf5+ Kd6 14. Bg6 Nd8 15. fxg5 hxg5 16. Ke4 Ne6 17. Bf7 Ng7
goes]
18. Be1 Kd7 19. Bc3 Bd8 20. b5 ! 20... Ke7 21. Bg8 Kf8 22. Bh7 cxb5 23. cxb5 Ke7
step 3 now complete: the wK now has a clear path
24. Bb4+ Ke6 25. Bg8+ Kd7 26. Kd5
zugzwang
26... Be7
27. Bxe7 Kxe7
step 4 now complete
28. Kc6 Ne8 29. a4 Nd6 30. Kc7 Ne4 31. Bb3 Nc5 32. Bc2 Ke6 33. Kb8
33... Kd6
34. Kxa7 Kc7 35. a5 bxa5 36. b6+ Kc6 37. Be4+ Nxe4 38. b7 1-0.
1... Ke5 2. g4 Be3
'stalemating' the knight - a common idea
3. Kf3
[3. Nf2 Bxf2 4. Kxf2 Kf4]
3... Kd4 4. Bb3 Bb7
[4... Bxd3 also wins 5. Bxd5 Bf1
6. Bb7 Bxh3 7. Ba6 Kc3 8. Kg3 Kb2
some delicate footwork
5. Ke2 Ba6 6. Bc2
6... Bb5 7. a4 Bd7 8. Kf3 Kc3 9. Kxe3 d4+ 10. Ke2 Kxc2 11. Nf4 Bxa4 12. Ne6 Bb3 13. Nxd4+ Kb2 14. Nb5 a4 15. Ke3 a3 16. Nxa3 Kxa3 17. Kd4 Kb4 0-1.
31. g4 f6 32. g5 Nd7 33. h4 Nf8
34. Bc4 Nd7 35. Bg8 Nf8 36. gxf6+ ?
(time trouble)
[36. Bxh7 Nxh7 37. fxg6 Nf8 38. g7]
[36. Kg4 best, idea h5 when White
will have a passed pawn and King entry
(step 3)]
36... Kxf6 37. Bg5+ Kg7 38. Bd5 Nd7
39. Be6 Nf6 40. c4 ?
closing the last entry point for the wK!
40... Ne8 41. Bd8
Can White win at all? Black is cramped but what is White's plan? As it happens...
41... Bc7 ? 42. f6+ Kf8 ?? 43. Be7# 1-0.
A tough one: White has to work hard for an opening before running out of pawns; Black's pieces are more active
[6. Bc3 Nd6 7. Bh3 Ne4+]
6... Nd6 7. Bg4 Ke7 8. Kf4 Be6
9. Bf3 Bf5 10. Bxd5 Bxc2 11. Ke5 Bf5
12. Be3
idea Bc5
12... Nf7+ 13. Kd4 Nd8 14. Kc5 Bc8
15. b4 Bd7 16. Bd2
[16. Bd4 Ne6+]
16... Bb5 ?! 17. Be4 Kf7 18. Kd6 Bc4 19. Kd7 Nc6 20. Kc7 Nd4 21.
Bxb7 Nb5+ 22. Kb6 Nxa3 23. Bxa6 Be6 24. Kc5 Bf5 25. b5 Nxb5 26. Bxb5 1-0.
The bishops are at their worst in blocked positions, and in positions where the pawns are all on the same side. Here, even an extra pawn may not be enough to win
1... Kf7 2. h4 g5
else Bf4 and h5 frees the wK
3. Bh5+ Ke7
[3... Kf6 4. Bd8+ Kf5 5. g4+]
[3... Kg7 4. Bd8 gxh4 5. Bxh4
and Bh4-g3-f4]
4. Bg4 Bb7
white can make no further progress
with the Bishops, so offers to exchange the strong Knight
5. Be5 Nxe5 6. dxe5 gxh4 7. Kg1 Ba6 8. Kh2 Kf7
and White eventually had to settle for a draw.
Q
41. Kh3 Bf1 42. Bf5 Ke7 43. Kh2 Be2 44. Kh3 Bf1 45. Bxe4 Ke6 46. Kxh4 Kxe5 47. Bf3 Kf6 48. Kh5 Kg7 49. e4 Bd3 50. e5 Bg6+ 51. Kg4 Kf7 52. Bd5+ Ke7 53. Kf4 Bh7 54. g3 Kf8 55. Be4 Bg8 56. Bf3 Ke7 57. Kg4 Ke6 58. Kf4 Ke7 59. Bg4 Bb3 60. Bc8 Kf7 Q
Endings with the pawns all on one side are ALMOST ALWAYS drawn if the superior side has 3 pawns or less, USUALLY drawn if he has 4 pawns
If the pawns are unbalanced, so that the side with the bishops can set up an outside passed pawn, it is virtually a forced win.
If the pawns are blocked, the slightest weakness in the pawn structure may be fatal.
The three ideas in all such endings are:
(especially those where the opponent's pawns are on the same colour as their bishop)
This document (bbending.html) was last modified on 8 Aug 96 by
Dr. Dave(wKg1,Nh1,Bd2,Pb2,b3,d4,e3,f4,h3; bKg7,Bc6,h4,Pa6,b7,e4,e6,f5,h6)
(wKh1,Nd4,Bd2,Pa5,b2,f4,g3,h2; bKg8,Bd7,f8,Pa6,b4,e4,f7,g7,h7) (wKg1,Bd4,e2,Pa2,b2,e3,f3,g2,h2; bKf7,Nd6,Bc8,Pa6,b7,d5,f6,g7,h7) (wKg1,Nc2,Be3,Pa4,b3,d4,e5,f4,g3,h2; bKg8,Bd7,e7,Pa7,b7,d5,f7,g4,g7,h5) (wKh2,Nf3,Bd2,Pb4,c5,e4,f2,g2,h3; bKg8,Bd3,g7,Pa6,b7,e6,f7,g6,h7) (wKg1,Bd3,e3,Pa2,b2,c3,e4,f2,g3,h3; bKg8,Ne6,Bg7,Pa7,b6,c5,e5,f7,g6,h7) (wKe1,Bf4,f5,Pa2,b3,c4,f2,g2,h3; bKe8,Nf6,Bc5,Pa7,b7,c6,f7,g7,h6) (wKg2,Nh3,Bc2,Pa2,d3,f5,g3; bKd6,Ba6,d4,Pa5,d5,f6,g7) (wKg2,Bd3,e3,Pa2,b5,c3,e4,f2,g3,h3; bKg8,Nd7,Bd6,Pa7,b6,c5,e5,f7,g6,h7) (wKg3,Bd2,d3,Pa3,b2,c2,f4,g4,h4; bKe8,Nc6,Bf7,Pa6,b7,d5,f6,g7,h6) (wKf2,Bc7,e2,Pd4,e3,g2,h2; bKg8,Nc4,Bd5,Pe4,g7,h6)