Bishop Pawn and Rook Pawns on the Same Wing
White to play and win
PlayA passed bishop pawn on f7, a rook pawn for each side, everything on one wing. Your f-pawn is already on the seventh with your king guarding it, so keep your h-pawn at home: its choice of one square or two is the reserve tempo that finishes the game.
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A Bishop Pawn Beside Blocked Rook Pawns
White to play and win · Win against perfect defense
Waking the engine…
The theory
A passed bishop pawn with a rook pawn for each side, all on the same wing, is a win, and the winning tool is a familiar one: the reserve tempo hidden in a pawn still on its home square.
Keep the rook pawn home. A rook pawn on its starting square can move one or two squares, and that choice is a spare tempo. Do not spend it early. Instead, escort the bishop pawn to the seventh with the king, chaining the enemy king in front of it.
Squeeze with zugzwang. With the enemy king tied down, force his rook pawn to move, then play your own rook pawn one square to pass the move back. The defender runs out of moves and must give way. If your rook pawn had already advanced, this reserve tempo would be gone and the position could only draw.
In this drill the defender will shuffle and wait. Set the bishop pawn on the seventh, exhaust his pawn moves, and spend your reserve tempo last.
Keep going
Opposition: King Before Pawn
White to play and win
The Square of the Pawn
Black to play and draw
The Rook Pawn Corner Fortress
Black to play and draw
All 68 king & pawn positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)