Not Far Enough to Win

White to play and draw

Play

Two extra passed pawns and still only a draw. With opposite bishops the pawns are not separated widely enough, and the defender's bishop covers both advance squares from one diagonal.

No signup needed. The opponent never gives up, and every mistake gets explained.

Not Far Enough to Win

Hold the draw against perfect play

Waking the engine…

The theory

Not every extra pawn wins. With opposite-colored bishops, even two passed pawns draw when they are not separated widely enough for the attacker to overload the defense.

The defensive resource. A single bishop placed on the right diagonal can guard both advance squares at once when the pawns are close together. The defender parks the bishop there and shuffles, and the pawns can never both progress.

The distance test. Passers need roughly two files of separation to win against an opposite bishop. Pawns closer than that fall inside one diagonal, so one bishop stops the pair and the king is barely needed.

In this drill you hold the draw from the defending side against a perfect attacker. Keep the bishop on its blockading diagonal, decline every trade that helps him, and the pawns stay stuck.

Keep going

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