Same-Color Bishops: The King Behind King Defense
Black to play and draw
PlayCapablanca against Janowsky, New York 1916. Janowsky resigned this ending, but it is a draw. White wants to put his king on c6 and push the pawn. The rule: when your king cannot get in front of the pawn, bring it behind the enemy king. Here that means c4.
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King Behind King
Black to play and draw · Hold the draw against perfect play
Waking the engine…
The theory
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Your bishop watches b6, the next dark square in front of the pawn, from the a5 to d8 diagonal. The danger is White's king reaching c6 and helping the pawn forward. Your king must reach c4, behind that king, in time.
Bishop endings with one pawn are usually held by the king, not by the bishop.
King behind king. The attacker wins by walking his king up to shepherd the pawn past the blockade. The defense is to bring your king to the square behind his, so he can never take the decisive step. Here White is heading for c6, so Black must reach c4.
It is a race. Only one move keeps the king on schedule, and Janowsky, who resigned here, had a draw.
The bishop just watches. It keeps the pawn's advance square under control from a long diagonal and never needs to blockade anything.
In this drill you defend. Do not shuffle the bishop, run the king.
Keep going
The Position Janowsky Resigned
Black to play and draw
Driving Off the Lone Bishop
White to play and win
The Frontal Defence
Black to play and draw
All 24 bishop endgames positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)