Opposite Bishops: Defending Against Two Separated Passers

Black to play and draw

You are two pawns down with opposite-coloured bishops, and you can still draw. Your bishop on c7 blocks the c-pawn, and the same diagonal covers f4, the square the f-pawn needs. The rule: when your bishop stops both pawns along one diagonal and your king backs it up, it is a draw, however far apart the pawns are. Your king's job is to reach d8, next to the c-pawn's path.

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One Diagonal Stops Both Pawns: the Defender Holds

Black to play and draw · Hold the draw against perfect play

Waking the engine…

The theory

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White's king on d5 wants e6 and then d7, to escort the c-pawn. Only two moves hold, and Kf6 is the natural one: it keeps his king out of e6. Watch Kg6 lose: White plays Ke6, his king reaches d7, and after c7 your bishop has to take the pawn and is taken back. His bishop and f-pawn then win.

Two extra passed pawns with opposite-coloured bishops sound decisive. Here they are not, and the defender's task is to see why and keep it that way.

One diagonal, two pawns. The black bishop on c7 blocks the c-pawn, and the same diagonal covers f4, the square the f-pawn must cross. As long as the bishop stays on that diagonal and the black king backs it up, the distance between the pawns does not matter.

The king's job. White's king tries to come round to the c-pawn. The black king answers by heading for d8, next to the c-pawn's path. Once it stands there, the push to c7 achieves nothing.

The contrast. In the book position, with White's king still on e4, if the black king and bishop swapped squares, White would win with f4 and Kf5.

In this drill you defend. Keep White's king out of e6, walk your king to d8, and keep the bishop on its diagonal.

Keep going

The Knight's Pawn Saves the Draw

White to play and draw

The Opposite-Colored Bishops Fortress

Black to play and draw

Opposite Bishops: Two Pawns Win

White to play and win

All 19 opposite bishops positions Follow the full curriculum (free)