Bishop and Pawn vs Bishop: Defending with Rear Opposition

Black to play and draw

You are a pawn down in a same-coloured bishop ending, and it is a draw if you defend well. Your king cannot get in front of the d-pawn, so it stands behind White's king, on c5. The rule: from there your king guards c6, so White can never trade bishops without blocking his own pawn. As long as your bishop keeps watching d7, the draw is safe.

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Rear Opposition: 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 bishop on d7 attacks yours on h3 and offers a trade. Do not take: after Bxd7 Kxd7 his king stands in front of the pawn, and the pawn ending is lost. Move your bishop instead, toward the other diagonal through d7.

In a same-coloured bishop ending with one extra pawn, the defending bishop cannot hold on its own: without its king's support it can always be driven off the diagonals that control the pawn's advance. The question is where that king should stand.

Rear opposition. When the defending king cannot get in front of the pawn, its best post is behind the attacking king, in opposition. From c5 it guards c6, so White cannot trade bishops there, and a trade on c8 costs him the pawn.

The bishop's job. Your bishop keeps watching d7, the square in front of the pawn, from one of its two diagonals. When White's bishop takes one of them, switch to the other.

In this drill you defend. Never trade bishops on d7 while his king can take back, keep your king on c5, and switch diagonals in time.

Keep going

The Three-Square Diagonal

White to play and win

The Wrong Bishop

Black to play and draw

Centurini: Deflect, Then Interfere

White to play and win

All 24 bishop endgames positions Follow the full curriculum (free)