Bishop and Pawn vs Bishop: The Frontal Defence
Black to play and draw
PlayYou defend, and your bishop guards f6, the pawn's next square. Your king can draw in two ways: behind the white king, or in front of the pawn. This lesson is the second way. The rule: run your king to g8, beside the queening square, and switch diagonals whenever a bishop trade is offered in front of the pawn.
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The Frontal Defence
Black to play and draw · Hold the draw against perfect play
Waking the engine…
The theory
Watch the method: press play to see the winning idea run, or step through it move by move.
Your bishop on c3 guards f6. The simplest draw here takes your king behind the white king: after Kd5 Kg6 Ke4 Bc7 Kf3 Bd8 Kg4, your king stands right behind his.
With bishops of one color and an extra pawn, the defender's whole task is the king. Two king plans draw, and you should know both.
Rear opposition first. The classic hold is to place your king directly behind the enemy king. Here it is also the simplest: 1...Kd5 and the king reaches g4 with the opposition.
The frontal defence. When there is no time to get behind, run in front instead: the king heads for g8, a light square beside the promotion square. On g8 a bishop trade on g5 leads only to a drawn pawn ending, so White can never force it. This procedure works as long as the pawn has not passed the sixth rank.
In this drill White will push and probe for a way in. Pick a king route, in front or behind, and neither the bishop nor the pawn can break through.
Keep going
Bishop Holds Two Connected Pawns
White to play and draw
The Torn Bishop and the Saving Sacrifice
White to play and draw
Only the King Can Take That Pawn
White to play and win
All 24 bishop endgames positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)