Wrong Bishop - Rook and Bishop Pawn Versus Bishop

Rook and Bishop Pawn Versus Bishop

8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h Black to move draws

With a rook and a bishop pawn on the sixth rank versus a bishop, the bishop may be on the right color or the wrong color. In one case the rook and pawn win; in the other the bishop is able to draw. In this position Black is able to draw because his bishop is on the right color:

1... Be2
2. Kf4 Bc4
3. Kg5 Bd5!
4. Rc7 Ba2!
5. Kg6 Bb1+!
6. Kh6 Ba2!
7. Ra7 Bc4

and there is no way for White to make progress (de la Villa 2008:219–21). This type of position was studied by Ercole del Rio around 1750 (Benko 2007:47–48), (Giddins 2007:77). This case is similar to the case with a rook pawn (above), which also may be a draw.

Read more about this topic:  Wrong Bishop

Famous quotes containing the words bishop and/or pawn:

    “The waiting room
    was full of grown-up people,
    arctics and overcoats,
    lamps and magazines.”
    —Elizabeth Bishop (1911–1979)

    “In ceremonies of the horsemen,
    Even the pawn must hold a grudge.”
    —Bob Dylan [Robert Allen Zimmerman] (b. 1941)