Bishop and knight endgames
The one endgame question that has no general answer, only a structural one: it depends entirely on where the pawns are.
- 120 positions in the course
- Difficulty 505–2300
- Section: Endgames
- 5 levels
Bishop or knight
A bishop is better when the position is open, when pawns are on both wings, and when the enemy pawns sit on its colour. A knight is better when the position is closed, when everything is on one wing, and when it has a protected outpost that cannot be driven away by a pawn.
The specific case worth knowing is the bad bishop: a bishop whose own pawns are fixed on its colour is barely a piece. Endings that look level are often decided by nothing more than which side's pawns are on the wrong squares.
How to spot it
- Count the pawns on each colour before you evaluate the piece.
- Look for an outpost square for the knight that no enemy pawn can attack.
- In opposite-coloured bishop endings, remember that a pawn or even two extra is frequently not enough to win.
- Ask whether the position can be opened or closed by force. That choice usually decides which piece is better.
Three minor piece endings
Three positions from the 120 in this skill, easiest first. The highlighted squares are the move your opponent has just played. Work it out before you open the answer.
Position 1
White to move. Find the best move.
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30...Kd5 31.Bf7#
The line ends in checkmate. The right move follows from the structure -- which colour the pawns sit on and whether the position is open -- rather than from material.
The position comes from an endgame of a real game, rated 793 for difficulty. The answer reaches checkmate.
Position 2
Black to move. Find the best move.
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40.Kf2 40...b3 41.cxb3 41...Kxd3
The line comes out 2 pawns ahead. The right move follows from the structure -- which colour the pawns sit on and whether the position is open -- rather than from material.
The position comes from an endgame of a real game, rated 1354 for difficulty. The answer reaches a winning advantage.
Position 3
White to move. Find the best move.
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48...Kf6 49.b6 Kxe6 50.a6
The line comes out level on material and ahead on position. The right move follows from the structure -- which colour the pawns sit on and whether the position is open -- rather than from material.
The position comes from an endgame of a real game, rated 1881 for difficulty. The answer reaches a winning advantage.
Opposite-coloured bishops
An ending with bishops on opposite colours is drawish out of all proportion to the material, because the defending bishop can hold a diagonal the attacking bishop can never contest. Two extra pawns often do not win.
The corollary is that they are the sharpest possible middlegame imbalance, since the same fact that makes the defender's bishop useless for defence makes the attacker's extra piece on the other colour effectively free.
Questions people ask
Is a bishop better than a knight in the endgame?
Usually, but not always. Bishops are better in open positions and with pawns on both wings, because they cover distance. Knights are better in closed positions and on a single wing, especially with a protected outpost.
Why are opposite-coloured bishop endgames drawn so often?
Because the defending bishop controls squares the attacking bishop can never attack, so a single bishop can blockade passed pawns indefinitely. Being one or two pawns up is frequently not enough.
Nearby patterns
Bishops and Knights sits in Endgames. The rest of that section: