"Deux fous gagnent toujours, mais trois fous, non!" -- Alexander ALEKHIN on the advantage of the Two Bishops at amateur levelThe French for Bishop is fou (fool) (so the player who had the two Fools (Bishops) was the third Fool)
- If you take away nothing else from this page, please remember: there are very few equal exchanges (swaps) in chess.[/b]
- In general, you want to swap pieces if :
- You are ahead in material
- You are defending
- You are short of space
- In general, you want to swap pawns if :
- You are defending a worse endgame
- But even in fairly equal positions, not all exchanges are fair, because your pieces are not equal. You want to swap off your bad pieces and swap off your opponent's good pieces.
- In most positions, Bishops are better than Knights. Take the opportunity to swap a Knight for an enemy Bishop. A bishop against a knight (Capablanca-Corzo), or the bishop pair against two other pieces (Bronstein-Golombek), can be enough of an imbalance to win with.
- Bishops are obviously better in open positions, they can take some skill to use in half-open positions (Englisch-Steinitz), and they're sometimes OK even in closed positions against Knights (Regis-Humphries, Lane-Bartlett).
- If there is a swap of pieces and you or your opponent has to take back with a pawn, the pawn structure changes -- maybe only a little, but that change is likely to be good for one of you and bad for the other, or will give one or other of you a new idea. Shipley, like so many others, swapped his way to a lost endgame against Capablanca.
- For example, in the Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation, White gives up a Bishop for the chance to give Black doubled pawns. One way of interpreting this position is to say that Black may be lost in a King and Pawn endgame, because White gets a King's-side majority that can make a passed pawn, while Black's Queen's-side majority is crippled. And while that is only one thing that is going on, if you keep your eye on it, you can win a game with it. (Lasker-Tarrasch).
- Same if you swap pawns. The pawn swap in the Queen's Gambit Orthodox Defence gives a fixed pawn structure with some known plans, like the minority attack (Evans-Opsahl)
Click [...] to see list of games
[Event "Match Capablanca-Corzo +4-3=6"]
[Site "Havana"]
[Date "1901.??.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Capablanca, JR."]
[Black "Corzo y Prinzipe, Juan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A83"]
[Annotator "endgame: B v N"]
[PlyCount "117"]
[EventDate "1901.11.17"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "CUB"]
1. d4 {This is the ninth game of the match for the Cuban Championship, which
Capa played at the age of 12. He took 24 minutes over this game.} f5 2. e4 fxe4
3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 c6 5. Bxf6 exf6 6. Nxe4 d5 7. Ng3 Qe7+ 8. Qe2 Qxe2+ 9. Bxe2
Bd6 10. Nf3 O-O 11. O-O Bg4 12. h3 {Black could try to play for a win with the
two Bishops, but instead exchanges apparently seeking a draw.} Bxf3 13. Bxf3
Bxg3 14. fxg3 Nd7 15. Rfe1 Rae8 16. Kf1 f5 17. Rxe8 Rxe8 18. Re1 Rxe1+ 19. Kxe1
Nf6 {[#]} 20. Kd2 Ne4+ 21. Ke3 Nd6 (21... Nxg3 22. Kf4 Ne4 (22... Nf1 23. Be2
Nd2 24. Kxf5) 23. Kxf5) 22. Be2 Kf7 23. Kf4 Kf6 {Chernev comments "The
position may look drawish, but it is to Capablanca's liking; he often manages
to squeeze a win out of a theoretical draw". Without wishing to enter the
possibly fruitless debate about whether this position is in fact drawn, White
does have the advantage of Bishop over Knight, with play on both sides of the
board. If White can create tension in more than one area of the board, Black's
Knight will find itself over-committed.} 24. h4 g6 (24... h6 25. h5) 25. g4 h6
26. g5+ hxg5+ 27. hxg5+ Ke7 28. g4 fxg4 29. Bd3 {[#]} Nf5 {concedes a passed
Pawn} (29... Kf7 {(Hooper)} 30. Kxg4 Nb5 31. c3 Nc7 {"with good drawing
chances"; neither Bishop nor King have an obvious entry point.}) 30. Kxg4 Nxd4
(30... Ke6 31. Bxf5+ gxf5+ 32. Kf4 {and who has the most tempi to lose on the
Queen's-side? Chernev assumes Black will run out of moves, but it's worth
being sure! Perhaps..} a5 (32... b6 33. b4 a6 (33... a5 34. bxa5 bxa5 35. a4)
34. a4 a5 35. bxa5 bxa5 36. c3) 33. a4 b6 34. b3 b5 35. c3 b4 36. cxb4 axb4 37.
a5) 31. Bxg6 c5 32. Kh5 Ne6 33. Kh6 Kf8 34. Bf5 Ng7 (34... Nd4 35. Bd7 Nxc2 36.
g6 Kg8 37. Be6+ Kh8 38. g7#) 35. Bc8 b6 36. g6 d4 {[#] Black's only hope is to
do something with the Queen's-side Pawns, but they lack support.} 37. b3 Kg8
38. a4 Kf8 39. Bg4 Ne8 40. Kh7 Ng7 41. Kh6 Ne8 42. Be2 Ng7 43. Bc4 Ne8 {
[#] White begins a long King-march} 44. Kg5 Ke7 (44... Kg7 45. Bb5 Nd6 46. Bd3
Ne8 47. Kf5) 45. Kf5 Ng7+ 46. Ke5 Nh5 (46... Kd7 47. Kf6 Ne8+ 48. Kf7 Nd6+ 49.
Kf8) 47. Be2 Ng7 48. Kd5 Ne8 (48... Kd7 49. Bg4+) 49. Kc6 Ng7 50. Kb7 Kd6 {
[#] White attacks the Pawn chain at the base!} 51. Kxa7 Kc7 52. Ka6 Ne8 53. Bf3
Ng7 54. Bd5 Ne8 (54... Nf5 55. Be4 Ng7 56. Kb5 Ne8 57. a5 Nd6+ 58. Ka6 Nxe4 59.
axb6+ Kb8 60. g7 Nf6 61. Kb5 Kb7 62. Kxc5 Ng8 63. Kxd4) 55. Bf7 Ng7 56. Kb5 {
Now the White King covers the break at a5, and the Pawns at b6 and d5.} Nf5 {
[#]} 57. a5 Nd6+ (57... bxa5 58. Kxc5) 58. Ka6 bxa5 (58... Nf5 59. axb6+ Kb8
60. Kb5) 59. g7 1-0
[Event "Moscow"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1956.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bronstein, DI."]
[Black "Golombek, H."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E43"]
[Annotator "bishops: two bishops in NID"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "1956.??.??"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. e3 Bb7 6. Bd3 Ne4 7. O-O Bxc3 8.
bxc3 O-O 9. Ne1 f5 10. f3 Nf6 11. a4 Nc6 12. e4 fxe4 13. fxe4 e5 14. Bg5 Qe7
15. Nc2 Qd6 {[#] Black is doing his best to get White to play d4-d5, when as
well gaining the square c5, Black would expect the bloacked pawn formation to
favour the Knights. White finds an interesting way of resisting the
encouragement.} 16. Bh4 Rae8 17. Bg3 Qe7 18. Ne3 d6 (18... exd4 19. Nf5) 19.
Bh4 Nd8 20. Nd5 {[#] This leap into the (still) empty d5 point provokes Black
into giving up the remaining Bishop. It should not be supposed that Golombek
was unaware of the dangers in this, but considered it relatively best, given
the pressure on f6.} Bxd5 21. cxd5 c6 22. Qb3 Kh8 23. Rae1 h6 24. Qa3 g5 25.
Bg3 Nd7 26. dxc6 Nxc6 27. Bb5 {[#] After the pins on the King's-side have
finally been disposed of, White starts up in the same trade on the
Queen's-side!} Rxf1+ 28. Rxf1 Ncb8 {this decentralising move doesn't look right
} 29. Bc4 Rf8 {[#] Black's position now falls apart} 30. Rxf8+ Qxf8 31. dxe5
Nc5 32. exd6 Nxe4 {[Have the Knights finally secured a defence?]} 33. d7 {!}
Nc5 (33... Qxa3 34. d8=Q+ Kg7 35. Qg8+ Kf6 36. Qf7#) 34. Be5+ Kh7 35. Bd3+ {
[#] Golombek comments that these weren't mere Bishops, but Archbishops! 1-0
(35) Bronstein,D-Golombek,H Moscow 1956 MCL [Chekhov,V]} 1-0
[Event "London International Masters"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "1883.06.06"]
[Round "14.3"]
[White "Englisch, Berthold"]
[Black "Steinitz, Wilhelm"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C60"]
[Annotator "strategy: two bishops"]
[PlyCount "86"]
[EventDate "1883.04.26"]
[EventRounds "26"]
[EventCountry "ENG"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 O-O 8. O-O Ne7 9. Qd2 d5 10. exd5 Nexd5 11. Nxd5 Qxd5 12. Be2 Ng4 13. Bxg4 Bxg4 14. Nb3 Qxd2 15. Nxd2 Rad8 16. c3 Rfe8 17. Nb3 b6 18. h3 Be6 19. Rfd1 c5 {[#] Already denying the Knight a central square. This is the recipe: the Knight more than any other piece needs a secure advanced and/or central post. So Black keeps the Knight from settling and works his way in using the long-range threats of the Bishops.} 20. Bg5 f6 21. Bf4 Kf7 22. f3 g5 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Be3 h6 25. Re1 f5 $1 {White doesn't want to allow f5-f4, but doesn't want to play f3-f4 either!} 26. f4 Bf6 27. g3 a5 28. Nc1 a4 29. a3 Bc4 30. Kf2 {[#] Black is now rather better.} gxf4 31. Bxf4 Bg5 {Black chooses to go into a B vs N endgame. The side with the two Bishops usually has a choice about how to change the position, swapping one advantage for another.} 32. Bxg5 hxg5 33. Ke3 Kf6 34. h4 gxh4 35. gxh4 Re8+ 36. Kf2 Rxe1 37. Kxe1 Ke5 {Black's better King wins the game.} 38. Ne2 Bxe2 39. Kxe2 {Both Bishops have disappeared, but Black is winning.} Kf4 40. c4 Kg4 41. Ke3 f4+ {!} 42. Ke4 f3 43. Ke3 Kg3 {0-1 englisch-steinitz} 0-1
[Event "XX"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1996.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lane, Peter CR"]
[Black "Bartlett, J."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E28"]
[Annotator "pawns: doubled"]
[PlyCount "39"]
[EventDate "1996.??.??"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 O-O 7. Bd3 d6 8. Ne2 e5 9. e4 {[#]} Re8 10. Ng3 Nc6 11. d5 Ne7 (11... Na5 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Qa4) 12. Bg5 Ng6 13. Nh5 Bg4 14. Nxf6+ gxf6 15. Bxf6 Bxd1 16. Bxd8 Rexd8 17. Rxd1 Nf4 18. Bf1 $1 Kf8 19. g3 Nh5 20. Bh3 {[#] White went on to win: the 'bad' Bishop has a fine diagonal and the Knight has no good squares.} 1-0
[Event "WECU Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2001.04.13"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Regis, D."]
[Black "Humphreys, J."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A15"]
[WhiteElo "1812"]
[BlackElo "2008"]
[PlyCount "140"]
1. c4 Nf6 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. Nc3 b6 5. e4 Qc7 6. Nge2 Bb7 7. O-O e6 8. d3 Be7 9. h3 O-O 10. Be3 Rad8 11. g4 d6 12. Ng3 Nd7 13. f4 Bf6 14. Kh2 a6 15. g5 Bd4 16. Bd2 Ne7 17. Nge2 f5 18. Rc1 e5 19. Nxd4 exd4 20. Nd5 Bxd5 21. exd5 Rfe8 22. Qh5 Ng6 23. Rce1 Ndf8 24. Kg3 Qd7 25. Qd1 b5 26. b3 Rxe1 27. Rxe1 Re8 28. h4 bxc4 29. bxc4 Rb8 30. h5 Ne7 31. Re2 Rb2 32. Qe1 Nc8 33. Ba5 Rxe2 34. Qxe2 Qf7 35. Bf3 Qd7 36. Qc2 Qe8 37. Bd2 Qd7 {(=)} 38. Bd1 Kf7 39. Qa4 Qb7 40. Qb3 Qc7 41. Qb2 Kg8 42. Ba4 Qe7 43. Kf2 Qf7 44. Bd1 Qc7 45. Qa3 Qb7 {} 46. Qa5 (46. Qb3 $5 Qc7 47. Qa4 Qb7 48. Qe8 Qd7 (48... Qb1 49. g6 hxg6 50. hxg6 Qb7 51. Ba4 Nb6 52. Bc6 Qc8 53. Qf7+ Kh8 54. Ba5 $18) 49. Ba4 (49. Qxd7 Nxd7 50. Ba4 Ncb6 51. Bc6 Nb8 52. Bb7 Kf7 53. Ba5 N6d7 54. Bc7 Ke7 55. a4 h6 56. g6 $22 $18 {zugzwang}) 49... Qxe8 50. Bxe8 Ne7 51. Ba5 g6 52. h6 Nc8 53. Bc7 $22 $18) 46... Nb6 47. Qa3 Nc8 48. Ba5 Qb1 49. Ke2 Qb7 50. Qb3 Qe7+ 51. Kf1 $2 (51. Kd2 $1 Qe3+ 52. Kc2 Qxf4 (52... Qe8) 53. Qb7 Qxg5 (53... Qf2+ 54. Kb3 Qf1 55. Bc2) 54. Qxc8 f4 55. Qxa6 Qg2+ 56. Bd2 f3 57. Qxd6 f2 58. Be2 f1=Q 59. Bxf1 Qxf1 60. Qxc5 Qa1 61. Qa7 $18) 51... Qe3 52. Qc2 Qxf4+ 53. Qf2 Qxg5 54. Bd2 Qf6 55. h6 g6 56. Qg3 Nd7 57. Bg5 Qf7 58. Bf4 Qf8 59. Ba4 Nf6 60. Bc6 Nh5 61. Qg5 Nxf4 62. Qxf4 Qe7 63. Kf2 a5 64. Qd2 Qh4+ 65. Kg1 Qg3+ 66. Kf1 Qh3+ 67. Kg1 Qe3+ 68. Qxe3 dxe3 69. Kf1 Kf7 70. Ke2 f4 0-1
[Event "Philadelphia"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Capablanca, JR."]
[Black "Shipley, WP."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C12"]
[Annotator "Top 10: annotations"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "1924.??.??"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Bxf6 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 gxf6
8. Qd2 c5 9. Nf3 Nc6 10. Qe3 cxd4 11. cxd4 Bd7 12. Bd3 Qa5+ 13. Ke2 O-O-O 14.
Rhb1 e5 {"Don't simplify against Capablanca!", I keep telling them at the
office.} 15. dxe5 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Qxe5 17. Qxe5 fxe5 18. Be4 Bc6 19. Bxc6 bxc6
20. Rb3 Kc7 21. Rab1 Rb8 22. Rxb8 Rxb8 23. Rxb8 Kxb8 24. Kd3 Kc7 25. Ke4 Kd6
26. g4 Ke6 27. h4 f6 28. f4 exf4 29. Kxf4 h6 30. c3 a6 31. a3 a5 32. a4 Ke7 33.
Kf5 c5 34. c4 1-0
[Event "Lasker - Tarrasch World Championship Match"]
[Site "Duesseldorf GER"]
[Date "1908.08.17"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Siegbert Tarrasch"]
[ECO "C68"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "109"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4
7.Nxd4 c5 {Without pieces, Black may be dead lost because of the White King's-side majority} 8.Ne2 Bd7 9.b3 Bc6 10.f3 Be7 11.Bb2 Bf6 12.Bxf6 Nxf6
13.Nd2 O-O-O 14.O-O-O Rd7 15.Nf4 Re8 16.Nc4 b6 17.a4 a5
18.Rxd7 Nxd7 19.Rd1 Ne5 20.Nxe5 Rxe5 21.c4 Re8 22.Nh5 Rg8
23.Rd3 f6 24.Kd2 Be8 25.Ng3 Bd7 26.Ke3 Re8 27.Nh5 Re7 28.g4 c6
29.h4 Kc7 30.g5 f5 31.Ng3 fxe4 32.Nxe4 Bf5 33.h5 Rd7 34.Rc3
Rd1 35.Kf4 Bd7 36.Re3 Rh1 37.Ng3 Rh4+ 38.Ke5 Rh3 39.f4 Kd8
40.f5 Rh4 41.f6 gxf6 42.Kxf6 Be8 43.Nf5 Rf4 44.g6 hxg6 45.hxg6
Rg4 46.Rxe8+ Kxe8 47.g7 Kd7 48.Nh4 Rxg7 49.Kxg7 Ke6 50.Nf3 Kf5
51.Kf7 Ke4 52.Ke6 Kd3 53.Kd6 Kc3 54.Kxc6 Kxb3 55.Kb5 1-0
[Event "Olympiad-09"]
[Site "Dubrovnik"]
[Date "1950.08.30"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Evans, LM."]
[Black "Opsahl, Haakon"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D36"]
[Annotator "QGDEV: minority attack & defences"]
[PlyCount "161"]
[EventDate "1950.08.20"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "15"]
[EventCountry "YUG"]
[WhiteTeam "US of America"]
[BlackTeam "Norway"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "USA"]
[BlackTeamCountry "NOR"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 Be7 6. Qc2 O-O 7. cxd5 exd5 8.
Nf3 c6 9. Bd3 Re8 10. O-O Nf8 11. Rab1 Ne4 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 {[#] The classic
setting for the minority attack.} 13. b4 a6 14. a4 Nxc3 15. Qxc3 Bg4 16. Nd2
Qg5 17. Rfc1 Re6 {[#] Drumming up some King's-side counterplay.} 18. b5 {!}
axb5 19. axb5 Bh3 20. g3 Rae8 21. bxc6 bxc6 22. Bf1 {!} Bxf1 23. Nxf1 Ng6 24.
Rb6 {[#] A critical moment - if Black has to go back now he is really up
against the ropes.} Ne7 (24... Nh4 25. Rxc6 {The Rook on c6 stops the Black
Rook on e6 joining the attack. I think the White King is safe here.} Nf3+ 26.
Kh1 h5 27. Qb3 (27. Qd3)) 25. Qb4 h5 26. Rb8 Rxb8 27. Qxb8+ Kh7 28. Qf4 {!}
Qxf4 29. gxf4 {<em> [The h-pawn cannot really be attacked, and with Queens off
White can use the King] </em>} g6 30. Nd2 Rd6 31. Kf1 Kg7 32. Ra1 Rd7 33. Nb3
Rb7 34. Nc5 Rb2 35. Ra7 Kf6 36. Ra6 Rb1+ 37. Kg2 Rb2 38. Ra7 Rb1 39. Rc7 Ra1
40. Nd3 Ke6 41. Nc5+ Kf6 42. Nd7+ Ke6 43. Nf8+ Kf6 44. Nh7+ Ke6 45. Ng5+ Kd6
46. Rb7 {[#]} f6 {?} (46... f5) 47. Nh7 Ke6 48. Nf8+ {Very neat} Kf7 (48... Kd6
49. Rd7#) 49. Nxg6 Kxg6 50. Rxe7 {White has a pawn and hopes of collecting
more.} Kf5 51. Rc7 {[#]} Rc1 52. Rc8 Kg6 53. Kg3 Rc2 54. h4 Kf5 55. Rh8 Kg6 56.
f5+ Kxf5 57. Rxh5+ {Now White has a passed pawn.} Kg6 58. Rh8 Kf5 59. Rg8 Rc1
60. Kg2 Ra1 61. h5 Ra7 62. Rg3 Rh7 63. Rh3 Kg5 64. Kf3 {Offering to trade the
pawn for a winning King raid.} Rh6 65. Rh1 Kf5 66. Kg3 Kg5 67. Rh4 Kf5 68. Rf4+
Kg5 {[#]} 69. Rg4+ {! Again offering the pawn, but again Black dare not accept.
} Kf5 70. Kh4 Rh8 71. Rg7 Ra8 72. h6 Ra1 73. Rg3 Rh1+ 74. Rh3 Rg1 75. Rf3+ Kg6
76. Rg3+ {The winning clearance} Rxg3 77. Kxg3 Kxh6 78. Kg4 (78. Kf4 Kg6 79. f3
Kg7 80. Kf5 Kf7 81. f4 Ke7 82. Kg6 Ke6 83. f5+ Ke7 84. Kg7) 78... Kg6 79. Kf4
Kg7 80. Kf5 Kf7 81. f3 1-0