FIDE Surveys – Viacheslav Eingorn

1

Viacheslav Eingorn:

Rook vs Bishop endings
(pawns on the same flank)

Concept
This survey serves as the continuation of my
previous one: Rook + Pawn vs Bishop +
Pawn, same flank (2012). Here we will
examine some basic standings where each
side has two pawns on the same flank. Of
course, the bigger number of pawns makes
the rook’s advantage more significant but
nevertheless there is an entire class of
positions where draw is a probable outcome.
Pawns “g”+ “h”
We start from two well-known theoretical
examples.
1)

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+k+0
9+-tR-+-+p0
9-+-+K+p+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-vl-+-+PzP0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Black to move. Draw.

1…h5!
Black creates the fortress. The only possible
attempt of assault leads to the pawn
exchanges and draw.
2.h4 Ba1!
A big mistake is 2… Bd4? 3.Rc4 (White get
the important tempo) 3…Bb2 4.g4 hxg4
5.Rxg4 Kh7 6.Kf7Kh6 7.Rxg6+ Kh5 8.Rg2
Bc3 9.Rh2, and White wins.
3.Rc4 Kg7 4.g4 hxg4 5.Rxg4 Kh6 6.Kf7
Kh5 7.Rxg6 Kxh4=.

The first Black’s move in this case was
obligatory - otherwise White could play g4
with the folowing h4-h5, etc.

2) Olafsson F. : Larsen B.,
Las Palmas 1974

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+k+0
9tR-+-+-+-0
9-+-+K+pzp0
9+-+-+-vl-0
9-+-+-+P+0
9+-+-+-+P0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Draw.

White pawns are deprived of mobility, and
the shielding barrier created by Black’s
bishop along the diagonal h4-d8 cannot be
overcomed, e.g. 1.Ra1 Kg7 2.Rh1 Bh4.
Positions (1) and (2) so successfully
supplement each other that it becomes
possible also to carry out the judgement in
the following general case.

3) (after Villeneuve)

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+k+0
9+R+-+-zpp0
9-+-+-vl-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+PzP0
9+-+-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiii

Draw.

FIDE Surveys – Viacheslav Eingorn

2

To begin with White has to prevent the
move …h5 in order to avoid the position (1).
1.Rb5
Or 1.g4 g6 2.Kg2 h6 (3.Kg3 Be5+).
1...g6 2.g4 h6 3.Kg2 Bh4
Now we get position (2) with white pawn on
h2 instead of h3 – so White may try to use
this difference.
4.Kh3 Be1
4...Bf2 is also OK, but other bishop’s moves
are not welcome, e.g 4...Be7? 5.Rb6 Kg7
6.Kg3 Bc5 (6...Ba3 7.h4 h5 8.Rb7+) 7.Rb7+
Kf6 8.h4, and White wins.
5.Re5 Bf2
There are some possible alternatives: 5...Bd2
(5...Bc3; 5...Bb4) 6.Kg3 Bc3! 7.Re2 Kf7
8.h4 h5. In any case Black must not allow
white pawn to advance on h5.
6.Re2 Bd4!
After 6...Bc5? 7.Kg3 Kf7 8.Rd2 Bf8 9.Rd7+
(9.h4? h5) 9...Kf6 10.h3 (10.h4? h5)
10...Bc5 11.h4 Black is doomed.
7.Kg3 Kg7 8.h4 h5=

But if we change the bishop’s color then
Black will need some special conditions to
survive.

4)

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+k+-+-+-0
9p+-+-+-+0
9+p+K+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9zP-+-vl-+-0
9-zP-+-+-+0
9+-+-+R+-0
xiiiiiiii

White wins. With white pawn on b3 (b4) –
draw.

Black took up the best shielding position.
Grandmaster Averbach erroneously
estimated it as a draw, assuming that White
cannot make progress. Indeed, the further

maneuvering brings no effect: 49.Rf7+ Kb6
50.Rf3 Bg1 51.Rf1 Be3 52.Ke4 Bg5
(52...Bc5 is simpler, e.g. 53.b4? Be7 54.Kd5
Bg5 55.Re1 Bh4 56.Re6+ Kb7=) 53.Rf5
Bc1 54.Rf2 Bg5 55.Kd4 (Tiviakov S. :
Korsunsky R., Frunze, 1989) – and here
instead of the fallacious move 55…Bc1?
Black could play 55...Kc6, maintaining
‘status quo’. So to achieve his gain White
must enlarge the zone of battle activity.
49.a4! bxa4
After 49...Kb6 50.axb5 axb5 White’s task
becomes even simpler.
50.Ra1 Kb6 51.Rxa4, and White wins
(survey 2012).

Other pawn configurations

The next two positions illustrate the possible
course of struggle in positions with pawns
“f” and “g”: White wins if he has no
shortcomings in his pawn arrangement.

5)

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-mk-0
9-+-+-+p+0
9+-+K+p+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-vl-+P+-0
9R+-+-+P+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Black to move. White wins
1...Kf6!
After 1...Bf6 2.Ke6 Bd4 3.g3 and then Rg2,
f4 and g4 Black will die without resistance.
Not allowing White’s king to

occupy the key

square e6 Black noticeably complicates the
task of his opponent. Now (as at most other
similar cases) White has to be cautious with
pawn moves, e.g. 2.f4?! Kf7 3.Ra7+ Kf6
4.Ra3 Bb2 5.Rb3 Ba1 6.Rb1 Bc3 7.Kc4
(driving out the bishop from the long
diagonal) Bd2, and Black get counterplay.

FIDE Surveys – Viacheslav Eingorn

3

2.Ra6+ Kf7 3.Rc6 Ba1
The variation 3...Bh8 4.Rc7+ Kf6 5.Rh7
Bg7 6.Kc6! Bf8 7.Kd7 speeds the things up.
4.Rc1 Bb2 5.Rc2 Ba1 6.Kd6 Kf6 7.Re2
Bd4 8.Kd7 Bc5
Black builds the new defensive front. After
8...Kf7 9.Re7+ Kf6 10.Ke8 Bc5 11.Rf7+
Ke6 12.Rc7 the invasion of white pieces is
inevitable.
9.Ke8 Kg7
Or 9...Bb4 10.Rb2 Bc5 11.Rb7.
10.Rb2 Kg8 11.Rb1!
This waiting move puts Black in zugzwang.
11…Kg7
Also 11...Ba3 12.Rb7 Bc5 (12...Bf8 13.Rb6
Kg7 14.Rxg6+) 13.Kd7 Kf7 14.Kc6+ is
unsatisfactory.
12.Rb7+ Kg8 13.Kd7 Kf7 14.Kc6+ Be7
15.Kd5, and White wins.

6)

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-mk-+0
9tR-+-+pzp-0
9-+-+l+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-zPP+0
9+-+-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

White wins
The change of bishop’s color in this
situation leaves Black with no real hope for
salvation as any of possible defensive
schemes (f6+g7; f6+g5; f7+g5+Kf6) does
not work, e.g. 1.Kf1 f6 2.Ke2 Bd5 3.g3 Be6
4.Ke3 Bd5 5.Kd4 Be6 6.Kc5 Bb3 7.Kd6
Bc4 8.Rc7 Bb3 9.Rc3 Ba2 10.f4, following
by g5, fxg5, fxg5 (survey 2012).

Let us also mention

situations with

asymmetrical pawn disposition – here White
also has no any particular difficulties in
realization of his advantage.

7)

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-mk-0
9-+-+-+p+0
9+-+K+p+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-vl-+-+P0
9R+-+-+P+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

White wins
1...Kf6 2.h4 Kf7 3.Ra3 Bb2
Or 3...Be1 4.Ra7+ Kf6 5.Ra6+ Kg7 6.h5.
4.Rf3 Bf6 5.Rf4
The immediate 5.h5 is possible too.
5...Bd8 6.Ra4 Be7
6...Kf6 7.Ra6+ Kg7 8.h5 leads to the same.
7.Ra7 Kf6 8.Ra6+ Kg7 9.h5, and White
wins.

Practical examples

Both players are well advised to focus
attention on the small details of position,
since they can prove to be essential for the
eventual result of the game.

Nguyen Duc Hoa : Huschenbeth
39th Olympiad Khanty-Mansiysk 2010

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-mk0
9vL-+-+-zp-0
9-+-+-+-zp0
9tr-+L+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-zP-0
9-+-+-+KzP0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Black wins. With black pawn on g6 or g5 -
draw

FIDE Surveys – Viacheslav Eingorn

4

42...Rxd5!
This choice is not very complicated: after
42...Rxa7? 43.h4 the drawish position (1)
comes to the board.
43.Bb8?!
Similarly to (4) by playing 43.g4! White
could start a much more persistent defense.
After 43…h5! 44.gxh5 Rxh5 or 44.h3 hxg4
45.hxg4 Rd3! Black wins in both variations
only because his pawn is still placed on g7.
43...h5 44.g4 h4!?
Now Black makes use of alternative.
45.Kh3 g5 46.Bc7 Kg7 47.Kg2 Rd3
48.Be5+ Kf7 49.Bb8 Ke6 50.Bc7 Rd4
51.Kh3 Rd2 52.Ba5 Rd3+ 53.Kg2 Ke5
54.Bc7+ Ke4 55.Bb8 Rd7 56.Kh3
This move leads to immediate defeat. The
continuation 56.h3 Rd8 57.Bc7 Rd2+
58.Kg1 Rd7 59.Bb8 Kd5 60.Kg2 Rb7
61.Bh2 Rb2+ 62.Kg1 Rxh2 63.Kxh2 Ke4
was more

instructive.

56...Kd5! 0:1.

Moisieev O. : Botvinnik M.
Moscow 1952

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+L+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+p+0
9+-+-mk-+p0
9-+-+-+-zP0
9+-+-+-mK-0
9-+-+-+P+0
9+-+-+-+r0
xiiiiiiiiy

Black wins

To create a fortress White needs the pawn
on g3, but unfortunately he is obliged to
occupy this square by king.
65.Bc8 Kf6 66.Bd7 g5 67.hxg5+ Kxg5
68.Bc8 h4+ 69.Kf3 Rc1 70.Bd7 Rc2
71.Be6 Rc7! 72.g4
White has got into zugzwang, the possible
continuation could be 72.Bh3 Rc3+ 73.Ke4

Rg3, and the White’s king will be inevitably
drived away.
72...Rc3+ 73.Kg2 h3+ 74.Kh2 Kh4 75.g5
Rc2+ 0:1.

Bologan V. : Bouchet N.
France 2007

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+R+0
9+-+-+p+-0
9-+-+-mk-+0
9+-+l+-zp-0
9-+-+-+P+0
9+-+-+PmK-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Black to move. Draw.

This position is very similar to the previous
example, but a little shift to the left changes
the whole picture.
37…Bb7?
Very unlucky choice. Black had to secure
the possibility of further move …f6 by
means of 36...Be6 (36...Bc4 or even
36…Ba2 are also good). Then after 37.f4
gxf4+ 38.Kxf4 Ke7 39.g5 (39.Ra8 f6) f6
Black is safe as 40.Rg7+ Kf8 41.gxf6 Bd5
leads to Del Rio theoretical draw.
37.f4 gxf4+ 38.Kxf4 Bc6 39.g5+ Ke6
40.Rh8, and White won.

Conclusion

In the majority of such endings the player
with the rook may rely on victory only if he
has a favorable pawn configuration and the
confident technics to perform the basic
“R+p” vs “B+p” positions.