1

Georg Mohr:

The Attack with the opposite-
colored Bishops

My generation’s chessplayers, who) are
nowadays working as chess trainers, have
learned a lot from matches between Anatolij
Karpov and Garry Kasparov. A lot of people
from the Soviet Union have been involved in
these matches. Adrian Mikhalchishin once
said, that he has learned the most in his life,
when he was working with Karpov for a few
years. The same thing also claimed others,
who participated with Karpov or Kasparov.
On the other hand, others, who did not live
beyond the borders of the Soviet Union,
were learning from the games and from
hardly any comments that reached their
countries.

The first match – the marathon one, which
has been stopped after the 48-th game, has
been marked with draws, political intrigues
and with a lot of attention from the media.
Due to all that, everyone was waiting
impatiently for the re-match. Both players
claimed, that they suffered damage from the
first match and that they are now ready to
show, what they are capable of. They were
both full of themselves and they were acting
like two heavy-weight boxers. The first
game was better for the challenger,
Kasparov and he has won it. First round was
followed by two draws and after that the
next game started.

Karpov,Anatoly : Kasparov,Garry
World Championship, Moscow (4)

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After the first twenty moves of Queen’s
Gambit Karpov achieved slice but stable
advantage. Black has a weak pawn on d5
and a very passive Bishop on e6 and that
means that his pair of Bishops does not help
him at all. White Knight on d4 is very
powerful: it manages to block an opponent’s
bad pawn; it is closing the diagonals of the
f6 Bishop’s and the Queen’s on b6; it is
controlling the c2 square, through which
could penetrate both black rooks (in case of
Bd4 – Rd4). The next white’s move was
even more shocking:
1.Ne6!
This move has turned around all the
elements of the position. White decided to
enter in the position with the opposite-
colored Bishops and so made a statement,
that he is not interested in an endgame. It is
known that opposite-colored Bishops are
connected with draw: if there are no heavy
pieces left on the board, it is almost certain,
that the game will end with a draw, even
though a player has an advantage of one or
even two pawns.
So what is it all about? Kasparov has written
over the years: “If white takes on e6, it needs
to have a long plan, which needs to be

2

fulfilled thoroughly. The direct play on bad
white squares leaves us with nothing: 2...fe6
2.Qg6? Qa5 and Black won a pawn without
any compensation for White. White needs to
built his attack slowly: first he needs to
burden the black pieces, then to prepare the
e3-e4 move and only after that he can
prepare an attack on the black King. White
will help himself with an open e-file or with
the pawn majority on the King’s side.”
1...fe6 2.Bg4!
A very accurate move – black Queen needs
to defend the e6 pawn and so cannot be
activated.
2... Rc4 3.h3 Qc6 4.Qd3 Kh8?
What optimism! Sooner or later White will
set a “battery” on the b1-h7 diagonal and
Black is facing mate threats.
5.Rfd1 a5 6.b3 Rc3 7.Qe2 Rf8 8.Bh5!
The setting of the battery is starting: Bishop
moves to g6, then returns back and after a
Queen moves in front of the Bishop …
8...b5 9.Bg6! Bd8 10.Bd3! b4 11.Qg4 Qe8

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12.e4!
Next follows the second part of the plan,
which was described by Karpov. The move
is connected with a very accurate calculation
and with a clear positional ideas – White
wants to weaken the d5 pawn and so gain a
square for possible penetration of the white
Queen. On the other hand White is taking

risks with a move like that. Black built his
defense on counter play against f2 square –
12…Bb6 would definitely be the most
logical and sensible answer.
12...Bg5?
The play on a one-move tricks (13.Re2?
Rf4!) cannot be good on this level. Karpov
has foreseen the answer of the Black.
13.Rc2 Rc2?
Disappointed Kasparov could not decide
how to move forward. The position of his
King was becoming more and more weak
and that is why we would recommend the
exchange of the Queens: 13...Qc8, with the
idea 14.ed5 ed5 15.Qc8 Rfc8 16.Re2 Rc1,
where his position would be admittedly
weaker (his King would be threatened by the
Rook and the Bishop but it would be easier
to defend this position).
14.Bc2 Qc6 15.Qe2 Qc5 16.Rf1 Qc3 17.ed5
ed5 18.Bb1!
With his maneuver skills, Karpov managed
to get what he wanted – he will set a battery
on the critical diagonal and because he has
not weakened himself too much, Black’s
days are counted. Everything was followed
by a top technique:
18...Qd2 19.Qe5 Rd8 20.Qf5 Kg8 21.Qe6
Kh8
21...Kf8 22.Bg6 Qf4 23.Re1.
22.Qg6 Kg8 23.Qe6 Kh8 24.Bf5 Qc3
25.Qg6 Kg8 26.Be6 Kh8 27.Bf5 Kg8 28.g3!
Later on we will look into details of the
technique of taking space from the
opponents Bishop, with the help of putting
pawns on the squares that have the same
color as the Bishop.
28...Kf8 29.Kg2 Qf6 30.Qh7 Qf7 31.h4
Bd2
When the attack will be joined by a Rook,
the story will soon be finished. The black
Bishop is, for now, preventing the move Re1
but the white Rook has another possibility:
32.Rd1 Bc3 33.Rd3! Rd6 34.Rf3 Ke7
35.Qh8 d4 36.Qc8 Rf6 37.Qc5 Ke8 38.Rf4
Qb7 39.Re4 Kf7 40.Qc4 Kf8 41.Bh7 Rf7
42.Qe6 Qd7 43.Qe5 1:0.

3

It was a marvelous game for White, which
(not without the help of Black) has carried
out the classical attack in the position with
the opposite-colored Bishops. This game has
opened many new horizons in understanding
of positional chess. In the following years
the two famous trainers, Mark Dvoretsky
and Adrian Mikhalchishin, wrote about these
theme. The first systematized it and also set
some rules. Because these rules are eternal,
we summarize them too, but their execution
we leave to the great masters of the game.

Rule number one: initiative

The positions with the opposite-colored
Bishops are accompanied by a threat, that
they will end with a draw. That is why one
needs to be very careful, because every
exchange could destroy the attacking
initiative.
An inexperienced eye would evaluate the
majority of these positions as equal –
something similar is happening with
computer programs, which are always
finding fantastic defenses for the defender.
Practice showed, that these kinds of
positions are very difficult to defend. Just
imagine the young Kasparov, which was
being slowly grilled by Karpov, until the
fatal error. Rbyka even in 53rd move
evaluates the position as slightly better for
White!?
Because of that in these positions initiative is
the most important. The one that is on the
move and that will threaten first, will have
the advantage.
.

Leko,Peter : Kramnik,Vladimir
Linares, 2000

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On the diagram is a classical position of
popular Sveshnikov Variation of Sicilian
Defence. White is facing his power on the
Queen side, where Black is having some
weaknesses and where White can create a
passed prawn. In the meantime Black’s play
is on the King’s side, but he first needs to
open files and diagonals. The position
defines the position of the Kings: black King
is safe, white King is more open.
1...f4! 2.g4
After 2.gf4 Rf4 the attack is joined by the
other black Rook and White defense could
be quickly destroyed.
2...Rg8 3.h3 h5 4.Qe4
White is defending himself smartly. It would
be bad to play 4.gh5, because Black’s
pressure on g-file could become stronger.
And now it is not good to play 4...hg4,
because of 5.Rf4!
4...Qf6! 5.Bf3 Rg7
The position has cleared: Black is quick in
building his attack and White will be forced
to defend with all the pieces, so he can forget
about the Queen’s side.
6.Rf2 Qh4 7.Rdd2 Rbg8 8.Rh2 Re7
9.Rde2

4

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9...b4!
Representative method of opening the
position, alongside with space advantage -
the opening of the second front, with the
goal to create weakness on the other wing,
which will need to be defended by
opponent’s pieces. (Mikhalchishin)
10.ab4 ab4 11.Rhg2?
Black’s opportunity has arrived, which only
proves, how hard it is to defend oneself in
similar positions – Leko is one of the best
defense masters of the modern chess. But
attacking is not always easy …
11...bc3?
A mistake, that will be understood with the
next move. It would be correct to play
11...Ra7!, with the threat 12...Ra1 and quick
decision. After 12.Re1 (human decisoon –
Rybka recommends 12.Qb1, where Black is
left with a pawn more) 12...bc3 13.bc3 Ra4!
14.c4 Rc4! 15.Qc4 Qe1, with a quick
decision.
12.bc3 Ra7 13.Ra2!
Kramnik obviously forgot about this
possibility for defense. The game quickly
ended with a draw, after:
13...Rag7 14.gh5 Rg2 draw.
In this game we saw how important the
initiative is and how are we supposed to
handle with it rightly. It often happens that a
player sacrifices a pawn, just to get the

initiative. Let’s take a look at the example
that we borrowed from a great manual,
written by Mark Dvoretsky “Positional
game”.

Simagin,Vladimir : Chistiakov,Alexander
Moscow, 1946

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The position on the diagram is very
instructive. In this dynamic position, where
both Kings are out in the open, initiative is
more important than taking the Pawn.
Therefore the 1.Qc4 move is definitely a
waste of time, because Black can attack on
g4 and white pieces would need to move
back into defense.
1.Qf2!
Queen moves to h4 and from there, if there
is a chance, also on f6.
1...c3!
Black could take the Pawn – 1...Ra4, but he
evaluated that initiative is more important.
With the sacrifice of his c-Pawn, he opens
the way for his Rook.
2.Bc3 Ra4
Now the f4-Pawn is under attack. When and
if Black takes on f4, many different attack
motives will appear in the position: Rf3, fg4
and similar. But the white was familiar with
the rule, which says, that initiative is more
important than a Pawn!
3.Qh4!

5

Check is threatened on f6, »the threat« is
also positional 4.Kg3, with transferring the
Rooks on the h-file, which without the
Queen on h4 was not yet effective.
3...Rf4?
Black did not find the right defense -
3...Ra3! White shouldn’t move the Bishop,
because of taking on g4, after 4.Rac1 Black
will have a chance to rest and will come to
consolidation. Also the proposition of the
sharp play, after 4.Qf6 Rg7 5.Rad1 fg4
6.Kh4!? Bd7 7.Bb4 does not bring any
advantage, because after 7...Ra2 cannot be
played 8.Bf8, because of 8...Qh5! 9.Kh5 Rh2
10.Qh4 Be8, with mate.
Taking the Pawn left White with too much
initiative for suitable defense under the
pressure of the clock.
4.Qf6 Rg7 5.Kg3! Rc4 6.Rad1! Bd7 7.Bd2
After some forced moves a peaceful move
followed, with a terrible threat Bh6. Because
7...Qg6 8.Bh6 Qf6 9.ef6 Rf7 10.ef5 ef5
11.Rfe1 is quite unpleasant, Black decided
for a logical move:
7...Kg8 8.Bh6 Rg6
There are no direct threats, but White
decided to continue in “style” ...

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9.Rd7!
The rest is more or less forced:
9...Rf6 10.Rg7 Kh8 11.ef6 Qb8 12.f4 Rc3
13.Kh4!

There is no defense against these threats,
especially not against f6-f7.
13...Qf8 14.Rh7 Kh7 15.Bf8 +-.

Rule number two: Pawns should be
moved to the squares of the
opponent’s Bishop

It is very important to understand, that we, as
attacker, need to put our Pawns, in the
middlegame (and also in endgames), to the
squares that are meant for the opponent’s
Bishop. With that, we take some space from
the Bishop and we force the opponent to
start moving his Pawns to the squares of his
Bishop, which leaves us with some open
diagonals against his King.
The defender’s work is not easy: if he starts
to move his Pawns on the squares of the
opponent’s Bishop, then his usual ways of
transposition

to

the

endgame,

with

exchanges, are not easy to complete and that
represents the opponent’s most appropriate
defense technique. There is a completely
other logic, when it comes to defense in the
endgames

with

the

opposite-colored

Bishops: put the Pawns on the squares of
your Bishop, where the opponent cannot
attack them and a draw is practically in your
hands. If the defender starts to use this
technique in the middlegame the risks are
high. The mobility of the Pawn structure is
also very important. If the Pawn structure is
blocked or fixed, then the play in
middlegame and also in the endgame is very
limited. If the Pawns are not blocked or
fixed, then the game is more flexible.

6

Botvinnik,Mikhail : Tal,Mihail
World Championship, Moscow, 1961

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On the diagram is another game from the
World Championship match. White position
is very close to winning, even though he has
no material advantage and no direct threats.
White’s Bishop on c4 is better than Black’s,
because he is much more active.
In this kind of positions is very important to
choose the correct plan. What are we
supposed to do? White needs to move
forward with the Pawns on the King’s side.
Black cannot move his Pawns on the other
side, because they are blocked. White could
increase his blockade with the 1.Rd3 move.
This move would prevent the sacrifice of the
Pawn d4-d3 and activation of the black
Bishop. But Botvinnik thought, that he will
win easier with a Pawn more.
It is important how to move forward with the
Pawns. It is clear, that White needs to move
them slowly on the black squares - the
squares of the opponent’s Bishop. If White
does not do that and plays f4-f5(?), Black
would be able to block White’s pawn
structure and the position would be equal.
1.f4 d3 2.Rd3 Rd3 3.Bd3 Bd4
Black achieved a lot with the sacrifice: he
exchanges one pair of Rooks (that is good
for the defender) and activated his Bishop.

But White’s advantage was already too
big…
4.e5 g6 5.Rh1 Kg7 6.Qe4 b6 7.Bc4 1:0.
And the game is over, because Black cannot
defend anymore. There is a check threat on
b7 and the next variation tells a lot 7...Qe7
8.g5!, where White controls all black squares
and is also threatening 9.Qc6 in 10.Qf6.

Dangerous diagonals

For the end let’s say something about
dangerous diagonals. In the game Karpov :
Kasparov we saw a classical example of an
attack on short castle. In this game black
Pawns on g7 and h6 weakened the b1-h7
diagonal and White took advantage of that.
The other two diagonals are also very
important. The weak long diagonal (a1-h8)
is used for attacks on the opponents King,
especially when there are only opposite-
colored Bishops from the light pieces left on
the board.

Petrosian,Tigran : Polugaevsky,Lev
USSR, 1970

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White has an advantage, even though he has
a double pawn and so a pawn less in the
center. Decisive is White’s Bishop on e5. It
is very powerful and he is cooperating in the

7

attack on black King. Black’s Bishop on b7
is very passive.
White’s plan is clear: attack on a weak g7
square or penetration of the heavy pieces
through an open file.
1.h3 h6 2.Re3!
Direckt attack with 2.Rg3 gives nothing,
because Black can defend himself – 2...Rg6.
That is why White is planning to penetrate
through an open e-file: Bd4, Qe2 and Re7.
Black will not be able to defend an e-file
with the Rook, due to a weak g7 square.
2...Rg6
Black should sacrifice a Pawn and so
activate his Bishop. So: 2...d4!? 3.Bd4 Rg6.
3.Bd4
After this move the long diagonal will be
closed for a long time and also the Bishop.
3...Kh7 4.Qc2!
Petrosian is wonderfully moving the
pressure from from e-file to another. After
4.Qe2 Qc7 White could not take advantage
of an open e-file so easily. Penetration
through the c-file looks more dangerous.
4...Qd7 5.Kh2!
Petrosian is, in his style, not rushing
anywhere. His task is clear. He needs to
prevent any kind of Black's counter play.
With Kh2 he is preventing check on c1 (after
Qc7).
5...Bc8 6.Rc3!
Now it is time to penetrate on the seventh
rank, because the opponent took away his
chance to defend himself.
6...Ba6 7.Rc7 Qe6 8.g4!
There is no comment necessary – World
champion’s move!
8...Bf1 9.Qf5 Qf5 10.gf5 Rg2 11.Kh1 1:0.
Black resigned due to double threat - 12.f6
or 12.Rc1.

When we play against the short castle, the
a2-g8 diagonal is the most important and the
pressure on f7 square (f2 - if Black is
attacking) is important, too. The pressure can
be very unpleasant, even though the critical

square is defended by a Rook and a King.
Let’s look into two classical examples.
The first example is from the World
championship match, where the attacker did
not need his Queen to finish the attack
successfully.

Bogoljubow,Efim : Alekhine,Alexander
World Championship, GER/NLD, 1929

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White’s advantage is clear: his Rooks are
active, Bishop is attacking on f7. Next
follows a well known rule: Pawns should be
moved to the squares of the opponent’s
Bishop. For now Black is successfully
defending the critical square and that is why
White needs to exchange a pair of Rooks.
1.h4 h5 2.Rb7!
It is good if we understand this position.
White Bishop and a Rook will pin the black
pieces: King and a Rook will have to defend
f7 pawn, Bishop won’t be doing anything.
2...Rb7 3.Bb7 Rd8 4.Bd5 Rd7 5.Rb3! Kf8
6.Rb5
Black Rook needs to be on a7.
6...Ra7 7.Bb7 Ke7 8.g3 Kd6 9.Kg2 Kc7
10.Bd5 Kd6 11.f4 f6 12.Bb3
Black cannot play anything good and he
needs to let White in.
12...Ra6 13.Bf7 Rc6 14.Rd5
This needs to be played accurately after
14.Ra5 Rc2 15.Kh3 Rc3, with counter play.

8

14...Ke7 15.Bh5 Rc5 16.fe5 fe5 17.Bf3 Kf6
After 17...Rd5 18.ed5 White would be
winning with two pass Pawns.
18.Rd6
After 18.Rc5 Bc5 the position is equal.
18...Ke7 19.Rg6 Kf8 20.Bh5 Be3 21.Kf3
Rc3 22.Ke2 Bc5?
Black forgot about the threat Re6? It would
be better 22...Bd4 (Bogoljubov).
23.Re6 g6 24.Bg6 Re3 25.Kd1 Rg3 26.h5
Kg7
It threatened 27.h6 +-, and so White won a
second Pawn and won the game.1:0.

The defenders task is even harder, if there
are still Queens on board. Here is another
example from Dvoretsky’s manual!

Boleslavsky,Isaak : Sterner,Olof
Stockholm, 1954

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Position looks like a total draw. Endgames
would end peacefully, but an endgame is still
far away. White is putting pressure on f7
square, which leaves him with decisive
advantage. But first he needs to attack the
crucial square.
1.Rd1! Bc7 2.Qd7
The penetration of the Rook was bad,
because of the weak first rank but the
penetration of the Queen would be
practically the same.

2...Rf8 3.e5!
A well known rule: Pawns should be moved
to the squares of the opponent’s Bishop.
White Pawns are, supported with a Bishop,
decisive in the position.
3...Qb6 4.f4! Qb8 5.h4!
There is no comment necessary. White Pawn
is progressing to h6 and Black cannot
defend. If Black will put his Pawn on h6, he
will weaken the b1-h7 diagonal. Black
would weaken himself also after 5...g6 6.h5.
5...Ba5 6.h5 Bc3
After 6...Qb4 the game would be decided
after 7.e6!, for example: 7...fe6 (7...Qc4
8.e7) 8.Qe6 Kh8 9.Qe7! and 10.h6 +-. Next
follows a wonderful mate attack, linked with
geometrical tactical elements.
7.Rd6 Qb1 8.Kh2 h6

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9.Qf7 Rf7 10.Rd8 Kh7 11.Bf7 1:0

Conclusion
A Middlegame with opposite-colored
Bishops can be very complicated. If an
endgame is still far away and there are
weak Kings in the position, there are
many motives for the attacker and the
defender is having difficulties with his
defense. The attack can be even more
successful from the one with the same
colored Bishops.