Chess Patterns ❯ Condition of Knights and Bishops ❯ Bishops of Opposite Color
Bishops of Opposite Color
Bishops of Opposite Color
When players have one Bishop each, but these Bishops move on different colored squares, we have a Bishops of Opposite Colors Imbalance. In the middlegame, this situation usually favors the active player, since one Bishop can't defend what the other Bishop is attacking. In the endgame, this imbalance leads to rather drawish positions. In the diagram above, for example, Black can't dislodge White's King from h1.
Ideas for when the remaining Bishops are of Opposite Colors: (1) Fight for the initiative, (2) Restrict the mobility of your opponent's Bishop by placing your pawns on squares of its color and by ensuring they are adequately supported, (3) If in the endgame you are in a worse position, try building a fortress with pawns of the same color as your Bishop.
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Master the Bishops of Opposite Color
When we started adding a playful touch to chess learning, we looked through thousands of videos and hundreds of books to find the best resources out there. Here's our curated selection of the best content we encountered on Bishops of Opposite Color. We also included some smaller creators who are growing fast and we believe deserve your attention. Check out these resources if you want to master this type of imbalance.
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When should we play opposite coloured bishops middlegames?
This video by Jozarov’s chess channel is a good introduction to this imbalance. The focus is on the middlegame. Full of examples, aimed at intermediate players.
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Opposite-colored bishops endgame
Have a look at this fine video by Mat Bobula's Chess School YouTube channel on the Opposite Colored Bishops. The focus here is on the endgame. Slow-paced, rich with explanations.
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Opposite Colored Bishop Domination*
Don’t miss the amazing examples in this chess.com lesson by GM Dejan Bojkov on this special type of imbalance. Clear and instructive, and lots of fun too.
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Silman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner to Master*
This is another fantastic book by Jeremy Silman. Endgame techniques are presented in a really fun and useful way. Opposite color bishops too. A must-read for beginners and intermediates.
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The Silicon Road to Chess Improvement*
This fascinating new book by Matthew Sadler offers a unique approach to training and improvement using chess engines. Ideal for intermediate and advanced players.