A Problematic Bishop has several of these features: it lacks mobility (a "bad" Bishop is obstructed by its own pawns), is poorly positioned, is badly coordinated with other pieces, is "passive", and contributes little to attack or defense. In the diagram above, the problematic Bishop on d7 is locked in by its own pawns and currently serves little purpose.
Ideas against an opponent's Problematic: (1) Maintain the pawn structure that keeps the Bishop restricted, (2) Exploit the weaknesses caused by its ineffectiveness, especially in the opposite color complex. Ideas for when you have a Problematic Bishop: (1) Move your pawns off the Bishop's color, (2) Move the Bishop out of the pawn chain, (3) Find diagonals where the Bishop can become more active, (4) Try to exchange it.
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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 Problematic Bishops. 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 advantage.
Have a look at this rich and instructive video by Dr. Can's Clinic to learn how to avoid ending up with problematic Bishops and what to do when facing them.
This book is part of the acclaimed Winning Chess Series by Yasser Seirawan. Engaging and informative, it is perfect for both beginners and intermediate players.
This is a very interesting book. John Watson provides dozens of examples of how chess theory has changed, and it illustrates how many "traditional" principles (like "bad" bishops) have found their modern exceptions. For serious players only.
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