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Same-coloured bishops: blockading the edge pawn

With same-coloured bishops an extra pawn usually wins, but there are drawn exceptions here too: if the defending bishop blockades the passer firmly and its own king supports it, the stronger side cannot break through.

Here White has the king on g5, the bishop on h2 and an extra pawn on f5; Black has the king on c6 and the bishop on c3. Black to move, and it is a draw (per the tablebases): the black bishop holds the f5 pawn along the diagonal and it cannot be pushed through.

The lesson: even favourable endings have to be checked for a blockade. A single well-placed bishop can stop a passer and draw a pawn down.

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Drag a piece onto the board, or click a piece and then click the squares. The cross beside the pieces sweeps every piece of that colour off the board, and a single piece can be dragged off the edge.

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How to blockade an edge pawn

  1. 1Put the king in front of the pawn on its file.
  2. 2Control the queening square with the bishop along the diagonal.
  3. 3Do not move your own pawns unnecessarily - each one can become a target.
  4. 4Hold on: with an edge pawn even a bishop trade often leads to a draw in the corner.

Common mistakes

  • Taking the king away from the pawn to grab material.
  • Putting the bishop on a diagonal that does not cross the queening square.
  • Forgetting the stalemate resources with the king in the corner.

Common questions

Why is an edge pawn easier to blockade?

The queening square is in the corner: the king cannot be pushed out of it, and the bishop controls only one approach diagonal.

Where should the king stand?

Directly in front of the pawn, ideally in the queening corner - from there it cannot be dislodged.

Does the stronger side have any chance?

Only through zugzwang or a second pawn on the other wing - otherwise the position is drawn.

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