Thursday, June 11, 2009

Rook vs Bishop endings

Andrew Ooi post an article about Rook versus Bishop endings. According to him, he read somewhere mentioned that it's a theoritical win ( for the rook) if using computer.

Ok, my favourite chess endings book - Fundamental Chess Endings - Karsten Muller and Frank Lamprecht , mentioned that :-

"A lone rook normally cannot win against a bishop, especially if the defending king is in a corner opposite to the bishop's colour"

The book provide practicle examples. Below is an example of a drawn position :-


R.Dworzynski - G.Szilagyi
Warsaw , 1956

Black to move


1...Kb6
1...Ra1+ 2.Ba7 Kc7 Stalemate. 2.Ba7+ 2.Be5 Rf7 3.Bb8 (Not 3.Bd6? Ra7+ 4.Kb8 Rd7; but 3.Bg3 Ra7+ 4.Kb8 Rg7 5.Bf2+= is also ok) 3...Rf8 Stalemate. 2...Ka6 3.Bb8 ½–½

And below is position when the rook win !


G.Breyer - S.Tarrasch ,

Berlin 1920

Black to move

Danger arise if the defending king is near the 'wrong corner'. 1...Bg1 2.Rf1 Bh2 3.Rh1 Bg3 4.Rh3 Forcing the bishop out of the safe zone behind the kings. 4...Bd6 4...Bf4 5.Rc3 Kf8 6.Rf3 5.Rd3 Be7 5...Bc7 6.Rc3 Bd8 7.Rc8 win 6.Rc3 1-0 Tarasch resigned as he loses his bishop after 6...Kf8

6...Bd8 7.Rc8;

6...Bf8 7.Rc8 Kh8 8.Rxf8#

7.Rc8+ Bd8 8.Rxd8+ win

2 comments:

GilaChess said...

Thanks Hairul for clarifying that. :)

hairulov chessmaniacs said...

Welcome, Andrew. Actually i should thanks u more for ur great coverage for Penang Open and National Closed !