Bishops of opposite colours means one side has a light-squared bishop and the other a dark-squared one. They can never attack each other, so one bishop can often stop several pawns.
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The defender puts the bishop on its own colour in front of the pawns, and the other bishop can never challenge it. That blockade often holds a pawn down, and sometimes two pawns down.
How to do it
- 1Defending, blockade the pawns on your bishop's colour and put your king in front of the rest.
- 2Attacking, make passed pawns on both sides of the board, so one bishop cannot cover both.
- 3Avoid trading into it a pawn up unless a second passed pawn is coming.
For your level
These bishops can never meet. One bishop can stop several pawns. Stand it on its own colour in front of them.
Common mistakes
- Trading into opposite bishops a pawn up and expecting to win.
- Blockading on squares of the wrong colour, where your bishop cannot help.
Questions
- How many extra pawns win with opposite-coloured bishops?
- Often two are needed, and even two can draw. Pawns separated by two or more files win most often, because one king and one bishop cannot cover both. A single extra pawn rarely wins.