A good bishop moves on the other colour from its own fixed centre pawns. A bad bishop moves on the same colour as them, so its own pawns block it.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
A bishop moves on one colour only. If your fixed pawns stand on that colour, they block it and leave the other colour unguarded. The answer is usually to change the pawns or trade the bishop, not to move it around.
How to do it
- 1Count your fixed pawns on your bishop's colour.
- 2If there are many, put new pawns on the other colour or prepare a break.
- 3If the bishop cannot be freed, trade it, even for a knight.
For your level
Your bishop uses only one colour of square. Keep your pawns off that colour, or they block it.
Common mistakes
- Fixing your pawns on your bishop's colour with moves that look solid.
- Keeping a bad bishop when a trade for a good knight was available.
Questions
- Is a bad bishop always worse than a knight?
- Not always. In a fixed position it often is. If the pawns can still change, a bad bishop may be worth keeping, because one pawn break can free it.