Grivas: Underdeveloped Battery (2)

by Efstratios Grivas
3/4/2024 – A battery is a formation that consists of two or more pieces on the same rank, file, or diagonal. In a more detailed way, a battery refers to a configuration of heavy pieces (rooks or queens) that occupy the same file. It can also refer to long-range pieces (queens and bishops) that occupy the same diagonal. Learn more about the strength of the chess battery in part two of a mini-series by chess trainer Efstratios Grivas.

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Batteries generally refer to heavy pieces (rooks and queens) on an open or semi-open file, but (as mentioned above) the term also applies to long-range pieces that occupy the same diagonal.

Batteries are important because they put immense pressure on a file or diagonal, often with devastating results. It is particularly effective to form a battery using rooks because they may be combined to occupy the same rank or file. In theory, bishops may also form a battery in a case of underpromotion of a pawn to a bishop occupying the same diagonal as the other bishop. In actual games, however, the queen and rooks are often employed.

Batteries are often used as part of a combination which may involve other types of tactics as well. When the queen and a bishop are forming a battery, it is rather common to have the bishop on an open diagonal, supporting its queen. A rare case is the formation (battery) of a queen and bishop, when the bishop hasn't developed yet!

By this way, defensive or attacking purposes are fulfilled, and we will examine the why and how. Click on the notation or diagrams to follow the moves on a special replay board.


Efstratios (30.03.1966) is a highly experienced chess trainer and chess author. He has been awarded by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) the titles of International Chess Grandmaster, FIDE Senior Trainer, International Chess Arbiter and International Chess Organiser.