Stronger Minor Piece Ending

by Efstratios Grivas
7/2/2025 – The strategic advantage of a good bishop vs. an inferior knight is determined by the pawn structure. Specifically, the bishop is superior to the knight when no pawns exist in the centre, but there are pawns on both flanks. International trainer GM Efstratios Grivas shows us how this kind of ending can best be handled, and does it with a game recently played in a top-level tournament.
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In addition to the above it is beneficial to the bishop if the opponent's pawns are placed on squares of the same colour as that on which it moves, since it can then attack them.  In addition it is preferable that the own pawns are placed on squares of the opposite colour.

In the third round of the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 (21.06.2025), the following ending was played [click on the fan button to get engine support]:

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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.
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Video

60m English New ideas in the Najdorf_E

‘New ideas in the Najdorf – a Power Play 18 Update’ aims to complement Daniel King’s popular DVD from last year ‘The Sicilian Najdorf - a repertoire for Black’. Such a dynamic and popular opening as the Najdorf is developing the whole time. On this download, Daniel King updates lines that were included on his DVD but also responds to viewers’ requests, considering lines that he omitted from his original repertoire. The lines examined on this update are: • 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 h3 e5 7 Nde2 • 5….a6 6 Bc4 in combination with the English Attack (Be3, f3 etc) • 5…a6 6 Be3 and the …a5 variation • 5…a6 6 Be2 and 9 Re1 • 5 f3 (instead of 5 Nc3) It isn’t necessary to have seen the original Najdorf DVD to understand the lines examined here – but it would help as they form part of a complete repertoire.