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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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Be3 a6 8.Bb3 Na5 9.f4 Qc7 10.g4 d5 11.exd5 Bb4 12.dxe6 Nxb3 13.cxb3 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Qxc3+ 15.Kf2 Bxe6 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Rc1 Qb2+ 18.Kf3 Rd8 19.Qc2 Qxc2 20.Rxc2 Nd5 21.Re1 0-0 22.h4 Rc8 23.Rxc8 Rxc8 24.Bd4 Kf7 25.Re5 Ne7 26.Rc5 Rxc5 27.Bxc5 Nc6 (D)
White holds the advantage, as he is on command of the better minor piece; bishop vs. knight with an open centre and pawns on both sides. 28.Ke4 g6 29.Bb6 h5 White will have to play f5 sooner or later, enlarging the battlefield, so the text cannot be really criticised. 30.gxh5 gxh5 (D)
31.f5! White is in need to help his king to enter the black position, so this advance is more or less forced (sooner or later). Ne7! 31...exf5+? 32.Kxf5+- , would be a disaster, as the h5-pawn is rather weak... 32.fxe6+ Kxe6 33.Bf2 Nd5 34.Be1 b6 35.Bd2 b5 White is trying to create a zugzwang, as the knight isn't the ideal piece to battle against this weapon. 36.Ba5 Probably better was 36.Be1 Ne7 37.Kf4 Kf6 38.Bc3+ Kg6 39.Ke5 , where it seems that White will prevail soon. But Black can fight: Nf5 40.Be1 Ne3 41.Ke4 Ng4 42.Kd5 Kf5 43.Kc6 Ke6! 44.Kb6 Kd5 45.Kxa6 Kc6 (D)
Although White has won a pawn, the position is drawish, as the important corner of a8 is opposite to the white bishop, so after 46.a4 bxa4 47.bxa4 Ne5 48.Bc3 Nf3 49.Bf6 Kc7 50.Ka7 (D)
Black can defend by the accurate 50.Kb5 Nxh4! 51.Bxh4 Kb7= 50...Nd2! 50...Kc8? 51.a5 Kc7 52.a6 Kc8 53.Bg5 Kc7 54.Bf4+ Kc8 55.Kb6+- 51.a5 Nb3! 52.a6 Nc5 53.Bd4 Nd7 54.Bf2 Kc6= . 36...Ne7?! 36...b4! , would be accurate: 37.Kd4 Ne7 38.Kc5 Ng6 39.Bd8 Ne5! 40.Kb6 Nf3 41.Kxa6 Kd7 (D)
42.Ba5 42.Bf6 Ke6 , doesn't go anywhere 42...Nxh4 43.Bxb4 , when Black can be saved by Nf3 44.Bc5 h4 45.Bf2 h3 46.Bg3 h2 47.Bxh2 Nxh2 48.Kb7 Nf3 49.a4 Nd4= . It is true that Black can survive by accurate moves, while White isn't risking anything in reality. And this can make the difference during the actual game - the analysis is much easier... 37.Kf4! Now the white king will enter g5. Nc6 37...Kf6? 38.Bd8+- . 38.Bc3 (D)
38...a5? 38...b4! , was Black's only chance: 39.Bb2 Ne7 40.Kg5 Nd5 41.Kxh5 Kf5! (reflections of the note in Black's 36th move, on the opposite side!) 42.Bd4 42.Kh6 Kg4 43.h5 Nf4= 42...Nf4+ 43.Kh6 Nd5! 43...Kg4? 44.Bf6 Nd5 45.Bg5+- 44.Bf2 Kg4 45.Be1 a5 46.Bf2 Nc3 47.h5 Nd5! 47...Nxa2? 48.Kg6+- 48.Ba7 Nf4 49.Bb6 Nxh5 50.Bxa5 Nf4 51.Bxb4 Kf5 52.a4 Ke6 (D)
And this position is a theoretical draw, despite White's two extra pawns! 39.Kg5 Now White is winning. a4 (D)
39...b4 , is losing to 40.Bf6! (full domination over the black knight) Na7 41.Bb2 Nb5 42.Kxh5 Kf5 43.Kh6! Nc3 44.h5+- . 40.b4! It is important to preserve as many pawns as it is possible in the board. Wrong would be 40.bxa4? bxa4 41.Kxh5 Kf5= . 40...Ne7 (D)
41.Kxh5 Nd5 41...Kf5 , here, loses to 42.a3 Nd5 43.Bd2 Nf6+ 44.Kh6 Ne4 45.Bg5 Ng3 46.Kg7 Nh5+ 47.Kf7+- , as the white king can also attack the black queenside pawn structure. 42.Bd2 Kf5 43.a3 Nb6 44.Kh6! Nc4 45.Bc3 45.Bc1 Kf6 46.h5+- , would be good enough as well. 45...Nxa3 (D)
46.h5! The white h-pawn is quick, while the black a-pawn is kept in bay by the bishop. Nb1 47.Ba1 Nd2 48.Kg7! Natural, avoiding the naive 48.Kh7? Nf3 49.h6 Ng5+ 50.Kg7 a3 51.Bf6 a2= . 48...Ne4 49.h6 Ng5 (D)
50.Bb2! The only move, creating a lethal zugzwang, while stopping the advance of the a-pawn... Ne6+ 51.Kg8 Ng5 Black is stubbornly fighting for his skin, but in vain… 52.Bc1! a3 (D)
Black is short of good moves: 52...Ne4 53.Kg7! 53.h7? Nf6+ 54.Kg7 Nxh7 55.Kxh7 Ke4= 53...Nf6 54.Bb2+- . 53.Bxg5! White is playing the ending as a chess engine! Wrong again would be 53.Bxa3? Kg6! 54.Bc1 Ne4 55.Bd2 Nf6+ 56.Kf8 Nd5= , would allow Black to draw! 53...a2 54.Bf6! (D)
54.Bf6 The point and the only winning move again! Black resigned, due to Kxf6 55.h7 a1Q 56.h8Q++- . 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Abdusattorov,N2767Rapport,R27141–02025B88Uzchess Cup Masters3

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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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60m English The Elephant Gambit

The Elephant Gambit (1.e4.e5 2.Nf3 d5!?) has never really been given the attention it deserves. It is a very useful surprise weapon. Let us list the advantages of playing this particular opening: 1) Shock value 2) It is very aggressive. Black can take over the initiative early. 3) Many tricky lines 4) Unorthodox. Black is basically taking the game to the opponent as early as move two. Not many openings do that! It's a perfect opening for young players and club players to adopt. Let Andrew Martin select a repertoire for you on this 60 mins, which, if used with discretion, will rack up the points. I am sure that you will enjoy this unusual tour of the Elephant Gambit.
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