Why is that so? Well, we human beings love certainty. When comparing two strategical assets, we tend to overestimate what is well-defined and clear-cut, and underestimate what is vague and hazy. And the "bishop-pair" advantage is very clear-cut. Everyone can spot it. Therefore, we tend to overestimate it compared to hazier assets as "initiative" or "cooperation of pieces."
In this article, we will have a look at three games, in which players got hypnotised by the bishop-pair advantage, protecting it for an extreme price.
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Let us start with a typical Nimzo-position:
Morovic Fernandes – Adams, Chess Olympiad, Istanbul 2000, White to move:
This position is equal. White has got the bishop-pair, but Black's minor pieces are very well placed, and he has already started active operations on the queenside. The safest way for White is to exchange immediately the strong black bishop with 14.Ne1, achieving full (and rather dull) equality.
But Morovic Fernandes was not prepared to give up his bishop-pair so easily. Instead, he started a lengthy operation, aiming at repulsing the black bishop from its perfect post. However, meanwhile Adams was not idle and got a nice queenside initiative:
14.Bh3?! b5 15.Nd2 axb3 16.axb3 bxc4 17.bxc4 Ra2!
As you can see, Adams is not dogmatic about his bishops. Even without them you can win a game, provided all your remaining pieces are active!
In the diagrammed position White had the last chance to pull an emergency brake. The sober 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19. Bg2! still leads to a dynamically balanced position, as after 18…Nxc3 19.Qxc3 Rxe2 the black rook would not be safe in the middle of White's camp.
However, Morovic Fernandes still hoped to gain a safe "bishop-pair" advantage. He played 18.f3??, hoping to continue with e2-e4, building up a nice centre. But Adams naturally disagreed. He answered 18…Bc2! 19.Rde1 c5!, broke White's centre into ruins, and easily converted his massive initiative into a full point.
Please note: it was White who decided a few moves ago to invest time and energy to protect the currently useless h3-bishop from exchanging it for the black c2-monster!
And here's the entire game:
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb7 5...Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Bg2 c6 8.Bc3 d5 9.Nbd2 9.Ne5 Ne4 10.0-0 Nxc3 11.Nxc3 0-0 12.Rc1 Bf6 13.f4 Bxe5 14.fxe5 Nd7 15.cxd5 cxd5 16.Rf2 9...Nbd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 c5 12.e4 dxe4 13.Nxe4 Bb7 13...Nxe4 14.Rxe4 Bb7 15.Re3 Nf6 16.Ne5 cxd4 17.Bxd4 Qc7 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.Qf3 Qxf3 20.Rxf3 Rac8 21.Rd1 Rfd8 22.Rfd3 Kf8 14.Ned2 14.Nfg5!? 14...Re8 15.Qe2 Qc7 16.Rad1 Rad8 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Ng5 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 h6 20.Nge4 Be7= 5...b5 6.cxb5 Bxb5 7.Bg2 Bb4+ 8.Bd2 a5 9.0-0 0-0 10.a3 Be7 11.Nc3 Bc6 12.Qc2 d5 13.Ne5 Bb7 14.Na4 Nfd7 15.Nd3 Bc6 16.Nac5 Nxc5 17.Nxc5 6.Bg2 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 a5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qc2 9.Qc1 9...d6 9...d5 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Nc3 Re8 12.Rad1 Ne4 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Ne5 f6 15.Bxb4 axb4 16.Nc4 Na6= 10.Nc3 Nbd7 11.Rad1 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 a4 14.Bf1 c5 15.Nd2 Bb7 16.b4 a3 17.Qb3 cxd4 18.Bxd4 e5 19.Be3 Qc7 20.Rac1 Qc6 21.f3 Qa4 22.Qb1 d5! 11.Ne1 Qc8 12.Rc1 Re8 13.Nb5 Bxg2 14.Nxg2 Qb8 15.a3 Bxd2 16.Qxd2 c6 17.Nc3 d5 18.Rfd1 b5 19.cxb5 cxb5 20.Qd3 b4 21.Nb5 Rc8 22.a4 11...Bxc3 11...Qb8!? 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qc1 a4 14.Bh3 b5 14...Bxf3!? 15.exf3 d5 15.Nd2 15.cxb5 axb3 16.axb3 Qb8 15...axb3 16.axb3 bxc4 17.bxc4 Ra2 18.f3? Bc2 19.Rde1 c5 20.d5 20.e3 Qc7 20...exd5 21.Bxd7 Nxd7 22.cxd5 Qa8 23.Bb2 Qa4 23...Rb8!? 24.Nc4 24.Qxc2 Rbxb2 25.Qf5 Nb6 26.Ne4 Qxd5 27.Qxd5 Nxd5 28.Nxd6 28.Rb1 Ne3 29.Rxb2 Rxb2 30.Ra1 h6 31.Kf2 Nf5 28...Ne3 29.Rf2 f5 30.f4 Rd2 31.Nb5 c4-+ 24...Qa4 25.Qg5 f6 26.Qg4 h5 27.Qe6+ Kh8 28.Ba1 Qxc4 29.Qxd7 Qxd5 30.e4 Qd2 31.Qh3 Bb3-+ 32.Qxh5+?! Kg8 33.Qh3 Bc4-+ 24.Bc3 Nb6 25.e4 Bd3 26.Rf2 Rc2 27.Qa1 Qxa1 28.Bxa1 Ra8 29.Nb3 29.Nf1 29...Nc4 30.e5?! 30.Nc1 Bxe4 31.Bxg7 Rxf2 32.Kxf2 Bxd5-+ 30...Rxf2 31.Kxf2 Bc2 32.Nd2 Nxd2 33.exd6 Nc4 34.d7 Ba4 35.Rc1 Bb5 0–1
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Morovic Fernandez,I | 2608 | Adams,M | 2755 | 0–1 | 2000 | E15 | Olympiad-34 | 7.1 |
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In the next example, an experienced GM was not afraid of spoiling his pawn structure, because he thought the bishop-pair will be more than adequate compensation:
Ftacnik – Roiz, German Bundesliga 2008/2009, White to move:
With his last move 12…Bg4, Roiz created the threat of Bxf3, blowing up the shelter of White's king. However, Ftacnik was not impressed. Instead of carefully parrying the threat with e.g. 13.Be2, he decided for the active 13.Bf5??, assuming that he is in a win-win situation. Either Black exchanges the bishops, and then White is closer to an endgame with a clear plan against the isolated d5-pawn, or he takes on f3 and then White will enjoy the bishop-pair.
However, White's thinking was too one-dimensional. In fact, the f3-knight is an important piece that protects crucial central squares. Also, after the exchange on f3 the white king will be extremely weak, and his army stuck in the centre will not be able to come to help him. And please, have a short look at the black knights as well. They are very stable and they nicely control the centre. Why should they be weaker than White's bishops?
Roiz of course took 13…Bxf3! and after a few moves it was clear that White's bishop-pair is useless, while the rest of his position is a total disaster:
14.gxf3 0-0 15.Vd1 Qe7 16.Na4 Ba7 17.Bh3 Rad8 18.Nb2 d4
The final attack against the weakened White's kingside has just begun. Please note how idle White's bishops are, and how nicely the black cavalry controls the centre.
Here's the entire game:
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 a6 6.b3 Bb4 7.Bd2 Bd6 8.Bd3 c5 9.cxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Qb1 Nc6 12.0-0 Bg4 13.Bf5 Bxf3 14.gxf3 0-0 15.Rd1 Qe7 16.Na4 Ba7 17.Bh3 Rad8 18.Nb2 d4 19.e4 d3 20.Nxd3 Bd4 21.Be3 Rfe8 22.Bxd4 Nxd4 23.Kh1 Nxf3 24.Ne1 Nxe4 25.Rxd8 Nxf2+ 26.Kg2 Nh4+ 27.Kxf2 Qe3+ 28.Kf1 Qxh3+ 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
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- Drag the split bars between window panes.
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Ftacnik,L | 2571 | Roiz,M | 2677 | 0–1 | 2009 | D45 | Bundesliga 0809 | 15.4 |
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I use the following diagram a lot when coaching. Would you like to test yourself? Well, so what would you play with Black?
Timman – Speelman, German Bundesliga 2000/2001, Black to move:
Many of my pupils intuitively decide for 15…Nf6??, assuming that White must protect his bishop-pair and play 16.Bd3. Then Black gains another tempo with 16…c4 and can be reasonably optimistic about his future.
But wait! Let us free ourselves from this bishop-pair dogmatism! There are also other important aspects in the diagrammed position. Black is a bit underdeveloped, and his king cannot castle. Therefore playing 15…Nf6??, a move that does not help with development, is simply playing with fire.
White therefore should respond actively. After 16.dxc5! Black is in grave danger. The only move that does not loose material immediately is 16…bxc5, but after 17.Rxd6 Qxd6 18.Bf4 Qb7 19.Rd1!! (The threat is stronger than its execution! White does not need to hurry with regaining the exchange.) White is virtually winning.
Back to the initial position. Instead of chasing the bishop-pair, Black should in concentrate on development, or on closing the centre. This gives us three sensible candidate moves: 15…Bb7, 15…Ba6 and 15…c4. Speelman chose the last one, equalised in the next few moves and then went on to win a very fine game.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ngf6 6.Bd3 e6 7.N1f3 Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Qc7 11.Qg4 Kf8 12.0-0 c5 13.Qh4 b6 14.Be4 Rb8 15.Rd1 c4 16.c3 16.d5 e5 17.Bf5 Kg8 18.Nd2 18.Be3 Nf6 19.Bxc8 Rxc8 20.a4 Qd7 21.c3 Rc7 22.Nd2 Ng4 23.h3 Nxe3 24.fxe3 f5 25.e4 f4 26.Nf3 g5 27.Qh5 Qf7 28.Qg4 Qd7= 18...Nf6 19.Bxc8 Rxc8 20.Nf1 Qb7 21.b3 cxb3 22.cxb3 Kh7 23.Ng3 Bc5 24.Ne4 Nxe4 25.Qxe4+ f5 26.Qxe5 Rhe8 27.Qb2 Re4 28.Be3 Bxe3 29.fxe3 Rxe3= 16.Ne5 Nf6 17.Bf3 Bb7 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.b3 19.Bf4 Nd5 20.Bg3 Bxe5 21.Bxe5 Qd7 22.Re1 f6 23.Bg3 Kf7 24.Re2 b5 25.Rae1 Rb6 19...cxb3 20.cxb3 Nd5 21.Bf4 Qe7 22.Qg3 Nxf4 22...Bxe5 23.Bxe5 Qg5 24.Qd3 Rd7 23.Qxf4 Kg8 24.Qe4 f5 25.Qe3 Kh7 26.Rac1 Bxe5 27.Qxe5 Rd8= 16...Kg8 17.Re1 17.Ne5 g5! 18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qf3 Nxe4 20.Qxe4 Bb7 17...g5! 18.Qh3 Kg7 18...Nf6 19.Bc2 Bb7 20.Nd2 Nf6 21.f3? 21.Nf1 Rbd8= 21...e5? 22.Ne3! 21...e5! 22.dxe5 Bxe5 23.Nf1 23.Nxc4! Bc8 24.g4 24.Bf5 Bxf5 25.Qxf5 Bxh2+-+ 24...Bxc3 25.bxc3 Qxc4 23.Ne4 Bc8 23...Rbe8 24.Ne3 Bc8! 24...Qc5 25.Kf1 Bc8 26.Bf5 Bf4 25.Bf5 25.g4? h5-+ 25...Bf4 26.Bxc8 Qc5! 27.Kh1 Bxe3 28.Bd7 28.Bxe3 Rxe3 29.Bf5 Rhe8 28...Re7 28...Bxc1 29.Raxc1 29.Bxe8 Bxb2 30.Rab1 Bxc3 29...Rxe1+ 30.Rxe1 Rd8 31.Bf5 Rd2 29.Bxe3 Rxe3 30.Rxe3 Qxe3 31.Bb5 31.Ba4 Rd8 32.Qg3 Rd2-+ 31...Qe2 32.Rg1 Rd8 33.f4? 33.Qg3 Rd1 33...Qxb2 34.Qc7 Rd5 34.h4 Nh5! 34...Rxg1+ 35.Kxg1 Qxb2 36.Qe5 35.Qg4 Rxg1+ 36.Kxg1 Qe1+ 37.Kh2 Qe5+ 38.Kg1 Qxb5 39.Qxh5 Qxb2 40.hxg5 Qc1+-+ 33.f4? Ne4-+ 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
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- Drag the split bars between window panes.
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Timman,J | 2639 | Speelman,J | 2623 | 0–1 | 2001 | B17 | Bundesliga 0001 | 11.4 |
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Of course, this article (together with the previous one) does not want to persuade you that the "bishop-pair" advantage is a worthless, outdated concept. Of course, it is not. Generally, a pair of bishops is a very valuable asset. I just wanted to show that there are many subtleties and exceptions that a player should consider when deciding to gain a pair of bishops in a specific, over-the-board situation.
Learning the general, clear-cut rules is easy. Everyone knows them. What will distinguish yourself from the crowd of club players is not the understanding of the rules, but the understanding of exceptions and subtleties.
There are situations when you should follow the rules. And there are situations when you should simply break them. Dogmatism seldom leads to success.
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