The King and Rook vs a King and Bishop

8/18/2019 The King and Rook vs a King and Bishop

1/15

The King and Rook vs a King and Bishop wins

approximately 40% of the time, but you can

increase your percentages by knowing the best

way of securing a mate. How you ask? It's a twopart answer

Going for the Win - AttackingGuidelines

FIRST !ush the king into the corner that'sthe "#$ color as his bishop for the &I. ot

always an easy task but re(uire) to impro*e your

chances of winning.

+o remember this )uring the heat of the gamethink of the wor) "&im ""ame &&ins


2/15

If you're playing on the si)e with the bishop, push

the king into the corner that's the -!!-"I+ color

of the bishop for the /#&. +he king can not be)islo)ge) by the stronger si)e an) the bishop will

mo*e back forth along the )iagonal.

+o remember this think of the wor) -

--pposite raws


3/15

I know it's corny, but now you'll ha*e a *isual

image to easily remember the )i1erence whether

you're playing from either si)e.

SE!"#$ -nce you'*e maneu*ere) theking nearer the corner that's the "ame 2olor as hisbishop you want the rook to #++#23 the bishop an)-/3 the back rank at the same time. &hen the

bishop mo*es away, the rook can successfullycheck or mate the king.


4/15

5et's watch it in action otice that the rook ispositione) to pre*ent the king from running to theopposite corner.

Rook vs Bishop Endgame3ing in the 2orner that's the "ame 2olor as 6ishop

1... Kb8 +he king mo*es to attack the rook but also to be

next to his bishop if he shoul) mo*e to c7.

2. Kb6 +akes the -pposition an) efen)s the rook

2... Bg46ishop makes a mo*e along the )iagonal

3. Rg76#$8 /ook -/3" the back rank an) the bishop

3... Be66ishop )efen)s the mating s(uare4. Re7-/3" again

4... Bg4$o*es away from his attack

5. Re8+!-&8 2hecks on the back rank

5... Bc8orce) to block the check.


5/15

6. Rf89:;9;8 +he rook makes a waiting mo*e an)

any mo*e black makes will make his position worse.

6... Ka8"ince the bishop is pinne) to the king the king

must mo*e away from )efen)ing him.

7. Rc8!$ission #ccomplishe)8

,.@ +he bishop can position himself behin) the king to

make it )iAcult for the rook to fork the bishop

the back rank. 5et's watch how &hite wins the

bishopRook vs Bishop Endgame

How to &in the 6ishop when the 6ishop !re*ents the/ook ork

1. Rg3#ttacks the bishop o1 his )efensi*e s(uare. &hite

wants the bishop to run along the )iagonal so he can

execute the bishopBback rank fork.

1... Be46lack has other i)eas an) mo*es only to the e,for g Cles to pre*ent the rook fork.

DE... 6cFIf he instea) mo*es here G. /c+he rook attacks

"kewers the back rank G... 6)If the bishop )efen)s the

back rank mate . /b"imply mo*e o*er one

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6/15

Cle ... 6cFD... 3e7If the king )eci)es to mo*e

instea) 4. /b7J2heck the king...+he bishop blocks his

exit o1 the back rank 4... 6c7orce) to

block K. /xc7J&hite picks up the bishop for an easy /ook

3ing *s 3ing mate L4. /b7J6e7K. /c7$akes a waiting

mo*e K... 3g7orce) to mo*e away F. /xe7J!icks up the

bishop for another easy en)ing. F... 3h3ing is force) to

mo*e . /)7/ook makes a waiting mo*e M

9ugNwang ... 3hF3ing is force) to place himself in a

mating position. 7. /h7$ission

#ccomplishe)8 L2. Re3Bg23. Re2Bf34. Rf2 +his is the

3O !-"I+I-8 +he rook has an =M/ay #ttack on the king

through the bishop.

4... Be4&hen the bishop mo*es again, sticking with his

plans to only mo*e to the e,f gMCles....

D4... 6cF-f course, if he mo*es anywhere else along the

)iagonal, &hite will resume his usual attacking

pattern. K. /cG6)F. /bG3e7. /b7J6c77. /xc7JL5. Ke5

+6#$8 # )isco*ere) check an) the king picks up the

bishop next.

,.@

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7/15

$ikhail +al )emonstrates how it's )one in a EPG

championship game in 6aku."ikhai# $a# vs. %a#e&' (hidkov

:/"Mch40 Q 6aku Q EPG Q EM0

). c4*f61. *f3e62. g3d53. Bg2c54. ,*c65. cd5e

d56. d4Be77. *c3,8. Bg5cd4-. *d4h61). Be3

Bg411. a4*a512. Rad1Rc813. *d5*d514. *f5Rc

415. b5Bf516. Rd5a617. a5a518. Ra5Bc8

1-. Rd5Be62). Rd2Bb421. Rdd1Rc222. a3Be723. Bd

4b524. e3a525. Be4Rcc826. f4Bc427. Bd3Rfd828. B

f5Bf12-. Bc8Rc83). Rf1f531. Kg2Kf732. Kf3g6

33. Rf2h534. Rd2a435. e4b436. ab4Bb437. Re2f

e438. Ke4a33-. ba3Ba34). Ra2Bc541. Rc2Re84

2. Be5Be743. Rc7Rd844. Bd4Ke645. Ra7Rb846. Ra6

Kf747. f5gf548. Kf5Rb54-. Be5Bf85). h3Rc551. h

4Rb552. Rc6Ra553. Rb6Rc554. Ke4Ra555. Rf6Ke75

6. Rg6Kf757. Rf6Ke758. Rf5Ke65-. Rg5Rb56). Rg6

Kf761. Ra6Rb462. Kf5Rb563. Ra7Be764. Rc7Ra565.

Rb7Rc566. Ke4Rc667. Bd4Rc468. Kd5Rc16-. Be3Rd

17). Ke4Re171. Kf3Ke672. Rb6Kd773. Rb5Bd674. B

f4Rf175. Kg2Bf476. Kf1Bg377. Rh5Ke678. Kg2Be17-. Kh3Bd28). Kg4Kf681. Rf5Kg682. Rd5Bc183.

Rd6Kg784. h5Be385. Rg6Kh786. Rf6Kg787. Kf5Bd2

88. h6Bh68-. Rg6//Kh7 +al has maneu*ere) his

opponent's king near the corner that's the same color as


8/15

his bishop.

-). Kf6Be3-1. Kf7Ba79hi)ko* positions his bishop

behin) the king to pre*ent the rook from forking the

bishop an) hMCle.

-2. Ra6#lthough the game procee)s on the si)e of the

boar), the principles are the same. 2hase the bishop into

an open )iagonal.

-2... Bb8 +he bishop wants to stay on the Fth, th an)

7th ranks.

-3. Ra8Bc7-4. Rc8Bf4inally, 9hi)ko* mo*es onto an

open )iagonal.

-5. Rc4 +al attacks the bishop an) skewers the hMCle.

-5... Bg56ishop )efen)s the mating s(uare.

-6. Rc3 +al simply mo*es the rook o*er for the check an)

e*entual mate. 9hi)ko* resigne) here but if it continue).

-6... Kh6-7. Rh3+Bh4-8. Rh4+Kg5--. Re4Kf51)).

Re6# resignable position.

,.@



9/15

Going for the #ra% - #efensiveGuidelines

First$ &hen left with a position where you'replaying with a bishop against a rook, imme)iately

maneu*er your king to the nearest corner that's

the -pposite 2olor of your bishop. Oour "-5 #I$

is to raw the game.

Second$ Ha*e your bishop make most of the mo*es along the )iagonal, keeping a signiCcant

)istance from your opponent's king an) blocking

checks when necessary.


10/15

5et's watch it in action

Rook vs Bishop Endgame3ing "heltere) in 2orner of -pposite 2olor of 6ishop

1. Re1+If the rook checks on the back rank

1... Bb1 +he bishop is force) to block the check.

2. Re2 +he rook is force) to mo*e o1 the back rank to

a*oi) a stalemate

DG. /gEIf he makes a waiting

mo*e..."+#5$#+8 L2... Bg66ishop mo*es along the

)iagonal

3. Kb3Bf54. Ra2+If the rook checks

4... Kb1 +he king simply mo*es o1 the Cle

5. Rf2In this situation M where the king occupies the

bishop's blocking s(uare an) the rook attacks the bishop,


11/15

threatening to mate next...o the following

5... Be6+6#$8 2heck the king

6. Kc3orce) to mo*e

6... Ka1 +he king mo*es back to his )efensi*e corner.

7. Rf1+I he checks him again

7... Ka2$o*es out of the corner

8. Re1Bf7-. Re2+Ka11). Rc2Bg611. Rc1+Bb112. Rg

1Ka213. Rg2+Ka114. Kb3Bf515. Ra2+Kb116. Rf2Be

6+17. Ka3&ith best play this position is a /#&.

,.@

If the opponent has an a)*ance) pawn on the hM

Cle, the bishop $:"+ )efen) the h s(uare toraw. 65ack will 5-" if the bishop continues to

block on the g7 s(uare because the hMpawn will

e*entually be pushe) to h, taking away that

option. E. 0eesne vs. . Be&ge&/ook *s 6ishop n)game with a /ook !awn Q EM0

&ithout the hKMpawn, both ...3g7 ...6c4 lea) to a )raw.

Howe*er, with the pawn on the hMCle it becomes more

important for the bishop to cotnrol the h s(uare an) not



12/15

retreat to ...6c4 to block on the g7 s(uare. 5et's watch

both *ariations...

1... Kg8 +his mo*e allows the bishop to control the h

s(uare

DE... 6c4If the bishop mo*es to c4 to block on the g7

s(uare 6lack loses...5et's watch G. /a7J6g7. 3gK3ing

mo*es o1 the hMCle to free his pawn ... 3g-nly legal

mo*e for

black 4. /aJD4. hFJ3h7K. /)73hF. /)J3h7. 3gF6b

7. h!-&8 ow the bishop can no longer retreat to

g7 7... 6cGJP. 3hF6lack's king is completely 5ocke)M

In P... 6xh+aking the pawn is the best mo*e but it only

)elays the

ine*itable E0. /xhJ3g7EE. 3gF3f7EG. 3fF3g7E. /hE3f7

E4. /h7L4... 3h7K. 3gF6)KF. /hJ3g7. /e3h77. hF6a

GP. h&H#$8 +he bishop loses his ability to block on the

g7 s(uare8 P... 6bEJ2hecks the king E0. 3hF-& the

6lack king has no legal mo*es out of the

corner. E0... 6gF+he bishop coul) )efen) the mating

s(uare. &hite's king can't take the bishop because it

woul) lea) to a "talemate. EE. /)"imply mo*es

o*er EE... 6f+he bishop coul) again entice the rook tocapture it, lea)ing to a stalemate. EG. /)7Jothing

)oing8 Oou're poisonous8 2heck EG... 6e7orce) to

block E. /xe7$#+8 L2. Rg7+Kf83. Rg4Bc2 +he

bishop pre*ents the king from sli)ing o*er the gF to free


13/15

his pawn.

4. Rc4Bb15. Rf4+Kg8 +his position will /#&.

,.@

It's easy to rea) an article an) then forget how to

make the mo*es when you nee) them in a game.

Oou'll Cn) the abo*e positions setup as a puNNlefrom both si)es to practice your /ook *s 6ishop

n)games. irst on the rook's si)e with the king in

the "wimmingly &inning 2orner, then on the

bishop's si)e with the king in the -))ly rawing

2orner. /efer to the abo*e positions if nee)e),

then rinse an) repeat until you can recall themo*es by analyNing the position.

King in ame o#o&ed o&ne& as Bishop ,"ae in 6/ook's waiting mo*e is on f7 in this example

&hite to $o*e

f

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14/15

g Dap&e he Bishop

&hite to $o*e

f

g DKing in he pposie o#o&ed o&ne& of hisbishop

6lack to $o*e

f g DKing in pposie o#o&ed o&ne& of Bishopvs Rook dvanced h,9#e :a;n

6lack to $o*e

f

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15/15

g D +he king an) bishop play for a /#& while the king

an) rook play for the &I. &ith the abo*e

information a))e) to your en)game knowle)ge

you'll be prepare) to play on either si)e. ow go

ha*e a "wimmingly -)) ay8

I hope this has she) some light on &la'ing King (Rook vs King ( Bishop Endga)es. 5ook for thenext in the series an) feel free to sen) a frien)re(uest to be notiCe) of future articles. :ntilthen....2heers
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The King and Rook vs a King and Bishop