Concepts · Pieces & Activity

Good Bishop / Bad Bishop

A bishop on the colour of its own pawns has fewer diagonals to work on; a bishop on the other colour is free. Exchanging the bad one, or keeping the good one, is a positional judgement the board can count.

Key ideas

Count the pawns on the bishop’s colour
Trading the bad bishop has a positional benefit
Put the pawns on the opposite colour to the bishop

Watch

Games that teach good bishop / bad bishop

1 game

Also covered in

London SystemD0218:04

How Capablanca Beat Kreymborg with the London System | Attack, Strategy & Pawn Structure

Jose Raul Capablanca vs Alfred Kreymborg

Attack, Strategy & Pawn Structure: what Capablanca vs Kreymborg (London System) teaches. Both sides attack the other’s king with pawns and pieces — who is faster, and why every tempo counts.

Opposite-Side Castling
Pawn Break
Hanging Pawns
Doubled Pawns

NYSCA ch26 Feb 19101-0