Exercise 9.1Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
9
Practical Rook Endgames · Kapilash Chess Academy
Rook against Bishop
The right corner
In this lesson you will learn
- Why rook against bishop is usually a draw
- The safe corner for the defending king
- The wrong corner and how the attacker wins there
- Keeping king and bishop together
Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.
9.1 The Safe Corner
Rook against bishop (without pawns) is usually a draw, but the defending king must choose the right corner. The safe corner is the one of the opposite colour to the bishop: there the bishop can block checks without allowing stalemate or mate tricks. In the corner of the bishop's colour, the attacker often finds a mating net.
Diagram 9.1Black to move
Example 9.1 · Leave the wrong corner
Black's bishop moves on dark squares, and the black king sits in h8 — a dark corner, the wrong one.
1...♔g7! leaves the dangerous corner at once. In the wrong corner White could combine king and rook for a mating net; in the open board and the right corner (a8 or h1 here) Black holds easily.
RuleLight-squared bishop: run to the dark corners (a1 or h8). Dark-squared bishop: run to the light corners (a8 or h1).
Remember
- Rook vs bishop is usually a draw.
- Safe corner: the opposite colour to the bishop.
- In the wrong corner, the attacker can build a mating net.
- Keep king and bishop close together.
Exercises · Lesson 9
Every exercise has been checked with a chess engine: exactly one move keeps the best result. Find it and play it on the board.
Exercise 9.2Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 9.3Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 9.4Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 9.5Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 9.6Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 9.7Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.