Black's advantage is -0.50 according Asmfish 01.14.17 | The question is if the bishop pair advantage alone, is enough to win the game.
In the diagram overleaf, Black's advantage,
thanks to the two bishops, is obvious. Yet
White's superior pawn-structure and lack of
weaknesses allow him to count on a successful
defence. To this end it is essential to play constructively,
and above all to solve the problem
Code: Select all
3r3r/pp2bk1p/5p2/2p3p1/3p2b1/P2P4/1PPNNPPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 20
[pgn][Event "Nurnberg"]
[Site "Nuremberg GER"]
[Date "1888.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bernhard Richter"]
[Black "Siegbert Tarrasch"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C67"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3r3r/ppp1bk1p/5p2/6p1/3p2b1/P2P4/1PPNNPPP/R3R1K1 b - - 0 19"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventDate "1888.??.??"]
19... c5 20. Ng3 h5 21. f3 Bd7 22. Re2 b5 23. Rae1 Bf8 24. Nge4 Rg8 25. Nb3 Rc8
26. Ned2 Bd6 27. Ne4 Bf8 28. Ned2 f5 29. Re5 Bd6 30. R5e2 Ra8 31. Na5 Rab8 32.
Nab3 h4 33. Kh1 Rg6 34. Kg1 Be6 35. Rf2 Ra8 36. Rfe2 a5 37. Nb1 a4 38. N3d2 c4
39. Nf1 Rc8 40. Kh1 c3 41. bxc3 dxc3 42. Ne3 b4 43. Nc4 Bxc4 44. dxc4 Rxc4 45.
Re3 bxa3 46. Nxc3 Bb4 0-1
[/pgn]
Code: Select all
The evaluation of the position is of course
gloomy for White. An endgame has almost
been reached. Hence the two bishops are considerably
stronger than the two knights.
But in chess, as is well known, there is a big
difference between 'worse' and 'lost'.
In positions where knights are contending
with bishops, the only chance is to build an efw
fective defence by creating outposts for the
knights.
Therefore the most acceptable defensive plan
here consists in seizing and fortifying the c4-
square as a knight outpost - by 20 a4! followed
by 4Jc4. Nor is it difficult to decide what to do
afterwards with the other knight - it will be
brought to d2, for instance along the route e2-
cl-b3-d2.
In the game, however, White adopted a different
plan:
Brief Lichess Analysis -
https://en.lichess.org/146Z8PIE
-------------------------------------------
Harmlessness of the situation, this endgame
must be recognized as absolutely hopeless for
Black. This is explained first and foremost by
White's advantage of the bishop-pair.
The plan for realizing White's advantage is
simple if he is guided by the principle of two
weaknesses. Curtailing the black king's freedom
of action by attacking the h-pawn, White
endeavours to penetrate with his own king on
the queenside. An important detail is that the
knight will be cast in the role of Buridan's ass,
tom between the two fronts - especially since
the a-pawn and h-pawn are so far apart.
Code: Select all
6k1/7p/p7/n2b1B2/3B4/P5KP/8/8 w - - 0 44
[pgn][Event "Luzern 48/55"]
[Site "Luzern 48/55"]
[Date "1989.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rongguang Ye"]
[Black "John Nunn"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A10"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/6kp/p7/n2b1B2/3B4/P5KP/8/8 b - - 0 43"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[EventDate "1989.??.??"]
43... Kg8 44. Kf4 Nc4 45. Bc5 Kg7 46. h4 Kg8 47. Kg5 Ne5 48. Kf6 Nf3 49. Bf2
Bb3 50. Bg4 Bd5 51. a4 Nd2 52. Be1 Nf3 53. Bg3 Nd2 54. a5 Bc4 55. Be1 Nb3 56.
Bc3 Nc5 57. Ke5 Nb3 58. Kd6 Kf7 59. Bh5+ Kg8 60. Kc6 Kf8 61. Bb4+ Kg7 62. Kb6
Kf6 63. Bg4 Nc1 64. Bc8 Nd3 65. Ba3 1-0
[/pgn]
Code: Select all
[Event "Luzern 48/55"]
[Site "Luzern 48/55"]
[Date "1989.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rongguang Ye"]
[Black "John Nunn"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A10"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/6kp/p7/n2b1B2/3B4/P5KP/8/8 b - - 0 43"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[EventDate "1989.??.??"]
43... Kg8 44. Kf4 Nc4 45. Bc5 Kg7 46. h4 Kg8 47. Kg5 Ne5 48. Kf6 Nf3 49. Bf2
Bb3 50. Bg4 Bd5 51. a4 Nd2 52. Be1 Nf3 53. Bg3 Nd2 54. a5 Bc4 55. Be1 Nb3 56.
Bc3 Nc5 57. Ke5 Nb3 58. Kd6 Kf7 59. Bh5+ Kg8 60. Kc6 Kf8 61. Bb4+ Kg7 62. Kb6
Kf6 63. Bg4 Nc1 64. Bc8 Nd3 65. Ba3 1-0
Brief Lichess Analysis -
https://en.lichess.org/mmLrF1vB