Bishop Pair

[Nordlandia]

[d]r3r2k/1p4bp/p1p3p1/4n3/1P3BP1/2P5/1P2BP2/R3R1K1 b - - 0 0

Stockfish assessment: +0.40 +/=

[Nordlandia]

Engine evaluation +0.85

Code: Select all

r2qr1k1/p4ppp/bp1p1n2/3P4/2PQ4/6P1/PB3PBP/R4RK1 w - - 0 0

[Nordlandia]

Peter Horvath vs Anthony Miles | Merida 1999

[d]1r6/3b4/3k3p/1p2b1p1/pP1p2P1/P2B4/2PKN1RP/8 w - - 0 46

[Nordlandia]

Gata Kamsky vs Vassily Ivanchuk | Linares 1991

[d]2r5/3q2pk/3b4/3p1b1p/1P1P1p2/BPr2P1P/R5P1/3QRNK1 b - - 0 37

https://en.lichess.org/MtW3fLbP

[Nordlandia]

«Adding the better cooperation of the rook with the bishops, many Soviet theoreticians believed that, in active positions, rook and two bishops outperform two rooks and a knight»

[d]r5bk/1q4bp/1P1p2p1/3N1p2/3pP3/1P3P2/3Q2PP/1K1RR3 w - - 0 34

[Nordlandia]

Stockfish assessment: -0.50


[d]1k4rr/1pqb1p2/p2bpQ2/8/8/1NP3P1/PP2R1BP/R5K1 b - - 0 1

[Nordlandia]

BB = NNP is a tad overvalued.

[d]3r1rk1/ppp1bp2/4n1p1/3BB2p/PP6/3R3Q/2q2PPP/R5K1 w - - 0 6

[Nordlandia]

Critical position ---->

[d]r1b1k3/3n1p1p/p3pn2/1p4B1/4p3/P1p5/2P1BP1P/2KR2R1 w q - 0 18

[d]r1b1kn2/5p2/p6B/1p1p4/4p3/P1R5/2P1BP1P/2K5 b q - 0 22

https://nb.lichess.org/dtyRzwCd#34

[Nordlandia]

Code: Select all

It is generally reckoned that in the majority of cases two bishops are stronger than two other minor pieces. But while in the middlegame the advantage of the bishops is by no means always an important factor, in the endgame it is often decisive. Thanks to their long range, the bishops are excellent for supporting pawn advances which seize space and create weaknesses in the enemy position. In the end the stronger side frequently uses the principle of two weaknesses, and, by combining threats, breaks through on one of the wings. 

Stockfish evaluation: -0.50

The bishop pair has an average value of half a pawn. The advantage is not always significant but comparatively trivial.

In this case black is better.

[d]6k1/1b3p2/pp2pbpp/8/2P5/1P3N2/P4PPP/3B2K1 w - - 0 1

[Nordlandia]

Evaluation: -0.50

[d]r3r3/p3bkp1/1p3pb1/7p/2PP2P1/5N1P/PB3P2/R3R1K1 b - - 0 20

Evaluation: -0.55

[d]4r3/p4kpp/1p3p2/2P5/3PbbP1/2R2N2/PB3P1P/6K1 w - - 0 24