rules, tactics, strategies and history

The Bishop and the Middle Game

Generally several moves are necessary in the middle game for Knights and Rooks to reach positions favorable for an active part in the attack. With the Bishops it is different. They can usually be developed on their first move to the square on which they are needed in the middle game for either attack or defense.

In King's Pawn openings as well as in Queen's Pawn openings White's Queen's Bishop is, in the majority of cases, used for pinning Black's King's Knight on g5 and Black's King's Bishop is placed on e7 to relieve the pin. The pinning of the King's Knight, however, is not advisable in positions in which the opponent has the option of castling to the Queen's side. After (1) P-e4, P-e5; (2) Kt-f3, Kt-c6; (3) B-c4, Kt-f6; (4) Kt-c3, B- c5; (5) P-d3, P-d6; for instance White should wait with B-g5 until Black has castled on the King's side. If he plays (6) B-g5, Black will answer B-e6; (7) o-o, Q-d7; and now White would only hurt its own game by exchanging on f6 as the open g-file is bound to aid Black, who will castle on the Queen's side, in an attack on the King's side.

In Queen's Pawn openings the move B-g5 is always good as Black cannot very well castle on the Queen's side on account of the open c-file in which White would soon obtain an overwhelming attack. Another good square for the Queen's Bishop is in Queen's Pawn openings b2 from where the Bishop supports the advance of the King's Knight to e5. In this case the Queen's Knight should be developed to d2 instead of c3 so as not to obstruct the line of the Bishop. The same holds good for the development of Black's Queen's Bishop.

In King's Pawn openings it is dangerous for the Queen's Bishop to leave the long diagonal in which he is originally posted as the opponent might threaten to gain a foothold in the f-line with a Knight, provoking a weakening move with the g-Pawn. The position of Diagram 54, which occurred in a game between Teichmann and Rubinstein in the Karlsbad Tourna pieces t, 1911, furnishes an instructive example. White played (1) P-a4, trying to make use of the advanced position of Black's b-Pawn for opening the a-file for its Rook, and Black replied B-b7. This crosses White's plan, as after (2) Pxb5, Pxb5; it would not be White but Black who would gain control of the a-line.

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However, Black should not have withdrawn the Bishop from the King's wing, for White can now play its Queen's Knight via f1 and g3 or e3 to f5 unless Black weakens its Pawn position by P-g6. The proper way to answer White's first move would have been either B-e6 or P-b4. The latter is a Pawn move, but in the present case it cannot be considered a loss of time as White, too, has made a Pawn move which does not further its development.

The game went on as follows: (2) Kt-f1, Q-c7; (3) Kt-g3, P-g6; White's aim is accomplished. He has provoked a weakness which furnishes a mark for its attack. The way to conduct the attack-- after completing the development by B-g5, will be to open the f- file for the Rook by advancing the f-Pawn. This advance can be prepared by P-h3 and Kt-h2. Of course, White would prefer to do without the move of the h-Pawn; but h2 is the only favorable square for the Knight f3, as neither from d2 nor from h4 he has an opportunity to help the attack while from h2 he may go to g4, bearing on both of the weak squares f6 and h6.

Black has little chance for counterattack. The only thing he can do is occupy the Queen's file with its Rooks and opening it by P- d5 and Pxe4. its Queen's Bishop, however, is badly placed in any case as he has no open diagonal to work in, and he will have to get back into play via its original square c8.

White's King's Bishop is not well placed either and is practically condemned to play the role of a Pawn by protecting the square d3 without, at the same time, attacking anything. There is, of course, a chance for him to be useful in the diagonal a2-g8. It may be said that in King's Pawn openings White's King's Bishop comparatively seldom has an opportunity to take an active part in the battle. He is mostly exchanged at an early stage of the game for Black's Queen's Knight or Queen's Bishop. In Queen's Pawn openings, however, he finds a great field of action in the unobstructed diagonal b1-h7. In this diagonal he can also be used in all openings starting with P-e4 in which Black does not advance its King's pawn to e5, as White can open the diagonal at any time by playing P-e5.

Generally speaking, Bishops should not be placed in diagonals which are obstructed by Pawns of their own army, and Pawns moves should be avoided which close a diagonal formerly open to a kindred Bishop. A striking illustration of the importance of this rule will be found in the play which developed in the position of Diagram 55 in a game between Teichmann and Dus Chotimirski in the Prague Tourna pieces t 1908. Black, on the move, played (1)..., Kt-e5, disturbing the symmetry of the position to its advantage by opening the diagonal of its Queen's Bishop without allowing White to make a similar maneuver. After (2) Ktxe5, Bxe5; (3) Q-e2, o-o; (4) Ra1-d1, Q-e7; White yielded the temptation to drive away the disagreeable Bishop e5 by (5) P-f4, a move which had to be followed up with the advance of the e-Pawn who otherwise would have remained very weak, not being protected by another Pawn.

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The game went on as follows: (5) ..., B-c7; (6) P-e4, B-b6+; (7) K-h1, Rf8-d8; (8) B-b1, Ra8-c8; (9) Rxd8+, Qxd8; (10) R-d1, Q-e7; (11) P-e5. This opens again the diagonal of the King's Bishop, but it closes that of the Queen's Bishop, and it is the advantage of the work done by its Queen's Bishop in the unobstructed diagonal which secures Black the victory, (11) ..., Kt-d5; (12) Ktxd5, Bxd5; (13) Q-g4, Q-b7; (14) P-f5, R-c4; (15) Q-g3, R-f4!. White cannot capture the Rook on account of Bxg2 mate. (16) P-f6, P-g6. There is now no defense against R-f2 which attacks g2 and b2 at the same time. (17) B-a2, R-f2; (18) Bxd5, Qxd5! and White resigns as he loses its Bishop on account of the mating threat.