How to draw with a bishop against a rook
Learn to hold a bishop against a rook: run your king to the corner of the other colour, get out of the bishop's own corner, and keep the bishop ready to block a check.
Head for the right corner
Your bishop runs on the dark squares. So the corner to go to is a light one: h1, not a1.
Play Kd2: towards h1, the light corner. Kd2 Rg6
1… Rg6 Rg6: the rook attacks your bishop.
Play Be3: the bishop steps next to your king. Be3 Rg2+
2… Rg2+ Rg2+: a check.
Play Ke1: on towards h1. Ke1 Rg6
3… Rg6 Rg6.
Play Kf1: your king is almost in its corner. Kf1
Your king is next to h1, the corner of the other colour, with the bishop close by: a draw.
Out of the wrong corner
Your king stands in a1, a dark corner, the colour of your bishop. Get out at once, along the first rank towards h1.
Play Kb1: out of the corner. Kb1 Ka3
1… Ka3 Ka3: the black king follows.
Play Kc1: on along the first rank. Kc1 Ka2
2… Ka2 Ka2.
Play Kd1: the king keeps walking towards h1. Kd1
The king got out of the bishop's corner in time. The corner of the bishop's own colour is the one to avoid.
A check with the bishop
Your king is near a8, the right corner, but Black threatens Ra1, mate on the a-file. Win a move first.
Play Bf4+: a check, and the black king has to step aside. Bf4+ Kc6
1… Kc6 Kc6.
Play Ka8: into the light corner, the right one for your dark-squared bishop. Ka8 Kb6
2… Kb6 Kb6: the black king comes in front of yours.
Play Bh2: keep the bishop on the diagonal to b8. If the rook checks on the back rank, the bishop blocks on b8. Bh2 Rg4
3… Rg4 Rg4.
Play Be5: the bishop stays on the diagonal to b8, out of the rook's reach. Be5
King in the light corner, bishop on the diagonal to b8: when the rook checks, the bishop blocks. That is the draw.
Key ideas
- Run your king to a corner of the other colour than your bishop: a dark-squared bishop wants h1 or a8.
- In a corner of the bishop's own colour, the rook usually wins.
- In the right corner, keep the bishop where it can block a check along the edge.
- Watch for mate threats on the edge: a check with the bishop wins the time to get away.
Common mistakes
- Running to the nearest corner without looking at its colour.
- Leaving the bishop far from your king, where king and rook win it.