How to draw against the wrong bishop and a rook's pawn
Learn to save a lone king against a bishop and a rook's pawn when the bishop can't cover the promotion square: get to the corner, and nothing can drive you out.
Run to the corner
The pawn is three steps from queening, and your king four steps from the corner. Only one road gets there in time.
Play Kd6: straight for c7, the shortest road. Kd6 a6
2. a6 a6: the pawn runs.
Play Kc7: now your king is next to b7 and b8. Kc7 a7
3. a7 a7: one step from queening.
Play Kb7: your king guards a8. If the pawn queens, the king takes it. Kb7 Bf2
4. Bf2 Bf2: the bishop has nothing to attack.
Play Ka8: into the corner, in front of the pawn. Ka8
Your king sits on a8, and the bishop runs on the dark squares: it can never attack a8, so nothing drives the king out. It is a draw.
In front of the pawn
The white king stands near the corner, ready to take b7 and b8. Your king has another way in: in front of the pawn, through a6.
Play Kb5: towards a6, the square in front of the pawn. Kb5 Bd2
2. Bd2 Bd2: the bishop guards the pawn.
Play Ka6: in front of the pawn. From here a7 and a8 are one step away. Ka6 Kc7
3. Kc7 Kc7: the white king takes b7 and b8.
Play Ka7: on to the corner. Ka7 Kc8
4. Kc8 Kc8.
Play Ka8: your king is in the corner. Ka8
Your king got to a8 in front of the pawn. The white king can take b7 and b8, but nothing can ever attack a8: it is a draw.
Attack the pawn first
Your king is far from the corner, but close to the pawn. Use that.
Play Kb4: attack the pawn. It has to run. Kb4 a5
2. a5 a5: the pawn steps forward, and the bishop guards it.
Play Kb5: follow the pawn. Next comes a6. Kb5 Kd8
3. Kd8 Kd8: the white king heads for the corner.
Play Ka6: in front of the pawn. Ka6 Kc8
4. Kc8 Kc8: it takes b7 and b8.
Play Ka7: on to the corner. Ka7 Bd8
5. Bd8 Bd8: the bishop has nothing to do.
Play Ka8: your king is in the corner. Ka8
Attacking the pawn won the time to walk along it to a8. Once there, your king can't be driven out: a draw.
Key ideas
- Against a rook's pawn and the wrong bishop, your king draws as soon as it gets to the corner in front of the pawn.
- The bishop runs on the other colour: it can never attack a8, and the white king can't come next to yours, so nothing drives your king out.
- Your king may stand right in front of the pawn: from a6 or a7 it steps into a8.
- When the pawn is close, attack it first: it has to run, and your king follows it to the corner.
Common mistakes
- A step that looks just as close to the corner but is one move slower: the bishop or the white king shuts the door first.
- Leaving the corner once you are there: the white king takes it.