Improving Pattern Recognition Through Classics!

Part 3 Mighty bishop pair against the king

Hello dear readers,

In this article, we will have a look at another famous pattern that’s usually encountered in praxis – The bishop pair aiming at the enemy king without any obstruction. This means that the enemy king feels very unsafe which gives rise to a highly tactical battle. One of the most famous games with this pattern is Rubinstein’s immortal: Rotlewi – Rubinstein.

Example 1

White somehow tries to neutralize the effect of the mighty b7 bishop by exchanging it. But now, the tactical fireworks start.
The reason behind White’s downfall is that he has given black a lot of extra time, which is usually decisive in positions of an open or symmetrical nature.
Black has used this time to mobilize his pieces and is now ready to launch a decisive onslaught against the enemy king.
The next part of the game is very instructive.
It not only shows the tactical potential such mighty bishops offer, but also very well displays the brilliance of Rubinstein.

Example 2

Such dangerous bishops and 2 extra tempi proved enough for Black to win the game in a brilliant fashion.
Another famous game that features the same mighty bishops was played just a few months before Rubinstein’s immortal.
This time it was Frank James Marshall, who unleashed the power of these bishops.

Example 3

Another famous game, which is now known as the modern day Rotlewi – Rubinstein, was played by the Indian hero Vishwanathan Anand, who defeated Levon Aronian in a brilliant fashion. This game is perhaps one of the most brilliant games of Chess one might come across.

Example 4

I hope the aforementioned games have helped the readers understand the power of a bishop pair aiming against the enemy king.
Such bishops are usually a signal of danger for the enemy king, and therefore, it’s a good thing to aim for whenever we think about developing our bishops.