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Good and bad bishops
A bishop is only as good as its diagonals.
A bishop lives on diagonals, so its value depends on how open those diagonals are. A bishop blocked in by its own pawns — pawns fixed on the same colour it travels — is a 'bad' bishop with nowhere to go. A bishop with clear lines and real targets is a 'good' one.
The practical rule follows from this: keep your pawns on the opposite colour to your bishop. If you're stuck with a bad bishop, free it with a pawn break or trade it off.
- Pawns on the bishop's colour block its diagonals.
- Place your pawns on the opposite colour to your bishop.
- A bad bishop won't improve on its own — free it or trade it.