Quick answer
Same-Color Bishop Endings is an endgame technique: same-color bishop ending. Work from the first evidence position for Same-Color Bishop Endings, and begin by testing Kd3.
Begin from Kd3 in 2b4k/5p2/8/8/4K3/8/8/3B4 w - - 2 2. Count the material, king routes, promotion squares and reserve tempi before applying a theoretical rule. The evidence answer is: Same-Color Bishop Endings: compare the fixed pawn color with the bishop's useful diagonals before exchanging. Candidate line: Kd3.
In the Same-Color Bishop Endings example, notice: side White; pieces Black bishop c8, Black king h8, Black pawn f7, White king e4, White bishop d1; legal first moves Kd5, Ke5, Kf4, Kf3, Ke3, Kd3, Kd4, Bc2. Everything named after “notice” is descriptive of one recorded board, not prescriptive for all games.
Material and result question
The first evidence board tests same-color bishop ending; the second board tests same-color bishop ending. The first path uses direct FEN setup; the second path uses direct FEN setup as its setup string. Cross-check wording on the Chess Wiki and on the Endgames hub. Then compare Material Values with Queen Versus Rook, Opposite Color Bishop Endings, Bishop Versus Knight Endings around the moment to trade the last pawn.
The two inventories make the distinction concrete. A contains side White; pieces Black bishop c8, Black king h8, Black pawn f7, White king e4, White bishop d1; legal first moves Kd5, Ke5, Kf4, Kf3, Ke3, Kd3, Kd4, Bc2; B contains side White; pieces Black king h8, Black pawn f7, Black bishop e6, White king f5, White bishop d3; legal first moves Kf6, Kg5, Kf4, Ke4, Ke5. Compare the side to move before comparing the labels in the context of a knight route that changes the blockade.
Topic dossier for this page and board pair r1:2b4k | r2:5p2 | r3:8 | r4:8 | r5:4K3 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:3B4 / r1:7k | r2:5p2 | r3:4b3 | r4:5K2 | r5:8 | r6:3B4 | r7:8 | r8:8: start with the moment to trade the last pawn; then test a knight route that changes the blockade; keep king opposition on the critical file separate from the king's route around a pawn chain; use the bishop's color complex as the transfer check; and reserve checking distance behind the passer for the exception.
Conversion or defense plan
On the first board, calculate Kd3 after Kd3 and write down the opponent's best reply around the moment to trade the last pawn. On the second board, calculate Kf6 after Kf6 and check a knight route that changes the blockade. Separate the practical conversion question from the result question; side to move and one checking distance can change the conclusion. In this case the useful condition is checking distance behind the passer.
Key claim: Same-Color Bishop Endings is illustrated here by same-color bishop ending; the first concrete test is Kd3. The board anchor is 2b4k/5p2/8/8/4K3/8/8/3B4; the example is intentionally narrower than the topic label and should not be generalised without checking the surrounding position..
Practical boundary: To answer “What exact king, pawn, and move-order conditions decide same-color bishop endings, and how should each side play them?”, compare the recorded setup with Kf6 and the opponent's reply. The decision is useful only when the stated condition survives that concrete test on board 7k/5p2/4b3/5K2/8/3B4/8/8. The evidence records No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication and the second board signature r1:7k | r2:5p2 | r3:4b3 | r4:5K2 | r5:8 | r6:3B4 | r7:8 | r8:8. The false-positive test is whether king opposition on the critical file appears without the king's route around a pawn chain, so the conclusion is useful only when the stated condition survives that concrete test.
Evidence positions
example-1: same-color bishop ending
Show answer
Same-Color Bishop Endings: compare the fixed pawn color with the bishop's useful diagonals before exchanging. Candidate line: Kd3.
Why this position is here: Same-Color Bishop Endings is represented by same-color bishop ending. This is a direct FEN setup with board anchor 2b4k/5p2/8/8/4K3/8/8/3B4; no opening history is inferred from the diagram.
FEN: 2b4k/5p2/8/8/4K3/8/8/3B4 w - - 2 2
Question: What is the first concrete decision in this same-color bishop endings position?
Answer cue: Same-Color Bishop Endings: compare the fixed pawn color with the bishop's useful diagonals before exchanging. Candidate line: Kd3. The first candidate to test is Kd3. Replay Kd3 on board anchor 2b4k/5p2/8/8/4K3/8/8/3B4 and write down what changes after it.
Evidence boundary: No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication.
example-2: same-color bishop ending
Show answer
Same-Color Bishop Endings: compare the fixed pawn color with the bishop's useful diagonals before exchanging. Candidate line: Kf6.
Why this position is here: Same-Color Bishop Endings is represented by same-color bishop ending. This is a direct FEN setup with board anchor 7k/5p2/4b3/5K2/8/3B4/8/8; no opening history is inferred from the diagram.
FEN: 7k/5p2/4b3/5K2/8/3B4/8/8 w - - 4 3
Question: What is the first concrete decision in this same-color bishop endings position?
Answer cue: Same-Color Bishop Endings: compare the fixed pawn color with the bishop's useful diagonals before exchanging. Candidate line: Kf6. The first candidate to test is Kf6. Replay Kf6 on board anchor 7k/5p2/4b3/5K2/8/3B4/8/8 and write down what changes after it.
Evidence boundary: No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication.
example-3: same-color bishop ending
Show answer
Same-Color Bishop Endings: compare the fixed pawn color with the bishop's useful diagonals before exchanging. Candidate line: Bf5.
Why this position is here: Same-Color Bishop Endings is represented by same-color bishop ending. This is a direct FEN setup with board anchor 2b4k/5p2/8/3K4/8/8/2B5/8; no opening history is inferred from the diagram.
FEN: 2b4k/5p2/8/3K4/8/8/2B5/8 w - - 4 3
Question: What is the first concrete decision in this same-color bishop endings position?
Answer cue: Same-Color Bishop Endings: compare the fixed pawn color with the bishop's useful diagonals before exchanging. Candidate line: Bf5. The first candidate to test is Bf5. Replay Bf5 on board anchor 2b4k/5p2/8/3K4/8/8/2B5/8 and write down what changes after it.
Evidence boundary: No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication.
Reading the line
Read the first example (id example-1) as a complete record: continuation Kd3, source tablebase. This is a direct FEN setup with board anchor 2b4k/5p2/8/8/4K3/8/8/3B4; no opening history is inferred from the diagram. If A does not expose same-color bishop ending, correct the evidence before relying on the prose.
Read the second example (id example-2) separately: continuation Kf6, source tablebase. Its feature is same-color bishop ending; inventory side White; pieces Black king h8, Black pawn f7, Black bishop e6, White king f5, White bishop d3; legal first moves Kf6, Kg5, Kf4, Ke4, Ke5. Compare what changes between Kd3 and Kf6.
Boundary cases
The main mistake to avoid with Same-Color Bishop Endings is applying a remembered endgame rule while ignoring side to move, king placement or an unverified result. In A, the missing condition must be located in r1:2b4k | r2:5p2 | r3:8 | r4:8 | r5:4K3 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:3B4 after Kd3; in B, test it against r1:7k | r2:5p2 | r3:4b3 | r4:5K2 | r5:8 | r6:3B4 | r7:8 | r8:8 after Kf6.
For Same-Color Bishop Endings, the first board's evidence boundary (after Kd3) is No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication. The second board's evidence boundary for Same-Color Bishop Endings is No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication. If a trusted source or careful calculation changes the conclusion around the bishop's color complex, update both the evidence record and this article.
Practice from a real game
play the position for both sides, record the critical tempo, and verify the exact FEN against the cited tablebase before publication. Start with A's side to move and r1:2b4k | r2:5p2 | r3:8 | r4:8 | r5:4K3 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:3B4; record two candidates, the reply to Kd3 and the correction. Repeat with B's side to move and r1:7k | r2:5p2 | r3:4b3 | r4:5K2 | r5:8 | r6:3B4 | r7:8 | r8:8; the changed board tests transfer rather than diagram memory.
After the drill, compare your notes with Queen Versus Rook, Opposite Color Bishop Endings, Bishop Versus Knight Endings through the king's route around a pawn chain. Keep A's rejected alternative beside B's chosen line Kf6; this shows whether the conclusion survived a new board signature.
Sources and scope
Sources for Same-Color Bishop Endings: Syzygy tablebase verification reference, 1chess.online editorial scope. Source ids are tablebase, original-analysis. Primary evidence hook: tablebase. Comparisons and practice notes are editorial. Evidence revision: 2026-08-remediation-r2.
Scope note for board pair r1:2b4k | r2:5p2 | r3:8 | r4:8 | r5:4K3 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:3B4 / r1:7k | r2:5p2 | r3:4b3 | r4:5K2 | r5:8 | r6:3B4 | r7:8 | r8:8: this page does not claim that Kd3 is an engine principal variation, that an exact endgame result is verified when the evidence says it is not, or that a tool output replaces human calculation. The conclusion is limited to the recorded boundary and the exception king opposition on the critical file.