Has anyone promoted to a bishop?

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  • Has anyone promoted to a bishop?

    When teaching pawn promotion, we always say that the pawn doesn't have to promote to a queen, sometimes it can be a rook, knight or bishop, possibly to prevent stalemate.

    I assume that at some time somebody must have promoted to only a bishop. Is there a way of finding in the databases a sample master game(s) where a player has promoted to a bishop?

  • #2
    Re: Has anyone promoted to a bishop?

    Originally posted by Erik Malmsten View Post
    When teaching pawn promotion, we always say that the pawn doesn't have to promote to a queen, sometimes it can be a rook, knight or bishop, possibly to prevent stalemate.

    I assume that at some time somebody must have promoted to only a bishop. Is there a way of finding in the databases a sample master game(s) where a player has promoted to a bishop?
    Here is an article on the subject from Tim Krabbé's site:

    http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/chess2/minor.htm

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Has anyone promoted to a bishop?

      Chessbase allows a search by manoeuvre - look for the string ?P?7?8=B or ?P?2?1=B (the help file is useful). The few B underpromotions I glanced at seemed unnecessary - a Q would have been just as effect. Curiously Kramnik and Topalov traded B underpromotions, both on d8, in successive Dortmund tournaments, 1996 and 1997:

      [Event "Dortmund"]
      [Site "Dortmund"]
      [Date "1996.??.??"]
      [Round "9"]
      [White "Topalov, Veselin"]
      [Black "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
      [Result "1/2-1/2"]
      [ECO "D44"]
      [WhiteElo "2750"]
      [BlackElo "2765"]
      [PlyCount "58"]
      [EventDate "1996.07.??"]
      [EventType "tourn"]
      [EventRounds "9"]
      [EventCountry "GER"]
      [EventCategory "18"]
      [Source "ChessBase"]

      1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5
      9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Nbd7 11. exf6 Bb7 12. g3 c5 13. d5 Qb6 14. Bg2 O-O-O 15.
      O-O b4 16. Rb1 Qa6 17. dxe6 Bxg2 18. e7 Bxf1 19. Qd5 Bxe7 20. fxe7 Bd3 21. Ne4
      Bxb1 22. Nd6+ Kc7 23. Bf4 Kb6 24. Nxc4+ Kb5 25. Nd6+ Kb6 26. exd8=B+ Rxd8 27. Nc4+ Kb5 28. Nd6+ Kb6 29. Nc4+ Kb5 1/2-1/2

      [Event "Dortmund"]
      [Site "Dortmund"]
      [Date "1997.??.??"]
      [Round "8"]
      [White "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
      [Black "Topalov, Veselin"]
      [Result "1/2-1/2"]
      [ECO "E97"]
      [WhiteElo "2770"]
      [BlackElo "2745"]
      [PlyCount "71"]
      [EventDate "1997.07.04"]
      [EventType "tourn"]
      [EventRounds "9"]
      [EventCountry "GER"]
      [EventCategory "18"]
      [Source "ChessBase"]
      [SourceDate "1997.10.13"]

      1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. d4 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5
      Ne7 9. b4 a5 10. Ba3 axb4 11. Bxb4 Nd7 12. a4 Bh6 13. a5 f5 14. Nd2 Kh8 15. Bd3
      Rf6 16. Na4 Rf7 17. c5 dxc5 18. Bc3 fxe4 19. Bxe4 Nf5 20. Nc4 Nd6 21. Nxe5 Nxe5
      22. Bxe5+ Bg7 23. Bxg7+ Rxg7 24. Nxc5 b6 25. Ne6 Bxe6 26. dxe6 Nxe4 27. axb6
      cxb6 28. Re1 Nc3 29. e7 Nxd1 30. exd8=B Rxd8 31. Rexd1 Rxd1+ 32. Rxd1 Rb7 33.
      Kf1 b5 34. Rb1 Kg7 35. Ke2 Kf6 36. Kd3 1/2-1/2

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Has anyone promoted to a bishop?

        I once played a game K+B+P vs k where the pawn was easily going to make it to the end, I had lots of time, and my opponent (in the A section) didn't think resigning was a good idea.

        I thought for about 60 seconds thinking what to do. I was too cowardly to play e1=N+, so I played e1=B, and mated in about 20 moves.

        Other than that, there are a few positions where Q promotion would draw (stalemate), but B promotion would win, and fewer positions where Q promotion would lose but B promotion would draw.

        There are also some swindle possibilities. For example, e8=Q is likely to be followed by Rxe8 Kxe8 Draw, but e8=B might convince the opponent to save his rook and try to win, but actually lose.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Has anyone promoted to a bishop?

          Originally posted by Neil Sullivan View Post
          Here is an article on the subject from Tim Krabbé's site:

          http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/chess2/minor.htm
          Thaks Neil, some fascinating positions and even one Canadian (Vranesic) win.

          Thanks Stephen, I'll have to try entering a string for the first time.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Has anyone promoted to a bishop?

            Originally posted by Erik Malmsten View Post
            When teaching pawn promotion, we always say that the pawn doesn't have to promote to a queen, sometimes it can be a rook, knight or bishop, possibly to prevent stalemate.

            I assume that at some time somebody must have promoted to only a bishop. Is there a way of finding in the databases a sample master game(s) where a player has promoted to a bishop?
            Might be a GOOD DEMO according to your topic.

            White to Play and Mates in 3.

            1...e8=B
            2. Kxf6 g8=R (if 2. Kxd6 c8=R)
            3. Kf6 Rf6# (3. Kd6 Rc6#)
            Last edited by Ferdinand Supsup; Monday, 10th August, 2009, 02:56 PM. Reason: To Show the solution.

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