Same-colored bishops
Same-colored bishops are bishops that move on the same shade of squares, so they can challenge, exchange and defend against each other, and an extra pawn is usually much easier to convert than with opposite colors.
With bishops on the same color, the position behaves like a normal endgame. Either bishop can attack the other, so a trade is always possible, and the side with the better pawns or the more active king can force matters. That makes the ending richer and less drawish than its opposite-colored cousin. The side that is ahead can often force the bishops off, because a king and pawn ending a pawn up is frequently winning, so the defender has to check that pawn ending before allowing any trade. Ask which pawns stand on the bishops' color, because pawns on that shade are protected by their own bishop but attacked by the enemy one. Pawns on the other shade cannot be hit by the enemy bishop at all. A frequent mistake is to rush the trade of bishops without calculating the resulting king and pawn ending. Another is to leave the bishop passive behind pawns on its own color. A good bishop here is the one that has open diagonals and cannot be driven back.
It sits close to Bishop versus knight endgame. A bishop versus knight endgame is an ending in which one side keeps a bishop and the other a knight, usually with pawns, where the bishop tends to shine in open positions and the knight in closed ones.
It sits close to Minor piece endgame. A minor piece endgame is an ending in which each side has only bishops or knights besides the kings and pawns, so the fight turns on piece activity, pawn structure and king position rather than on heavy pieces.
Compare it with Opposite-colored bishops. Opposite-colored bishops are bishops that run on different shades of squares, so neither side can attack or exchange the other's bishop, which makes endings with them notoriously drawish even when one side is a pawn or two ahead.
If "Same-colored bishops" has cost you half a point, a first lesson is a good place to find the pattern behind it: George Li goes through your games and builds a plan.
Related terms
Opposite-colored bishops are bishops that run on different shades of squares, so neither side can attack or exchange the other's bishop, which makes endings with them notoriously drawish even when one side is a pawn or two ahead.
A good bishop is one whose own pawns mainly stand on the other color from the squares it travels on, so its diagonals stay open and it can reach the enemy camp.
A bad bishop is one whose own pawns stand mostly on its color, where they block its diagonals, leaving it with little range and few targets to attack.
A minor piece endgame is an ending in which each side has only bishops or knights besides the kings and pawns, so the fight turns on piece activity, pawn structure and king position rather than on heavy pieces.
A bishop versus knight endgame is an ending in which one side keeps a bishop and the other a knight, usually with pawns, where the bishop tends to shine in open positions and the knight in closed ones.
A king and pawn endgame is an ending in which only kings and pawns remain, so the result depends on promotion races, king placement, opposition, and exact counting of moves.
Guides that go further
What to decide first, the questions to ask, what a first lesson should show and the red flags to avoid.
How much does chess coaching cost?
Published rates for private, group and subscription chess coaching, with the source and the date of each.
A game review, a read on your level and a written study plan from George Li.
Want to spot this in your own games?
A first lesson starts with your games: George reviews them and builds a study plan around what he finds.