Fortresses: chess endgame

Drawing positions the attacker simply cannot break

A position the defender holds even a piece down: wrong-coloured bishop walls, locked pawns, opposite bishops.

• A fortress is a genuine draw, whatever the material.
• Most common: opposite bishops with the defender's king on the promotion square.
• Build with locked pawns, king and piece on the right squares.
• When down material, look for a fortress.