In the endgame, the value of two minor pieces is roughly equal to that of a rook and an additional pawn. The configuration of pawns on the board plays a crucial role. When the opponent’s pawns are vulnerable, the two minor pieces hold an advantage. In this particular endgame, the initiative or the ability to seize control of the game is of utmost significance compared to other stages.
Let’s focus on the two most significant cases:
- There are no pawns on the board. In the majority of situations, such an endgame is a draw.
- If the side with two minor pieces has an extra pawn, they will always win.
As the first case is usually trivial (both players will make sure that the opponent won’t trap any of their pieces), I will analyze the second one where the player with a bishop, a knight, and a pawn should win against a bare rook: