Chess960: Naming the Bishops Pairs

There are a number of structural elements to a Chess960 position and a number of different ways of looking at it:

1. The King with respect to the Rooks
2. The Independent Queen
3. How many times each pawn is defended (SP518: 11144111)
4. The Bishop Pairs (Insider info on the Bishops)
5. The Knights Pairs (Insider info on the Knights)

For me personally, the last two regarding the minor pairs are pretty important. They hold up the character of the starting position simply because they are the most numerous. Check out the insider info links above as well as the respective naming entries in Wikipedia:

Wiki on the Bishop

Each name has a historical analog to their chess960 character. Do please excuse me if you find the "male oriented" namings of the bishops offensive but I must mention that to be fair, the most powerful piece on the board is a female and so I think the namings balance out :-)

Note that if you want to win at Chess960, better brush up on the theory behind the Patriarch variants below. They account for roughly 50% of all games....

The Bishop Pair Configurations and their Naming:

The Primary Patriarchs (AB-GH files)

• Autocratic dual color long range controllers
• Work in tandem powerfully sweeping the board
• Often remain on their original squares
• Dangerous and intimidating from long range
• Can morph into dynamic king protectors
• Weak against rank and file attack
• Have two undefended squares in front of them
  displaced by one rank
• Found in 120 SP's (13%)

The Patriarch Bishops (BC-FG files)

• Autocratic tandem control of two diagonal
  with more versatility than primaries
• Sometimes remain on their original squares
• Work together but can split
• Can morph their influence onto both wings
• Have two undefended squares in front
  of them displaced by one rank
• Found in 120 SP's (13%)

The Minor Patriarch Bishops (CD-EF files)

• Subtler autocratic control than the other forms
• Can work together but also likely to split
• Able to side skirt the central pawn formation
• Can adopt the roles of the other patriarch's
• Can be deployed ambiguously like the Titulars
• Deployable in creative king protection ideas
• Found in 120 SP's (13%)

The Archbishops

• The standard bishop separation distance
• Have the maximum scope possible
• When shifted on the back rank they become
  independently operating bishops difficult
  to formalize their roles
• Found in 300 SP's (31% with shifted forms)

The Metropolitan Bishops

• Independent operators with mirrored
  possibilities and restrictions
• Cannot work the long diagonals easily
• Versatile but usually one of the duo
  is tricky to coordinate
• Share the same scope simplifying planning
• Shifted forms transform into clearly
  defined roles as patriarchs and archbishops
• Found in 180 SP's (19% with shifted forms)

The Suffragan Bishops

• Cannot hide their intention
• The secret is not how they are deployed
  but when
• Maximum long range effect
• Easily neutralized unless their is a
  willingness to prevent trading
• Found in 60 SP's (6%)

The Titular Bishops

• The philosophical bishops :-)
• Very subtle
• Ambiguous in how they operate
• Tricky to coordinate with the other pieces
• Found in only 60 SP's (6%)