Offside explanation?

Hi everyone,

I've heard terms like "offside bishop" or "offside pawn majority" used, but I'm not too sure what that means or what exactly is "offside" in chess. I'm hoping someone can provide a good explanation and maybe a couple of examples?

Thanks!
Silverfeathers

its nothing illegal just some dumb term intermediate chess players make up.

I've never really heard of a pawn majority being called 'offside'.  Presumably they mean a pawn majority on the side away from the kings, which would usually be called a queenside pawn majority.  Usually when people say a piece is offside they mean the piece is misplaced, away from where the action is.  Tbh I don't think I've ever heard it used about a bishop.  I've only heard it used wrt a knight.  It will usually refer to a knight which is on the edge on the wrong side of the board often dominated by pawns such that it will take several turns to return the knight to action. 

 Thank you for the reply. I think I was mainly confused because an offside piece is supposed to be a mistake, but the websites I found always listed an offside pawn majority as a good thing. I'm going to venture that this is because those pawns help to protect the offside (the side away from the main action) so other pieces can be elsewhere? If that makes no sense, feel free to correct me!

Cheers,
Silverfeathers

A distant majority is advantageous in a K&P ending if it can create a passed pawn, which it usually can. Especially if quickly;(sometimes). Especially (most of the time) if it can create an "outside" passed pawn (closer to the rim) since that is all the more distant from the defending King . It is advantageous in that the pawn majority by itself can create the passer while the owner of it leaves his own king home on his minority side to defend vs the opps majority there. And about a hundred other things that can be said about it. (Make that a thousand. Exceptions, exceptions to exceptions, etc) Sometimes it only draws. Often it can be a Disadvantage in a middle game. Sometimes EQUAL pawns on distant wing can create a passer anyway. Eg Three on the same rank facing three others all of the same rank. Still this much is all really basic to K+P endings ... which deserve intense study, at least for tournament players, since every game is a potential K+P ending, and often you must decide if you want it to go there.

As far as the term "offside", it sounds like it comes from soccer fans to me. Tho I've never heard it before in 30+ Chess years, I would venture you heard/read it from someone British?

The queenside pawn majority is often a good thing because it can be useful in an endgame.  You can use it to create a passed pawn on the far side of the board away from your opponent's king, whereas your own king can defend against your opponent's kingside pawn majority. 

BaronDerKilt why have you used that  thing... do you not like the british or something... how can a pawn be offside?

Me? I love about 5,999,999,992 of the first 6 Billion people in this world. Not bad for someone over 30.

says under it "undecided" so I use it to mean I am guessing. (Tho it must be said, now that i look at it, its a nasty looking bugger isnt it? Like Billy Idol doing The Snarl or something. Maybe Sid Vicious ? No I think Billy Idol, since it was idle speculation ... )

The logistics: Who are the biggest soccer fans in the English speaking world, and love to put things into their own words ?  Hmmm....OK, you got a point. I should have said "someone English", ya? Unless you want this honor to go to the Australians !? It's your choice now .... NO wait, the Australians already denied it, and the Welsh. Then it Must Be the Kiwi's!

Or the Manx; now THEY are crafty devils indeed (with half the island having my name, and all. And I will deny everything if asked by The Crown~!)

And perhaps thats the case. I didnt hear anyone use the term at any London tournaments, admittedly. So its up for grabs ... who wants to claim the term?

Or is this all some c-o-n-s-p-i-r-a-c-y ?!!  In that case, I blame The King of Spain .

{ But I'm NOT  b o t h e r e d }