If you have only a king and the opponent has only a king left as well then it is a draw because of insufficient mating material.
If you have a king only and your opponent has a king and more than one pawn, then resign because you will lose. You can’t fight against two or more pawns.
If your opponent has a pawn, which is not an edge pawn, and a bishop or any other piece, then resign. Because he will promote the pawn into a queen with the help of his bishop or other piece and then checkmate you.
You only have a chance, if the pawn is an edge pawn and the bishop has the opposite colour of the corner square to where the pawn will get promoted into a queen. See below.
White makes draw
1. Black has an edge pawn.
2. Black bishop has the wrong color, this means he has the opposite color of the corner square.
The white king stays near the corner square all the time and Black’s bishop and king are not able to chase the white king away from the corner, to be able to promote the pawn. This position will end in a stalemate eventually which is a draw. If Black would have a white-running bishop or a knight, he would win.
Insufficient Mating Material – Draw
Black can’t win the positions below! He has no pawn to promote and he can’t give checkmate with a piece only or with two knights only!
How Chess Grandmaster Igor Smirnov developed his chess teaching system.