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3. The Bishop

Learn how bishops move diagonally and why the bishop pair is powerful.

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Introduction

Each side starts with two bishops—one on light squares, one on dark. Bishops slide diagonally as far as they want. Let's see how they work!

Lesson Content

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The bishop moves diagonally any number of squares. It cannot jump over pieces. A bishop always stays on the same color square it started on.

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1. ..Bg7

Slide the bishop diagonally to g7.

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This bishop is on a light square (d4). It can never reach a dark square! That's why having both bishops (the "bishop pair") is valuable—they cover all 64 squares together.

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2. ..Ba1

Move the bishop to the corner a1—as far as it can go on this diagonal.

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Bishops capture by landing on an enemy piece along their diagonal. They cannot jump over pieces—a piece in the way blocks the bishop's path beyond it.

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3. ..Bxf6

Capture the black pawn on f6!

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A bishop on a light square can reach which squares?

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The bishop on d4 has a friendly pawn on e5. Can the bishop move to f6?

Key Takeaways

  • Bishops move diagonally any number of squares
  • They cannot jump over pieces
  • A bishop stays on its starting color forever
  • The "bishop pair" covers all squares together
  • Bishops are strongest on open diagonals

Summary

You've learned how bishops glide along diagonals. Remember: each bishop is locked to one color, and together they're more powerful than apart.

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