Learn Chess: The Bishop

The Board	The Pieces	The King	The Queen	The Rook	The Bishop
The Knight	The Pawn	Check	Checkmate	Draws	Notation

The Bishop

Typical Staunton wood Bishop piece used in a game of Chess (Fig. 1). The Bishop is considered a minor piece and each player start the game with 2 units.

Staunton wood white Chess Bishop piece

Staunton wood white Chess Bishop piece

Fig. 1

The following graphic shows white and black Chess Bishop figures (Fig. 2). These pieces are widely used in diagrams to illustrate games, positions, and Chess problems.

Chess Bishop figures

Chess Bishop figures

Fig. 2

This diagram (Fig. 3) shows the position Bishops have at the beginning of the game. Each player has two Bishops in white and black squares respectively.

Bishops initial position

Fig. 3

The Bishop can move any number of squares in a diagonal direction and within squares of the same color. Bishops located in the center, control up to thirteen squares each (Fig. 4 & 5)

White Bishop’s movement

White Bishop's movement

Fig. 4

Black Bishop’s movement

Black Bishop's movement

Fig. 5

The Bishop can emulate the diagonal movements of the Queen but not the Rooks as shown in the graphic below with red marks (Fig. 6 & 7)

White Bishop cannot move as a Rook

White Bishop cannot move as a Rook

Fig. 6

Black Bishop cannot move as a Rook

Black Bishop cannot move as a Rook

Fig. 7

When a Bishop is blocked by a friendly piece as shown in Fig. 8 & 9, it cannot move to the square occupied by the Rook nor the squares that lie beyond marked with two red “X’s”.

White Bishop cannot move to marked squares

Fig. 8

Black Bishop cannot move to marked squares

Black Bishop cannot move to marked squares

Fig. 9

Bishop can capture the opponent’s Knight by removing it from the board and placing itself on the square but cannot move beyond the Knight (Fig. 10 & 11)

White Bishop can capture the black Knight

White Bishop can capture the black Knight

Fig. 10

Black Bishop can capture the white Knight

Black Bishop can capture the white Knight

Fig. 11

The following Applet lets you try an interactive feeling to practice the Bishop’s moves and capture. Just place the cursor over the white Bishop piece, press the left button of your mouse, and drag the Bishop to the cell you wish and release it. The computer (black pieces) will move next. This position should end in a draw after all Pawns and Rook are captured.

White to move

More about the Bishop

The Bishop moves an arbitrary number of squares in a diagonal direction only, and may not move over occupied squares unless it makes a capture.

Bishop takes (captures) in the same way as it moves.

Bishops move only on squares of their starting color (one light square and one dark square).

The two Bishops working in tandem can dominate the whole Chessboard and to your advantage, keep them on the board until you are well into a game of Chess.

Avoid trapping your Bishops behind Pawns that have become fixed in their positions.

A Bishop that works well with the pieces is called a good-Bishop.

A Bishop that is trapped by Pawns (lacking mobility) is called a bad-Bishop.

Placed at the center of a clear board the Bishop commands 13 cells.

The relative numeric value of the Bishop is 3 points.

The Board	The Pieces	The King	The Queen	The Rook	The Bishop
The Knight	The Pawn	Check	Checkmate	Draws	Notation

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