The bishop in chess: diagonals and one colour all game

A bishop moves diagonally any distance and stays on squares of one colour for the whole game — the one that started on a light square will never reach a dark one.

In short: a bishop moves along diagonals, as far as it likes while the path is clear. It starts the game as a "light" or "dark" bishop and keeps to that colour to the end. It is worth 3 points, like the knight, but in an open position it is often stronger. Two bishops together cover both colours and are dangerous; a bishop blocked by its own pawns can be useless.

How the bishop moves

The bishop slides along diagonals in any direction, as many squares as are free. It does not jump — the first piece in its way stops it, or is captured if it belongs to the opponent.

The bishop stays on one colour

Because it moves only diagonally, a bishop never changes the colour of its square. Hence the "light" and "dark" bishop: each of your two bishops guards a different half of the board. That is why the bishop pair is so valuable — together they cover both colours.

The weakest bishop: blocked by its own pawns

A bishop's strength depends on whether its diagonals are open. A bishop shut in by its own pawns, as in the second board position, has no move at all — it is called a "bad bishop". This is not a flaw of the piece but a mistake of pawn placement.

Can a bishop change the colour of its squares?

No, never — it stays on the colour it started on.

Bishop or knight?

Both worth 3; the bishop is better in open positions, the knight in closed ones.

What is a "fianchetto" bishop?

A bishop developed to the long diagonal from b2/g2 (or b7/g7) — the same piece, a strong setup.

The bishop is one of six pieces — see them together in the guide to chess pieces and compare it with the knight. Practise bishop play on chess tasks.

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