How the Bishop Moves in Chess: A Simple Guide for Beginners

The bishop moves diagonally, any number of squares, in any of the four diagonal directions. It cannot jump over pieces, so it stops when something is in its way. Because it only moves diagonally, a bishop stays on the same colour of square for the whole game.

The bishop is the piece with a pointed, rounded top, a bit like a hat with a small cut in it. Each player starts with two bishops: White's are on c1 and f1, and Black's are on c8 and f8. In this guide you will learn how the bishop moves, how it captures and how to make it a strong piece in your games.

Diagonal lines, as far as you like

A diagonal is a slanting line of squares that touch only at their corners, like the stripes on a school tie. A bishop can travel along a diagonal as far as it wants, one square or seven, in a single move. It can go forward or backward.

Blocking and capturing

The bishop cannot jump. If one of your own pieces is in the way, the bishop must stop before it. If an enemy piece is in the way, the bishop can capture it, which means taking it off the board and moving onto its square. The bishop cannot go any further along that line after a capture.

A bishop can also give check, which means attacking the enemy king. If a bishop is lined up diagonally with the king and nothing stands in between, the king is in check. The opponent must then move the king, capture the bishop, or put a piece in the way to block the diagonal.

This is why, at the start of the game, both bishops are stuck behind their pawns. To let a bishop out, you first move a pawn in front of it. For example, after White plays the pawn from e2 to e4, the bishop on f1 can come out to c4 or b5.

Try it yourself

Try this: can you get the c1 bishop to h6 in one move? Now try to get it to h5. You cannot, because h5 is a light square. No matter how many moves you take, the c1 bishop will never reach h5.

Making your bishops strong

A bishop is worth about 3 points, about the same as a knight. To learn the value of every piece, see chess piece values. Here are three simple ways to get the most from your bishops:

• Open the lines. A bishop needs open diagonals. Move centre pawns early so your bishops can come out.
• Aim at the centre or the king. Long diagonals, such as a1 to h8, are powerful roads for a bishop.
• Keep both bishops. Two bishops work together well because between them they cover both colours. Players call this "the bishop pair".

A bishop puzzle

Bishops are very good at attacking along a long line. In the puzzle below, a single bishop move attacks two black pieces at once. Attacking two pieces together is called a fork.

Common beginner mistakes

• Moving the bishop in a straight line. Bishops only move diagonally, never up, down or sideways.
• Jumping over pieces. Only the knight can jump. A bishop stops when something is in its path.
• Trying to change colour. A bishop on a light square can never reach a dark square.
• Leaving bishops at home. Many beginners move only pawns and the queen. Develop your bishops early.

Practice idea: put a bishop anywhere on an empty board and count how many squares it can reach. Then move it to the edge and count again. You will see why bishops love the centre and long, open diagonals. Next, learn how the rook moves.