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Endgame · advanced

Bishop Pair Checkmate

Two bishops side by side form a wall the enemy king can't cross. Drive it into a corner and mate.

Last updated

touch_appPlay it out against Stockfish. You have 40 moves; a move that throws the win away is caught and explained.

Quick answer

King and two bishops mate a lone king. Put the bishops on neighbouring diagonals to build a wall the king can't cross, bring your king up to help, and push the enemy king into a corner. The mate comes with one bishop checking along a diagonal while the other covers the escape square.

The technique, step by step

The start: the bishops will stand side by side on neighbouring diagonals, one light-squared and one dark-squared, so the king can't slip between them.
The final picture: the light bishop checks along the long diagonal, the dark bishop covers b8, and the white king covers a7 and b7. Checkmate.

Your task on the board

Two bishops side by side form a wall the enemy king can't cross. Drive it into a corner and mate.

Checkmate
Goal
White
You play
40 moves
Move limit

Tips from the lesson

  1. 1Bishops on neighboring diagonals (e.g. d3 + e3) make an impassable wall.
  2. 2The king must help. Bring it close and take the opposition.
  3. 3Mate happens in a corner, but beware stalemate when the king has one square left.

How the pieces work together

One bishop covers light squares, the other dark squares, so together they control every color.

If you get stuck

Place the bishops on adjacent diagonals to build a wall, and bring your king up.