Bishop
The bishop moves any number of squares along a diagonal, as long as no piece stands in the way, so each bishop stays on one color of square for the entire game.
Each side starts with two bishops, one for the light squares and one for the dark. Because a bishop only ever moves diagonally, it never leaves the color of the square it starts on. Together the pair covers the whole board, which is why having both bishops against a bishop and a knight is often an advantage in open positions. A bishop cannot jump over pieces, so its power depends on open diagonals. It is a long-range piece that likes pawns fixed on the opposite color from itself. A bishop hemmed in by its own pawns is sometimes called a bad bishop, and plans to trade or reposition it are a common middlegame theme. In endings, opposite-colored bishops often draw even when one side is a pawn or two ahead, because each bishop can never attack the other's squares. In notation the bishop is B. The bishop's value is conventionally rated about three pawns, roughly equal to a knight. When you study a position, always note which color squares your bishops control and which squares your opponent's pieces can use against you.
A neighboring idea is Chess pieces. Chess pieces are the sixteen units each side starts with: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns; in everyday speech, though, piece usually means everything except the pawns.
A neighboring idea is Queen. The queen moves any number of squares along a rank, file or diagonal, provided the path is clear, which makes her the most powerful piece on the board.
Also worth reading is Rook. The rook moves any number of squares along its rank or file, provided the path is clear, and it takes part in castling alongside the king.
Knowing "Bishop" is the easy part; what to practice next depends on your rating, and the improvement plans by rating band list the habits worth building at each level.
Related terms
The knight moves to one of the nearest squares that is not on its own rank, file or diagonal, an L-shaped jump, and it is the only piece that can leap over other pieces.
Chess pieces are the sixteen units each side starts with: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns; in everyday speech, though, piece usually means everything except the pawns.
The pawn moves one square straight forward, or two from its starting square, captures one square diagonally forward, and is exchanged for a queen, rook, bishop or knight on the far rank.
The rook moves any number of squares along its rank or file, provided the path is clear, and it takes part in castling alongside the king.
Disambiguation is the extra letter or number added to a written move when two identical pieces can move to the same square, such as Nbd2 or R1e2, so the move reads only one way.
Piece value is the rough points scale players use to compare material: a pawn counts one, a knight and a bishop three each, a rook five and a queen nine.
Guides that go further
What to decide first, the questions to ask, what a first lesson should show and the red flags to avoid.
How much does chess coaching cost?
Published rates for private, group and subscription chess coaching, with the source and the date of each.
A game review, a read on your level and a written study plan from George Li.
Sources
- FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023), Article 3.2, read Oct 21, 2026.
- FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023), Article 3.5, read Oct 21, 2026.
- FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023), Appendix C.2, read Oct 21, 2026.
Want to spot this in your own games?
A first lesson starts with your games: George reviews them and builds a study plan around what he finds.