How the bishop moves

Updated 1 October 2026

A bishop moves diagonally, as many squares as it likes, until another piece is in the way. Because it only moves diagonally, it stays on the same colour of square for the whole game.

How the bishop moves

A bishop slides along diagonals, forward or backward, as many squares as it likes. It stops when it reaches the edge of the board or another piece. It can't jump, so anything on its diagonal, yours or your opponent's, blocks the way.

Because it only moves diagonally, a bishop never changes colour. Each side starts with one bishop on a light square (White's on f1) and one on a dark square (White's on c1), and each of them can only ever reach half the board. Together, the two bishops cover every square, which is why keeping both, “the bishop pair”, is often a small advantage.

How the bishop captures

A bishop captures the first enemy piece it meets on a diagonal by moving onto its square. It can't capture a piece standing behind another one, and it can never attack anything on the other colour.

Good bishops and bad bishops

Your own pawns decide how strong a bishop is. If most of your pawns stand on the same colour as your bishop, they block its diagonals and players call it a bad bishop. A bishop whose diagonals are open, with your pawns mostly on the other colour, is a good bishop. You don't need to worry about this in your first games, but it is a useful thing to notice when you decide which way to push your pawns.

Common beginner mistakes

• Leaving bishops at home. At the start both bishops are shut in by pawns. Moving the d- and e-pawns opens their diagonals; then bring the bishops out.
• Trying to attack the wrong colour. A dark-squared bishop will never attack a piece on a light square, however hard it tries.
• Forgetting long-range attacks. A bishop on the far side of the board can still hit your pieces. Check the diagonals before you move.

The bot who develops his bishops first

Professor Hoot plays by the book: knights and bishops out early, king castled, centre covered. He even greets you with a lesson: “Good evening. Remember: knights before bishops.” Play him to learn what good bishop development looks like, and to get a gentle telling-off when you leave yours at home.

What the bishop is worth

A bishop is usually counted as worth about 3 pawns. These numbers are a rough guide for judging trades, not a rule: a piece's real value depends on the position.

The usual scale: pawn 1 · knight 3 · bishop 3 · rook 5 · queen 9. When it misleads:chess piece values.