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How Does the Bishop Move in Chess?

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The bishop moves any number of squares diagonally, in a straight diagonal line, until it is blocked. Because it only ever travels on diagonals, each bishop is locked to one colour for the whole game — you start with one light-squared and one dark-squared bishop.

On this page
  1. Diagonals only
  2. The two bishops as a pair
  3. Good bishop, bad bishop
  4. Keep learning

Diagonals only

A bishop slides along the slanted lines of the board. It cannot jump, so a piece in its path stops it; it captures by landing on an enemy piece. From a central square on an empty board a bishop can reach up to 13 squares. Open diagonals increase its range, but targets, king safety, pawn structure and the squares it must defend determine how useful that range is.

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White bishop on d4. Notice it can only ever reach dark squares.

The two bishops as a pair

Since each bishop covers only one colour, the two bishops together can influence both colour complexes. The bishop pair is often useful in open positions and on both wings, but two knights or bishop and knight may be better suited to a particular structure. Exchanging a bishop changes which pieces can contest squares of that colour; it does not make those squares indefensible.

Good bishop, bad bishop

A bishop restricted by its own pawns on the same colour is often called a “bad bishop.” The label is a prompt, not a verdict: that bishop may defend important pawns, find a route outside the chain, or become active after a pawn break. A bishop with useful open diagonals is “good” in a practical sense. Bishops also create many pins and skewers.

A bishop can never attack or defend a square of the opposite colour — plan your pawn structure around that limit.
Can a bishop change colour?No. A bishop stays on its starting colour for the entire game — a light-squared bishop only ever visits light squares.
Is a bishop better than a knight?It depends. Bishops often benefit from open diagonals and play on both wings; knights can gain relative value from stable outposts and structures that block the bishops. Each is conventionally valued at about three pawns, but the position decides the comparison.
Why are two bishops strong?Together they cover both colour complexes and can work across both wings. That often makes the pair useful in open positions, although structure and concrete activity decide the comparison.

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