The bishop is one of the six standard piece types used in the strategy board game of chess. Each side begins with two bishops: one located next to the queen (the queen's bishop) and one next to the king (the king's bishop). Because each starts on a square of a particular color, they are commonly called the light-square bishop and the dark-square bishop. In many descriptions a bishop is referred to simply as a chess piece that specializes in diagonal movement across the board.

Movement and basic characteristics

Bishops move any number of unobstructed squares along a diagonal. They cannot jump over other pieces and therefore are limited by blockages from friendly or opposing pawns and pieces. A distinctive feature is that a bishop never changes the color of square it occupies: a bishop that starts on a light square will always remain on light squares. Because of their range, bishops are generally more powerful on open boards with fewer pawns.

Strategic role and common concepts

Bishops are valued for long-range control and speed of mobilization. Several strategic ideas are associated with bishops:

  • Bishop pair: Having both bishops (one on each color) is often an advantage in open positions, since together they cover both color complexes.
  • Fianchetto: A common development pattern where a bishop is placed on the long diagonal behind a pawn chain (for example on b2 or g2 for White) to exert pressure from a distance.
  • Good vs. bad bishop: A "good" bishop usually operates on squares opposing the player's pawn color; a "bad" bishop is often hemmed in by pawns on its own color.

History, development and notation

The role of the bishop evolved as chess rules developed from earlier regional variants. In modern algebraic notation the bishop is represented by the letter "B"; its starting squares for White are c1 and f1 and for Black c8 and f8. For readers interested in piece design and Unicode symbols, related resources and references are available via general chess literature and online guides: see the game overview at the board game pages and notation references at algebraic notation.

Importance in play and endgames

In middlegames and endgames bishops often outperform knights in wide-open positions, while knights are preferable in closed, blockaded positions. A lone bishop versus a lone knight can be a draw or a win depending on pawn structure and king activity. Bishops also play a key role in mating patterns and tactical combinations when diagonals are opened.