Two Bishops versus King

Overview

Two bishops win against a bare king from any position. Together the bishops control diagonals of both colours, so the enemy king can never slip past them. The price is patience: the mate only happens in a corner, and it takes precise coordination of all three pieces.

The diagonal wall

Place the bishops on adjacent diagonals so that they form a barrier the defending king cannot cross. Step the wall forward one rank at a time, always keeping it unbroken, while your king follows behind to prepare the final net. Moving a bishop too far is the classic error: the wall gets a hole and the king escapes.

The corner mate

The defending king is pushed to a corner square. The mating picture: one bishop gives check on the diagonal next to the king while your own king guards the remaining escape squares.

Practice positions

Play each position out against the engine from the exact spot on the board — unrated, you take the strong side. Positions marked with a goal are drills: your result is recorded on your profile. Positions marked 🔍 discovery are the opposite task: theory says they are draws — try to win the strong side and let perfect defense show you why you can't.