Pocket Shuffle Chess

How does the bishop move in chess?

How the bishop moves in chess: diagonally, any distance, always on one colour. Learn good vs bad bishops and why the bishop pair is strong.

The bishop moves any number of empty squares along a diagonal. It cannot jump over pieces, and because diagonals never change colour, a bishop stays on the colour it started on for the entire game.

Good bishops and bad bishops

That colour restriction is the key to using a bishop well. If your pawns sit on the same colour as your bishop, they block its diagonals and it becomes a "bad bishop" - technically alive, practically useless. Put your pawns on the opposite colour and the same piece suddenly cuts across the board.

Why two bishops are strong

One bishop can only ever reach half the squares. Two bishops between them cover every square, which is why the "bishop pair" is considered a small but real advantage, especially in open positions where the diagonals are clear.

On the Pocket Shuffle board

Diagonals are short here, so a bishop can swing from one side of the board to the other in a single move. That makes long-range diagonal threats appear with almost no warning, and it makes blocking a diagonal a genuine defensive resource.

Open the interactive lesson to see every legal bishop move highlighted on the board, then practise against the computer.