Essential mates · advanced
Bishop + knight mate
Drive the king to the corner controlled by your bishop.
The rule
Your king leads while the bishop and knight take away the defender’s escape squares.
How to play it
- 1
Choose the right corner
The mating corner must match the color of your bishop.
- 2
Lead with the king
Take central squares before committing the knight route.
- 3
Route the knight
Use the W-route so the knight covers the squares your bishop cannot.
Study the line, then play it
Step through the example. Then play your moves from the same position.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
Move 0 of 11
Starting position
Play through the line one move at a time.
Before you play
Moves to queue
- 1.Ke2-d3
- 2.Kd3-e4
Safe when
Only the king approach is fixed. Recheck the knight route when the defender changes direction.
Stop when
The king heads toward the wrong-colored corner or attacks the knight route.
Common mistake
Sending the king to the wrong-colored corner makes you drive it back across the board.
Mate in the bishop-colored corner before fifty moves.
Start with a comfortable clock. Reduce it when the position feels familiar. Your record is 0/0.