Checkmate with Bishop and Knight

Can you checkmate a king with just a bishop and a knight?

Yes, you can and every advanced chess kid should know how! While this is one of the rarest checkmates, it’s also one of the most impressive to pull off. Let’s learn how to do it step by step!

Here is what you will learn in this article:

 

Why Is It Important to Learn the Bishop and Knight Checkmate?

Even though this chess endgame doesn’t happen often, knowing it shows that you’re mastering important skills:

Plus, if you ever play a tournament or a long game and only have your bishop, knight, and king, knowing this checkmate could be the difference between a draw and a win!

👉 Related: What is Checkmate?

How to Deliver a Bishop and Knight Checkmate

The plan should be crystal clear in your mind.

Fun Master Mike’s Top Tips for Checkmating with a Knight and a Bishop:

  1. The checkmate has to happen on the same color as your Bishop’s squares.

  2. Once the King reaches the 6th rank, he’ll stay on that line and slide back and forth in a straight path.

  3. Your Knight hops in a big “W” shape and almost never lands on the 6th or 9th file.

  4. The Knight guards the black squares, and the Bishop guards the white squares. Teamwork wins the day!

 

This checkmate takes a lot of practice, but it follows a clear plan. Let’s break it into simple pieces:

Understanding the Final Goal

To checkmate with a bishop and knight, you must drive the enemy king to a corner that matches your bishop’s color. That’s the only place you can force checkmate.

🟢 If you have a light-square bishop, the final checkmate will happen in a light-square corner.
🔵 If you have a dark-square bishop, drive the king to a dark-square corner.

👉 Related: Learn about Bishops
👉 Related: Learn about Knights

Key Principles of the Bishop and Knight Checkmate

👉 What is the 50-move rule?

Step 1 – Push the King to the Edge

First, use your king, bishop, and knight to take away central squares and slowly drive the enemy king to the edge of the board.

The opponent king will try to go to the wrong corner!

Keep the enemy king out of the wrong corner (the one opposite your bishop’s color). If the king tries to go there, block it off - if you can stop it!

Step 2 – Drive the King to the Correct Corner

Once the enemy king is stuck on the edge, guide it toward the correct corner.

This is where you need to be careful—use your bishop to control diagonals, your knight to cover escape squares, and your king to support the action.

This is the hardest part—don’t rush, and don’t stalemate!

👉 Avoid stalemates like a pro

Step 3 – Set Up the Final Checkmate

The final position is beautiful! Your king blocks the king’s escape. The bishop controls the last square, and the knight gives the final check.

Black to move: mate in 1!

Once you’ve done it once, you’ll never forget it!

How to Defend Against a Bishop and Knight Checkmate

If you’re the one with just a king, your goal is to head toward the "wrong" corner, the one that doesn't match your opponent’s bishop.

Stay near that corner and make it hard for your opponent to push you out. If they take too long, you might save the game by reaching 50 moves without checkmate!

Wrapping Up

The bishop and knight checkmate is challenging but rewarding. It may not happen often, but when it does—you’ll be ready!

🧠 Remember:

Want more fun endgames?
👉 Checkmate with Queen and King
👉 Checkmate with Rook and King

 

Bishop and Knight Checkmate Video

🎥 Watch how to do this tricky endgame in action!

You'll learn helpful tips for remembering the key ideas—and how to avoid common mistakes.