CheckMate with Two Bishops

Bishops

We said in the previous blog "Rook checkmate", that the basic checkmate can only be accomplished  with the opponent King on the side rows. When the Queen or Rook chess pieces are Checkmating, it does not matter which square the King is located on.

But when you checkmate with two Bishops, the King has to be located in a corner of the chessboard. See the diagram.

Bishops Force Checkmate

This is a perfect Checkmate position with the Bishops forcing the checkmate. There is no way to get the King out of check. The White King and the White Bishops are controlling every square that the Black King could move to.

Remember, the Bishop chess piece only moves diagonally. Check out the diagram. One White Bishop has the Black King in check. If the Black King moves to one square, the other Bishop can capture him. If the Black King moves to the other square, the White King can capture him. There are only 3 moves for the Black King, and all 3 squares that he can move to are controlled by the White chess pieces. Review the King chess piece moves.

Results:

The Black King is Checkmated!
Game over!
The White Chess Pieces win!

Next:  Checkmate with a Bishop and Knight chess pieces.


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Chess - Rook Forces Checkmate

King, Queen, Bishop, Knight,
Rook, Pawn

We saw how the Queen forces checkmate in CheckMate - Definitely. Now let's see how the chess piece Rook, forces Checkmate.

White Queen Checkmating

In the diagram you will see a Rook checkmating the King. It is a foolproof position. Look closely to find out why this is so. If, in the first diagram, you replace the White Queen with the White Rook, there is no checkmate. The Black King can move easily away and avoid capture. This is because the Rook can only move vertically or horizontally. If the King moves to a square diagonal to the Rook, the Rook chess piece can not capture the opponent King.

Now we can find out why, in this next diagram, the Rook has the King in a strong checkmate position that the King can not get out of. It is truly Checkmate.

Black Rook Forces Checkmate

The Black Rook has the White King "in check." (Remember, "in check" is not the same as Checkmate.) The White chess pieces can not capture the Rook and no white chess piece can block the Rooks "in check" position. No chess piece interrupts the line of attack.

The White King can not move out of check. Anywhere the White King moves in the last row, he can not get out of the range of the Rook. The White King can not move to the second row, because the second row is controlled by the Black King. There are only 3 squares that the White King can move to in the second row, straight or diagonal. The White King can be captured in all three squares, which are the only moves that the White King can move to in the second row.

Whew! So here we have a definite position of checkmate:
Black won the chess game!


Explanation:
There are basic checkmates, and the vulnerable King (the one to get checkmated), must be forced to a side row.

With the opposite Queen and Rook positions, it does not matter which square the King is on, as long as it is in the side rows. It has to be an outermost row.

But we will see a different situation with the Bishop Checkmate!



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CheckMate - Definitely

When a King is in check, he is not necessarily in Checkmate.

Queen with the King

The previous posts have show checks that may lead to checkmate, but now we will discuss Checkmate. After studying the Queen piece moves, we can understand the following chess moves.

A Queen move can force Checkmate, and this is how:

 Look at this diagram closely. Why is this a checkmate position?
Review the Queen's capturing powers.

1. The White Queen is attacking Black King. This is a check.
2. No chess piece can capture the Queen.
3. No piece can block the attack.

Three conditions to look for before either side moves. Let's continue the play:
1. The King cannot flee from the attack.
2. Every square that the King tries to move to is in the range of capturing.

(In the case of this diagram, the Black King can not get out of the way of the White Queen or White King. If he attacks the White Queen, the White King will capture him. He cannot move to any square next to him because they are controlled by the opponent  chess pieces.)

In Summary:
Checkmate complete!
The chess game is over!
Black side lost! 


Explanation:
In chess, the King is never captured (unlike real war situations).
Checkmate just means that the King cannot move out of a capturing situation and that is what ends the game.

If the White King was not protecting his Queen, the Black King could have gotten away by capturing the White Queen. The White King was nearby and was actively participating in the check.

Next, we will see how the Rook forces checkmate.

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