rules, tactics, strategies and history

The Bishop

The Bishop moves along an oblique line, that is, he may move to any square of the diagonals on which he stands unless--as in the case of the Rook--his way is obstructed by a man of his own color. If there is a hostile man in the way he may capture him. In the diagram below, therefore, the Bishop may move to a2, b3, d5, e6 or, by capturing the Knight, to f7. He may not move, however, to g8, until his next move after capturing the Knight. In the other diagonal all squares, that is, f1, e2, d3, b5 and a6, are accessible to him.

								8
								7
X				X				6
	X		X					5
								4
	X		X					3
X				X				2
					X			1
a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

As the Bishop is confined to squares of the same color as the one on which he stood at the beginning of the game he has access only to thirty-two squares of the board, and from this it is evident that the Rook to whom all squares of the board are accessible is a stronger piece.