Two Bishops Mate

Two bishops side by side build a wall on adjacent diagonals and, with the king's help, drive the enemy king into a corner. Mate comes in the corner with a bishop check.

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Start

Pieces: Two bishops + king
Level: Intermediate
Mating side: White
Also known as: iki fil ile mat, two bishops checkmate

Moves

1.Be5#

The d5 bishop covers g8 and White's king covers g7 and h7. 1.Be5 checks along the long diagonal: mate.

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How to recognise Two Bishops Mate

The bishops stand on adjacent diagonals to form a wall.
Mate is only possible in a corner and needs the king's help.

How to defend

For the defender: try to stay in the centre.
For the attacker: watch for stalemate.

Frequently asked questions

Can two bishops mate on their own?

No, your king must help.

Can two same-coloured bishops mate?

No; the bishops must be on opposite colours.

Continue with lessons

Lesson 48: Mate with Two Bishops

Similar checkmate patterns

Bishop and Knight Mate — The bishop and knight mate is the hardest basic mate: the enemy king must be driven to a corner of the bishop's colour, where the bishop gives the final check.
Queen and King Mate — Queen and king versus king is the first endgame technique every player must know: the queen drives the king to the edge, your king approaches and the queen mates on the last rank.
Boden's Mate — In Boden's mate two bishops on crossing diagonals mate a king that has castled long.

← All checkmate tactics Next: Bishop and Knight Mate →