Bishop

The bishop moves any number of unobstructed squares along a diagonal.

A bishop remains on the same square colour for the whole game. Each player starts with one light-squared bishop and one dark-squared bishop.

Move the bishop

A bishop travels along diagonals and stops when another piece blocks the route. Because every diagonal preserves square colour, a bishop that starts on a light square can never reach a dark square.

Move the bishop from d4 along one of its four diagonals.

The bishop on d4 remains on dark squares for every legal move.

The bishops cover different colours

Each side starts with one bishop on light squares and one on dark squares. Losing one bishop permanently removes that piece's control of its colour complex unless a pawn later promotes to another bishop.

Pawns determine when a bishop can develop

At the start, pawns block both bishops. Moves such as e4 or d4 open a diagonal so a bishop can develop from the back rank. A bishop placed outside its pawn chain often has more useful squares than one shut behind it.