Bishop (chess) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chess pieces |
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King |  |
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Queen |  |
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Rook |  |
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Bishop |  |
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Knight |  |
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Pawn |  |
A bishop (♗) is an important piece in the exciting board game of chess. Every player begins the game with two bishops. One bishop starts near the king, and the other starts near the queen. Because of their starting spots, they are often called the king's bishop or the queen's bishop. For White, bishops begin on squares c1 and f1. For Black, they start on c8 and f8.
Contents
What is a Chess Bishop?
The bishop is a unique chess piece. It can only move in straight diagonal lines. This means it always stays on squares of the same color it started on. For example, a bishop that starts on a white square will always move on white squares. A bishop on a black square will always stay on black squares.
How Does a Bishop Move?
A bishop can move any number of squares diagonally. It can go forward or backward. It can also move left or right diagonally. The only rule is that its path must be clear. If another piece is in the way, the bishop cannot move past it. Bishops capture opponent's pieces by moving to the square that piece is on.
The Bishop's Journey Through History
The bishop piece has a long and interesting history. It first appeared in its current form in Europe during the Middle Ages. Before that, in an older game called Chaturanga, this piece was an elephant.
From Elephant to Bishop
In ancient India, the piece was known as "al-fil," which means "the elephant" in Arabic. When chess came to Europe, people didn't know what an elephant was. So, they changed the piece to something they recognized. Different countries gave it different names. In Germany, it's called a "Läufer," meaning "runner." In France, it's a "fou," or "fool." In Italy, it's an "alfiere," meaning "standard-bearer." Eventually, it became known as the bishop in English-speaking countries.
Images for kids
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An old Indian chess bishop shaped like a camel.
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An elephant chess piece from the Charlemagne chessmen, made in the 11th century.
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A bishop from an older chess set, before the Staunton style became popular.
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Camel chess pieces from a Mongolian chess set.
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Bishops from the famous Lewis chessmen.
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A white bishop piece.
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See also
In Spanish: Alfil para niños
