Bishop and knight is the hardest of the elementary mates. Two minor pieces are enough to mate a lone king, but he has to be driven into a corner of the colour the bishop travels on. White to move.
On the board White has the king on g2, the bishop on g1 and the knight on h1 against the king on e4. The plan has two stages: first the king and pieces push the black king to the edge, then into the «right» corner. There is no mate in the wrong corner, and the king has to be walked along the edge with a special knight manoeuvre.
This ending fits inside the fifty-move rule but demands precision. It is worth being able to deliver if only to understand how bishop and knight cooperate - it is rare in practice and almost always catches people out.
Drag a piece onto the board, or click a piece and then click the squares. The cross beside the pieces sweeps every piece of that colour off the board, and a single piece can be dragged off the edge.
The pieces will be arranged into the chosen pattern.
It is the mating side to move. Find mate in one.
Openings, endgame positions and breakthrough studies - the set-up appears on the board.
Build your own position in the board editor, read up on the rules of chess or run a tournament on your own positions in the free app.
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