Skip to content
PointChess
Lessons

Guided lesson · Intermediate · Endgames

Bishop and knight: the finish

Loading puzzles…

Text

Bishop and knight mate requires three coordinated pieces. Here you study only the finish, with the opposing king already near the corner matching the bishop’s colour, not the full method of driving it there. Before moving, count the king’s legal squares: a wrong waiting move can stalemate it. Ba6 keeps the mating net without stalemate and prepares Bb7+. In these examples every reply is forced and the knight delivers mate.

The key idea

The king closes exits, the bishop forces the route and the knight gives the final check.

Example 1 · Wait without stalemate

Ne7 prepares Nc6 and keeps the king confined.

  1. Ne7 Ne7 prepares Nc6 and keeps the king confined.
  2. Kb8 Black’s king can only move to b8.
  3. Ba6 Ba6 is a waiting move: the knight already covers c8. It forces ...Ka8 and prepares Bb7+. Bd5 would stalemate.
  4. Ka8 The king returns to a8; the other exits are covered.
  5. Bb7+ Bb7 gives check, protected by White’s king.
  6. Kb8 Black’s king must return to b8.
  7. Nc6# Nc6 is mate: the knight checks and the other pieces cover the exits.

Example 2 · The bishop prepares the final jump

Bh6 prepares Bg7 without allowing the king to escape.

  1. Bh6 Bh6 prepares Bg7 without allowing the king to escape.
  2. Kg8 Black’s king has only g8.
  3. Ng4 Ng4 prepares a mating jump and keeps the king confined.
  4. Kh8 The king must return to h8.
  5. Bg7+ Bg7 checks, protected by White’s king.
  6. Kg8 Black’s king is forced back to g8.
  7. Nf6# Nf6 is mate: the knight attacks g8 and no escape remains.

Practice

Play White. The king closes exits, the bishop forces the route and the knight gives the final check.

  1. You preserve the win. Nf6 and Ba6 also reach mate just as quickly, but need another continuation. To follow this exercise, play Ne7 or Nb4.
  2. Ba6 leaves the king only ...Ka8 and prepares Bb7+ without stalemate. Find a bishop move that leaves the king only ...Ka8 and prepares Bb7+ without stalemate.
  3. Bb7 gives check, protected by White’s king. Check with the bishop beside the enemy king, protected by your king.
  4. Checkmate! The knight gives check, while the king and bishop cover the escape squares. Give checkmate with the knight; be careful: several waiting moves stalemate the king.

You completed mate with three coordinated pieces. This finish assumes the opposing king is already confined near the correct corner.