Lesson 11: Mate with bishop and knight

Bishop, knight and king can checkmate a lone king, but it's the hardest of the common mates. The king has to go to a corner of the bishop's color, and getting it there takes patience. This is the hardest lesson in the course, so take it at an easy pace.

What you'll learn

Why the mate can only be forced in two of the corners
What the mate looks like, with the bishop and with the knight
How the knight drives the king along the edge to the right corner
How to finish against the computer

Lesson 11 of 12 in Endgames with Lavi · about 12 minutes · 7 steps · comes with Plus. Your progress is kept in this browser, and with your profile if you have one.

Mate with two bishops
Mate with a queen
Mate with a rook

Updated November 6, 2026

What you'll learn

Read more