In short: Two or more pieces on the same file, rank or diagonal aiming the same way, such as two rooks on one file or queen and bishop on one diagonal.
A battery is two or more pieces standing one behind the other on the same file, rank or diagonal and aiming the same way. The front piece strikes, and the one behind gives support and takes over if the front one disappears.
Common batteries
- Two rooks on the same file. Doubling the rooks is the most common battery. Read about open files.
- Queen and rook. On a file or a rank, often against the opponent's king or on the seventh rank.
- Queen and bishop. On a diagonal, often aimed at h7 or h2 in front of the castled king.
Find the mate
Queen and bishop on the same diagonal is one of the most dangerous batteries. The queen can strike on a square next to the king, because the bishop behind her protects it.
The bishop in front
If the bishop stands in front and the queen behind, the bishop can move and uncover the queen's attack, ideally with a threat of its own at the same time. That is a discovered attack, and the battery is the engine behind it. Read also about checkmate patterns, where the queen often mates with the support of another piece.
Frequently asked questions
Which pieces can form a battery?
Pieces that move far. Rooks and the queen on files and ranks, bishops and the queen on diagonals. The most common is two rooks on the same file.
Does it matter which piece stands in front?
Often. The front piece is the one that strikes, the one behind gives support. For the queen to mate on h7 with the bishop's help, the queen must be in front and the bishop behind.
Updated November 14, 2026