Why Is the Bishop Pair an Advantage?
Two bishops working together cover every color — and create threats that a bishop and knight simply cannot match.
Published 2026-02-01 | Last verified 2026-02-12
Professor Archer says: I once heard a grandmaster describe the bishop pair as two searchlights sweeping the board from opposite angles. Individually, each bishop is limited to one colour of square. But together, they illuminate everything. When I teach my students about piece coordination, the bishop pair is always my first example — it is the clearest demonstration that chess pieces are worth more than the sum of their parts.
What Makes the Bishop Pair Special?
A single bishop, no matter how well placed, can only ever control squares of one colour. Your light-squared bishop will never touch a dark square. This is a fundamental limitation built into the piece itself. But when you have both bishops, that limitation vanishes. Together, they cover the entire board — every single square is within reach of one or the other.
This is the core of the bishop pair advantage. Two bishops complement each other perfectly, like two halves of a whole. A bishop and a knight do not share this synergy. The knight can reach every square regardless of colour, yes, but it is slow, taking multiple moves to cross the board. Two bishops can create crisscrossing threats along diagonals that span the entire playing field in a single move.
Statistically, the bishop pair wins more often than a bishop and knight combination, especially in open positions. Grandmasters have understood this for well over a century, and modern engines confirm what classical players intuited: two bishops together are typically worth a small but meaningful advantage.
Open Positions Amplify the Advantage
The bishop pair thrives in open positions — those with few central pawns and long, clear diagonals. When pawns are traded off and the board opens up, bishops become long-range snipers that can influence both flanks simultaneously.
Consider a middlegame where most of the central pawns have been exchanged. Your two bishops can control a diagonal from a1 to h8 and another from a8 to h1 at the same time. Your opponent's bishop and knight cannot match this coverage. The knight needs to hop slowly across the board, and the single bishop only controls one colour.
This is why many strategic decisions revolve around pawn structure. If you have the bishop pair, you want to open the position by trading pawns. If your opponent has the bishop pair, you want to keep the position closed with locked pawn chains, where bishops are blocked and knights can find secure outposts.
I often tell my students: think of the pawn structure as the terrain of the battlefield. Bishops are cavalry — devastating on open plains, but useless in dense forest. Knights are infantry — slow but able to navigate any terrain.
The Bishop Pair in Action
In this position, White's two bishops dominate the board. The dark-squared bishop on c3 controls the long a1-h8 diagonal, while the bishop on e3 supports the center and eyes the kingside. Together, they create a web of control that is difficult for Black to navigate.
Notice how the open position — with few central pawns — gives the bishops maximum scope. Black's knight, while well-placed, cannot match the reach of both bishops simultaneously. This is the bishop pair at its most powerful: two long-range pieces creating threats on both sides of the board.
White's bishops on c3 and e3 control diagonals across the entire board, demonstrating the power of the pair.
The Bishop Pair in Endgames
The bishop pair advantage often increases as pieces come off the board. In the endgame, with fewer obstacles in the way, bishops have even more open lines to dominate. Two bishops can coordinate to create mating nets, support passed pawns, and restrict the opposing king.
One of the most striking examples is the endgame of two bishops versus a knight. The bishops can set up barriers that the knight simply cannot penetrate. They can control entire colour complexes while the opponent's pieces are confined to small portions of the board.
The bishop pair is also critical in rook endgames where each side has a bishop. If you have two bishops against a bishop and knight, your extra bishop often proves decisive because it can support your rook on the colour that your opponent's bishop cannot reach.
Common Questions About the Bishop Pair
Is the bishop pair always better than bishop and knight?
Not always. In closed positions with locked pawn chains, a knight can be superior to a bishop because it can jump over pawns. The bishop pair advantage is strongest in open and semi-open positions with clear diagonals.
How much is the bishop pair advantage worth?
Most grandmasters and engines estimate the bishop pair advantage at roughly half a pawn (about 0.5). This is significant enough to influence strategic decisions but not so large that it overrides other factors like pawn structure or king safety.
Should I always avoid trading a bishop for a knight?
No. Sometimes trading a bishop for a knight is correct — for example, to damage your opponent's pawn structure, to remove a dangerous attacking piece, or to reach a favorable endgame. The key is to consider the bishop pair factor in your decision, not to follow a rule blindly.
Professor Archer says: If you take one lesson from this article, let it be this: do not trade a bishop carelessly. Every time you exchange a bishop for a knight without a clear reason, ask yourself whether you are giving up the bishop pair advantage. Sometimes the trade is correct, of course. But the question must always be asked.
Quick Quiz
In which type of position is the bishop pair typically MOST advantageous?
- Open positions with few central pawns (Correct) - The bishop pair thrives in open positions where the diagonals are clear. With fewer pawns blocking their paths, both bishops can exert maximum influence across the entire board.
- Closed positions with locked pawn chains - Closed positions with many pawns actually limit bishops. Knights tend to be stronger in closed positions because they can jump over pawns and find stable outposts.
- Positions where all the rooks have been traded - While the bishop pair can be strong without rooks, the key factor is pawn structure and open diagonals, not the presence or absence of rooks.
- Positions with only pawns on one side of the board - The bishop pair is actually most powerful when there are pawns on both sides, because the bishops can influence both flanks simultaneously while a knight cannot move quickly between them.