OK, so check mate can be reached with two bishops, not with two knights, but with a bishop and a knight.  But I would imagine that two bishops of the same color (one obtained from a pawn promotion) probably cannot reach check mate?  Perhaps not even three?  What about three knights?  Two bishops of the same color plus a knight?  All hypothetical, I know, but I wonder if anybody might have worked this out.  Thank you!

Ah well, didn't mean to give you a headache.  Take it easy ... B!

http://www.k4it.de/index.php?topic=egtb&lang=en

Great site for your hypothetical endgame questions, to answer your questions:

1) Not possible with 3 bishops of the same color

2) Sometimes forced win with 3 knights, sometimes a draw...not really sure why :(

3) 2 bishops and knight = forced win since it is always possible with only 1 bishop

And remember, 2 knights is only a draw as long as all the material is off the board:

Thank you!  Yes, I meant nothing else on the board but kings, and you are right that two bishops & knight is implied by one bishop & knight.

Thank you Art!

You have some interesting questions, Vance917. Although, thinking of the answers for them makes my head spin. bondiggity gave a nice example though so it clears things up.

Thank you.  I guess my parents must have dropped me when I was a baby, hence my mind works in such warped ways!  So, actually, I suppose it is my training as a mathematician -- always looking for contingencies and cases.

You're right Sarthe, the positions where it ended up being a draw where when the weak side king had a knight trapped and it couldn't be protected, therefore it would really be only a two knight and king vs king.