The Secrets of Sniper Bishops

I've had this post on my mind for a while now. It's about one of the most crucial aspects of chess: the long diagonal. Although it's extremely important, I didn't feel like sharing it until I saw a game played at my school chess club that showcased the power of the long diagonal. I'll share that game at the end of this post. Many games in chess have been won on the long diagonal, perhaps the most famous of which is Rubinstein's Immortal.

Another game that exemplifies the importance of the long diagonal is Nezhmetdinov's brilliant queen sacrifice. He sacrificed his queen to gain control of the long diagonal and launch a decisive attack.

But why is the long diagonal so powerful? It enables the bishop to exert maximum influence on the board. The bishop is known as a "long-range" piece because of its ability to control a large number of squares diagonally. The long diagonal refers to the diagonal that runs from a1 to h8, and its counterpart from a8 to h1. These diagonals are the longest diagonals on the board, and they are often the most powerful, as they can control multiple ranks and files at the same time.

Finally, I wanted to share a personal anecdote about a game played at my school chess club that was decided on the long diagonal. This game inspired me to write this post and share the power of the long diagonal. (white starts a rook down)