How do you checkmate somebody?

With a knight, and bishop against a lone king?////// Also with your king's help of course.

You're new here, stranger.

Somebody in the cheating forum said it was possible, and they've done it. That's why I asked.

IT is possible... it is a forced mate... however in some rare positions it may take more than 50 moves... if you want proof look at Gregory Kaidanov's 2012 US Chess Cahmpionship Game( I am not sure which roundn and against who)... he resigned when it was a bishop and knight vs. King it is possible but it is extremerly rare to need and I would not reccomend waisting time learning it instead if I were you and I wanted to get better I would first understand the opening and then understand the point of the middlegame from these openings and then cover the endgame

Good post number six.

Ummm, B+N+K against a lone king is a forced checkmate (except in a well-known stalemate trap that is possible as the start position). I recall being told that it is at most 34 moves with correct play. I'd be interested in what positions require more than 50 moves.

There is no need of mistake. It is a forced mate, if the one with knight and Bishop uses the King too.

I guess I should have said king too.

Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good answer. Tks.

It''s actually quite easy if you know how. just force the king to the edge with your bishop and knight.

you can only checkmate in the corenr the came colour as your bishop, so the enemy king will tend to run to one of the other corers if forced to the side.

this is the haredst part, it looks like the kings escaping but its noy.

Interesting. :)

The only thing I (try to) remember about it is: to which color corner do you try to drive the King? answer: same color square as the bishop you have.

I did a Google Image search and found this link interesting on the subject:

http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2011/01/bn-vs-k-in-top-level-chess.html

The first move in the first comment got the Algebraic notation wrong - meant Ne6+ not Nd5+. 

Just what exactly is going on here? When did woodshover turn into checkmateibeatu?

Man, you need to study your chess.com history more carefully.  I'd suggest you ask the Bard trysts that question, and she can regale you with the tales of woodshover.

What's the reasoning behind that question?

It's possible, and is one of the "basic checkmates."  There is a chapter on it in every endgame manual.  Those that say it cant be forced are simply wrong. 

There are two things to keep in mind:  1) force the enemy king in the same color corner as your bishop covers, and 2) use the bishop and knight to form a "wall" of attacked squares to push the king to the direction you want.

Yep.

see #24

It's actually not so hard. There are a few good videos around, for example,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur3mVl0bdog&feature=plcp

or you can try to figure it out yourself. Practice it here,

http://www.chess.com/computer-workout/index.html?sortby=difficulty_easy&showme=all&category=basic_mates