Can you checkmate with a bishop and a knight?

#20
It may seem so, but there is much wisdom in it. He meant a true beginner: first learn the basic checkmates, then play your first game.

Yeah true, but at the same time its' the most difficult of the peice mating combinations with KQ vs K being the easiest.

#22
KNN vs. KP is the hardest of the 5 basic checkmates.
Most fitting Capablanca begins his "Chess Fundamentals" with the 5 basic checkmates.

I dont know. what do you think

Yes but it is very difficult

I can't , I tried to learn how to mate with knight and bishop but every time the King is slipping out like there is no friction on the board and after practicing it for few hours I just fall sick.

Just go to "practice" section, there is an interactive lesson from lichess learning you how to achieve this

No, I can't

@tpr

I really wonder where you get these quotes from. I searched the internet and couldn't find anything confirming alleged Capablanca quote. What is more it seems completely nonsensical to me. KBN vs K happens in about 1 game out of 10.000. You will be on the better side of this half the time so being able to checkmate with KBN vs K will gain you an extra half a point every 20.000 games (there is nothing special to know about how to try to defend it). Maybe there are some maths geniuses out there who can calculate how much stronger you get if you perform an extra 0,5 every 20.000 games but I doubt it will be much.

Would you mind pointing out why it is so important and where you got that quote from?

@FredtheCrusher

executing a bishop/knight mate requires care and precision and knowledge.

if you learn to do it as a beginner, you actually understand how "real chess" is played. you learn how to visualize which squares are being controlled, how to look ahead several moves, how to think systematically, how to coordinate your pieces to achieve a goal.

this gives you a huge advantage in "chess maturity" over the other beginner who knows none of this.

however, if your only concern is how many points it will earn you, then don't learn it. it's value is not in the points that are directly acquired from it.

i learned it in about 20 minutes. it's not hard to learn if you find the right explanation.

and it did in fact earn me a few points. lichess.org/SWGE4YbQpcna