In Chess, why do bishops have diagonal lines in the middle?

Question

Is that so that blind people don't confuse it with the queen?

Answer 1

coz horizontal ones make you look broader.

Answer 2

It was so you'd look down and not confuse it with a pawn.  The Soviets, instead of the notch, used to color the "button on top" the opposite color.  (I say Soviets, but Czarists before them too.)

Answer 3

The piece's deep groove symbolizes a bishop's (or abbot's) mitre. The groove originates from the original Indian form of the piece, an elephant (the groove represented the elephant's tusks). This groove was interpreted differently in different countries as the game moved to Europe; in France, for example, the groove was taken to be a jester's cap, hence in France the bishop is called "fou" (the fool).

Answer 4

There really isn't a reason. It's just so that you can distinguish it from others.