Chess Knight Movement
Master the L-shape and knight tactics
How the Knight Moves
The Knight moves in an L-shape: two squares in one direction (horizontally or vertically), then one square perpendicular to that. Think of it as "two squares, then turn."
The L-Shape Pattern:
- • 2 squares up/down + 1 square left/right
- • 2 squares left/right + 1 square up/down
- • Total: 8 possible squares from any position
🐴 The Knight is the ONLY piece that can jump over other pieces!
Unique Knight Properties
🔄 Color Switching
Every time a Knight moves, it lands on a different colored square. If it starts on a light square, it lands on a dark square, and vice versa.
⬆️ Jumping Ability
Knights can jump over any pieces - both friendly and enemy. This makes them especially powerful in crowded positions.
📍 Edge Weakness
A Knight in the corner controls only 2 squares. On the edge, it controls 3-4 squares. In the center, it controls all 8 possible squares!
The Knight Fork ⚔️
The most powerful knight tactic is the fork - attacking two or more pieces simultaneously. Because Knights can jump over pieces, fork opportunities are often hard to see and defend.
Famous Knight Forks:
- • Royal Fork: Attacking King and Queen simultaneously
- • Family Fork: Attacking King, Queen, and Rook
- • Double Attack: Any two pieces forked
💡 Tip: Always check if your Knight can deliver a fork before making other moves!
Knight Value & Strategy
Pawns worth
Roughly equal to Bishop
Knights are better in:
Closed positions, positions with many pawns, when outposts are available
Knights are weaker in:
Open positions, endgames with pawns on both sides of the board
Knight Mastery Tips
- 1."A Knight on the rim is dim" - Keep Knights centralized where they control more squares.
- 2.Find outposts - A Knight on a protected square that can't be attacked by enemy pawns is incredibly strong.
- 3.Knight maneuvers - It takes a Knight 4 moves to return to its starting square (minimum).
- 4.Two Knights - Unlike two Bishops, two Knights alone cannot force checkmate against a lone King.
Practice knight moves and forks!