The Knight
The knight is a chess piece that looks like a horse. It has a special way of moving on the board. It can jump over other pieces and make an “L-shape” with each move.
How to move the knight
The knight can move in any direction, but it has to follow a pattern. First, it jumps two squares in one direction. Then, it turns 90 degrees and jumps one more square. This makes an “L-shape” on the board.
For example, look at this diagram:
The knight is on the square e4. It can move to any of these squares: c3, c5, d2, d6, f2, f6, g3, g5. These are the squares that form an “L-shape” with the knight’s position.
The knight can jump over other pieces, so it doesn’t matter if there are pieces in between. However, the knight cannot land on a square that has a piece of the same color. The knight can capture a piece of the opposite color by landing on its square.
How to use the knight
The knight is a very tricky piece. It can surprise your opponent by moving in unexpected ways. It can also reach squares that other pieces cannot. The knight is very useful in closed positions, where there are many pieces blocking the way. The knight can jump over them and create threats.
The knight is also very good at forking. This means that the knight can attack two or more pieces at the same time with one move. For example, look at this diagram:
The knight is on the square e4. It can move to the square g3 and fork the king and the rook. This means that the knight can capture one of them on the next move, and the other one cannot escape.
How to value the knight
The knight is worth three points, just like the bishop. However, the knight’s value can change depending on the position. Sometimes, the knight can be more powerful than the bishop, and sometimes less. It depends on how many squares the knight can reach, and how active the knight is.
Generally, the knight is better in the opening and the middle game, when there are many pieces on the board and the position is closed. The knight can use its jumping ability to create threats and forks. The knight is also better in complex positions, where there are many tactics and tricks.
The bishop is better in the endgame, when there are few pieces on the board and the position is open. The bishop can use its long-range ability to control many squares and support pawns. The bishop is also better in simple positions, where there are no surprises and the game is decided by strategy.
How to improve the knight
The knight can improve its position by moving to a better square. A better square is one that gives the knight more options to move, more influence on the board, and more safety from attacks.
One way to find a better square for the knight is to look for an outpost. An outpost is a square that is protected by a pawn and cannot be attacked by an enemy pawn. An outpost gives the knight a strong and stable position.
For example, look at this diagram:
The diagram shows that the knight on d4 is on an outpost. It is protected by the pawn on e5 and it cannot be attacked by any black pawn. The knight on d4 has a lot of influence on the board. It can move to many important squares, such as b3, b5, c6, e6, f3, and f5. The knight on d4 is also safe from attacks. It cannot be easily removed by any black piece.
Another way to find a better square for the knight is to look for a central square. A central square is one that is in the middle of the board, such as d4, d5, e4, or e5. A central square gives the knight more options to move, more influence on the board, and more safety from attacks.
For example, look at this diagram:
The knight on e5 is on a central square. It has a lot of options to move, such as c4, c6, d3, d7, f3, f7, g4, and g6. It also has a lot of influence on the board. It can attack or defend many important squares, such as d4, d6, e4, e6, f4, and f6. The knight on e5 is also safe from attacks. It is protected by the knight on d4 and it cannot be easily removed by any black piece.
How to play with the knight
The knight is a fun piece to play with. It can create many surprises and puzzles for your opponent. It can also help you checkmate the enemy king or save your own king from danger.
One way to play with the knight is to use its forking ability to win material. Material is the value of the pieces on the board. If you have more material than your opponent, you have a better chance of winning the game. You can use the knight to fork two or more enemy pieces and capture one of them on the next move.
For example, look at this diagram:
The knight on e5 can move to the square g6 and fork the king and the rook. This means that the knight can capture the rook on the next move, and the king cannot escape. The knight wins a rook, which is worth five points, for a knight, which is worth three points. This is a good trade for the knight.
Another way to play with the knight is to use its jumping ability to checkmate the enemy king. Checkmate is when the king is under attack and cannot move to a safe square. If you checkmate your opponent’s king, you win the game. You can use the knight to jump to a square that attacks the king and also blocks its escape.
For example, look at this diagram:
The knight on e5 can move to the square f7 and checkmate the king. The knight attacks the king and also blocks its escape to the square g8. The rook on h1 cannot help the king, because it is too far away. The king has no way to avoid the checkmate.
A third way to play with the knight is to use its defending ability to save your own king from danger. Sometimes, your king can be under attack and in a bad position. You can use the knight to protect your king or block the enemy’s attack.
For example, look at this diagram:
The king on e1 is under attack by the rook on h1. The rook can move to the square e1 and capture the king. This is a checkmate threat. The king has no safe square to move to, and the rook cannot be captured by any white piece. However, the knight on d4 can save the king by moving to the square f3. The knight blocks the rook’s attack and also protects the king. The knight defends the king from danger.
How to play against the knight
The knight is a tricky piece to play against. It can surprise you with its jumps and forks. It can also defend or attack many squares at once. You need to be careful and alert when your opponent has a knight on the board.
One way to play against the knight is to limit its mobility. Mobility is the number of squares that a piece can move to. If you can reduce the knight’s mobility, you can make it less powerful and active. You can limit the knight’s mobility by using your pawns or pieces to control the squares that the knight can reach.
For example, look at this diagram:
The knight on e5 is limited by the black pawns on d3, e3, and f3. It cannot move to any of these squares. The knight on d4 is limited by the black pawns on b3, c3, and e3. It cannot move to any of these squares either. The black pawns have reduced the knights’ mobility and made them less effective.
Another way to play against the knight is to exchange it for a bishop. An exchange is when you trade a piece of the same value for your opponent’s piece. Sometimes, an exchange can be good for you, and sometimes bad. It depends on the position and the type of pieces involved.
Generally, the bishop is better than the knight in open positions, where there are few pieces on the board and many squares to control. The bishop can use its long-range ability to attack or defend from a distance. The bishop can also move faster and switch colors more easily.
The knight is better than the bishop in closed positions, where there are many pieces on the board and few squares to control. The knight can use its jumping ability to maneuver around the obstacles and create threats or forks. The knight can also reach squares that the bishop cannot.
For example, look at this diagram:
The position is open and there are few pieces on the board. The bishops are better than the knights in this position. The bishops can control many squares and attack or defend from a distance.
The bishops can also move faster and switch colors more easily. The knights are worse than the bishops in this position. The knights have few squares to move to and cannot create any threats or forks. The knights are also slow and stuck on one color.
A third way to play against the knight is to trap it. A trap is when you force your opponent’s piece into a bad position where it cannot move or escape. A trap can make your opponent lose a piece or a lot of time. You can trap the knight by using your pawns or pieces to block its escape squares.
For example, look at this diagram:
The knight on e5 is trapped by the black pawns on d3, e3, and f3. It cannot move to any of these squares. The knight on d4 is trapped by the black pawns on b3, c3, and e3. It cannot move to any of these squares either. The black pawns have trapped the knights and made them useless. The white player will lose both knights soon.
In the first World of our App called "Chess Basics" you will find that the first six lessons explain the basic rules of each of the pieces, including their movement.
Below are downloadable PDF Worksheets so that you can start practicing using the Knight.
In our ChessMatec Chess For Kids App you will be able to learn all the Chess Rules mentioned above!
Our ChessMatec App is built with all the lessons that will teach children how to play Chess from the very basics and up to very advanced levels – all created in a gamified, animated and colorful fashion that makes it easier for the kids to learn.
At ChessMatec, we took the game of Chess and divided it into small and colorful lessons so that the Child has fun learning how to play in their own pace.
