Knight
The knight might not be the strongest, but it's probably the coolest-looking piece in chess! Learn everything about this tricky piece and how you can use it to win more games.
- What Is A Knight In Chess?
- How The Knight Moves
- Fork, Munch, And Mate!
- Show Off Your Knight Skills
- Wrapping Up
- The Knight Video
What Is A Knight In Chess?
The knight is a chess piece that looks like a horse. They start the game between the bishops and the rooks, and each player has two of them when the game begins.
The knight is a minor piece (like the bishop) and is valued at three points. It's worth the same as three pawns or a bishop, but less than a rook or a queen.
How The Knight Moves
The knight's movement is as unique as its look. It's the only piece that doesn't move on a straight line. They move two squares in one direction and then make a turn (like a crazy horse) and move one square more. Because of that, knights will always land on a square of a different color when they move correctly.
An easy way to remember this one, two, turn movement pattern of the knight (as FunMasterMike likes to call it) is to think of a capital "L." If a knight was holding a pencil while moving, it would draw the letter "L" all over the board!
The shape of the knight's move is not the only thing different about it. The knight is the only piece that can jump over others—even the tallest pieces like the queen and king! But remember: the knight can only capture a piece when it lands on top of it, and not when it hops over it.
Fork, Munch, And Mate!
The knight is an excellent piece for giving forks (one of the many chess tactics that exist) to your opponent. This happens because they move differently from other pieces and are less valuable than major pieces. This means that you should always be looking for a way to turn your knight into a fork so you can munch on your opponent's pieces!
The knight is also the only piece that can deliver one of the most awesome checkmates in chess, the smothered mate. This type of checkmate happens when the king is surrounded by its own pieces and can't escape a knight's check.
Show Off Your Knight Skills
Now that you know what the knight is and how it moves, it's time to show off your skills! Solve the puzzles below to show that you're a skilled warrior yourself.
Puzzle 01: What's the fastest way to capture all the white pawns with your knight?
Puzzle 02: Can you attack two black pieces at the same time with your knight?
Wrapping Up
You now know which piece the knight is, how it moves, the way it can fork, mate your opponent, and more. Head to our Lessons page to learn about other chess pieces and how you can use them in your games!