Knight in Chess
What is the Knight in Chess
The chess knight is shaped like a horse's head and sits next to the rooks at the start of the game. White's knights begin on b1 and g1; Black's knights start on b8 and g8. The knight is classified as a minor piece, alongside the bishop, and is worth approximately 3 points — equal to three pawns or one bishop.
Knights behave differently from everything else on the board. They don't slide along ranks, files, or diagonals. They jump. This means a knight on its starting square can leap into action immediately, even before a single pawn moves. In the opening, knights typically develop toward the center — Nf3 and Nc3 for White, Nf6 and Nc6 for Black — where they control the most squares and influence the fight for central territory.
The knight's jumping ability makes it particularly effective in closed positions where pawns clog the board and bishops struggle to find open diagonals. When pieces are locked together and mobility is limited, a well-placed knight can dominate.
How does a knight move in chess
The knight moves in an "L" pattern: two squares in one direction (horizontally or vertically), then one square perpendicular to that. Another way to visualize chess knight moves: the knight always lands on a square of the opposite color from where it started.
From the center of an empty board, a knight can reach eight different squares. From a corner, it can only reach two. This is why knights belong in the center — their power drops dramatically near the edges. There's an old saying: "A knight on the rim is dim."
The most important feature of knight movement is jumping. The knight is the only piece that can leap over other pieces, both friendly and enemy. It doesn't matter what stands between the knight and its destination — it simply hops over everything. This makes knights incredibly useful in cramped positions and gives them unique tactical possibilities.
Knights capture by landing on an enemy piece, not by jumping over it. If a knight lands on a square occupied by an opponent's piece, that piece is captured and removed from the board.
One quirk worth noting: a knight always takes at least two moves to reach an adjacent square. It cannot move just one square in any direction. This makes knights slow in open endgames, where bishops and rooks can cover long distances quickly.
Chess Knight Value and features
The knight is worth about 3 points, roughly equal to a bishop. In practice, whether a knight or bishop is more valuable depends entirely on the position. Knights excel when the board is cluttered with pawns and pieces, while bishops prefer open diagonals and long-range targets.
Knights have several distinctive tactical features. They're the only piece that can fork the king and queen simultaneously from certain squares. A knight fork — attacking two or more pieces at once — is one of the most common tactical patterns in chess. Because knights jump and attack in unusual patterns, forks often come as surprises.
Knights are also immune to pins along ranks, files, or diagonals since they don't move along those lines. You cannot pin a knight with a bishop, rook, or queen the way you can pin other pieces. However, knights can be pinned if they stand between a more valuable piece and an attacker on the same rank, file, or diagonal.
Another feature: knights and kings share a special relationship in endgames. A lone knight cannot deliver checkmate even with the help of a king — you need at least two knights, or a knight plus another piece. This makes knight endgames fundamentally different from bishop or rook endgames.
Summary about the Knight
The chess knight jumps in an L-shape, hops over any piece in its path, and thrives in closed positions where other pieces struggle. Keep your knights active, aim for central squares, and watch for fork opportunities. Mastering knight play separates beginners from intermediate players — these tricky pieces reward those who learn to think in crooked lines.