The Ultimate Guide To the Knight Chess Piece

The knight chess piece represents the military might of the cavalry. Its movement is unique and unusual compared to other chess pieces, which means it is often part of interesting and unexpected combinations.

In this guide, you will learn how the knight moves, its special rules, and crucial chess theory that will allow you to use your pair of knights strategically. 

How the Knight Moves

The knight moves in an L-shape. More specifically, it can move two squares in one direction and then one square in another direction, as seen here.

This kind of movement is unique in chess. Other pieces move either vertically or diagonally, but the knight can turn corners. Additionally, the knight is the only piece that can jump over other pieces. This special rule creates many possibilities in chess, from the Reti Opening to the Smothered Mate.

Each player starts with two knights. Their starting positions are on b1 and g1 for White, and b8 and g8 for Black. This puts them between the bishop and the rook. 

Another noteworthy aspect of the knight’s movement is that it always ends up on a different colored square from the one where it originated. This is one of many consequences of the L-shaped movement. Another is that the knight can take a long time to get to a specific square, sometimes having to journey across the whole board to reach it. As such, knight moves have a close relationship to tempo and require careful calculation especially in endgames.

Knight Design and History

The knight is often the most ornate piece on the chessboard. In the classic Staunton design, it is also the most representative. The other pieces are symbolic, but the knight gives us a realistic image of a horse’s head and neck. 

Throughout history, the knight has been represented as a horse or horse and rider. This comes down to the conception of the knight as representing the cavalry faction of the military. 

In the original version of chess, Chaturanga, each piece represented a different faction of an army. The knight’s movement has been consistent since the game’s conception in the 6th century. Some think it represents how the cavalry would often curve around the first rank of infantry rather than making a direct assault. In any case, the knight’s identity symbolizes mobility and unpredictability. 

Practically, the only thing that has changed about the knight since the origin of the game is its name. This speaks to the incredible importance of the cavalry throughout the last 1500 years of military history. The word knight " was first used in medieval Europe when this kind of equestrian warrior began to appear. Today, when we play chess, we experience this legacy of military strategy and history.

Knight Strategy

The knight’s movement and its ability to jump over pieces make it a unique piece. It has exceptional tactical opportunities, creating forks and covering escape squares. Positionally, central knights can control huge quantities of the board, while knights in the corners may only cover two squares. In the openings, they often emerge first, and in the endgame, they can be the key to infiltrating a closed position. 

In this section, we cover the fundamentals of knight theory, so you can incorporate it effectively into your strategy. 

Knight Development

In the most traditional opening theory, knights are the first pieces to move after an initial pawn move or moves. They jump out over the pawns without having to have files or diagonals opened for them. Their standard squares on c3, f3, c6, and f6 are safe, central, and allow them to control many squares and protect squares near the king.

This simple central development is the fundamental idea with your knights in the opening. While it will vary depending on what opening you play, early knight development will rarely put you in a dangerous position. 

Positioning the Knight Effectively

Like all chess pieces, knights need to be positioned effectively. Generally, you want your knight to attack as many squares as possible. This is why knights tend to develop to the center rather than the edge of the board (a3, h3, a6, and h6). From these flank positions, the knight can only control 4 squares, two of which are not very important. On the other hand, central development allows them to attack more squares in the centre and flank, while also sitting in front of key pawns near the king. 

In the middlegame, knights may move to less protected squares to create attacks or be traded off. If you intend to hold onto your knight, you want to make them as useful as possible. This means positioning them in central protected squares, where they can exert pressure on key squares and exploit weakness in your opponent’s position. If these protected squares are within your opponent’s territory, all the better. These powerfully positioned knights are known as outposts. 

In this position, the knight is protected by the pawn and attacks a maximum of 8 squares. In this example, we see the opportunity for a tactic in which the knight moves to f6, forking the king and the rook (the pawn cannot capture because the queen pins it to the king).

Knight Forks

Knights are a strong tactical piece because of their unusual movement and ability to jump over pieces.

The fork is one of the most fundamental tactics in chess, and it is a very common tactic for knights. The ability of a knight to attack as many as 8 squares at once means that when they jump to a new position, they can create a lot of threats. It can be difficult to calculate all of these threats and their possible variations.

In this example, White has a tactic that wins the game. By taking the rook, they force the Black king to d8 (or to lose the other rook as well). Now, the innocuous knight delivers a family fork, attacking the king, queen, and rook all at once with the move Nxf7. While this may be an obvious threat to many players, it is not always easy to spot, especially under time pressure. This kind of fork is very common with the knight. 

Knights in the Endgame

Endgames featuring a knight are very common. Learning how to play knight vs bishop, bishop and knight vs rook, knight vs multiple pawns, and others will have you ready to best your opponent in the endgame. 

One key thing to remember is that knights are often better than bishops in closed positions. 

As you can see in this position, the bishop has no targets because the pawns are all on light squares. On the other hand, the knight can navigate to the other side of the board and eventually should be able to capture one or more pawns, creating a winning position.

It is also worth remembering that a knight and bishop should win or draw against a solitary rook, but it can be tricky. The strategy is to coordinate your pieces to protect any pawns, defend threats, and threaten your opponent’s pawns and king.

Checkmates

Knights coordinate with other pieces to create many important checkmates. Some are relatively simple, while others, like the knight and bishop checkmate, are more difficult. 

Knight and Bishop Checkmate

Checkmating the king with just the knight and bishop is tricky. For a beginner to figure it out in 50 moves under time pressure is no small feat. However, there are a few tricks to figuring out how to do it.

1. Move your opponent’s king into a corner with a square that matches your bishop's color. This will allow checkmate to be delivered while the king and knight cut off escape squares. 

2. Move the knight so that it controls opposite squares to the bishop. One way to do this is by moving the knight in a V pattern across the board, cutting off the king on a single rank or file.
3. Use zugzwang: move the king not by delivering checks but by cutting off all escape squares, forcing it into the corner. 

Practice a few times with a board on your own, so you can master this checkmate even under the stress of an intense game. 

Arabian Mate

Pleasantly, the Arabian Mate is much simpler. Again, the knight’s role is to cut off escape squares, while in this case, the rook delivers checkmate. It can be used with no other pieces on the board or in more complex positions. 

Smothered Mate

A smothered mate uses the knight’s ability to jump and to deliver checks over other pieces. The idea is to block the king in, often with his own pieces, and then deliver checkmate with the knight.

Here is an example from an opening trap for White in the Caro-Kann. The queen pins the pawn to the king so the knight cannot be captured. 

Anastasia's Mate

Similar to the Arabian Mate, Anastasia’s Mate relies on the knight to cut off the king’s escape.

White delivers checkmate with Rh4#. The knight cuts off escape squares on g8. While knights can often deliver checkmate as well, one of their most common roles is to cut off specific squares, restricting the king. 

Conclusion: The Unpredictable Knight

As a player, I have had too many winning endgames lost because I failed to spot a knight fork. While numerically knights attack fewer squares than well-positioned bishops, their movement is harder to calculate. When considering how to use your knight strategically, this ability to move unpredictably and attack many squares at once is important to remember. 

Overall, knights are full of tactical promise and can be a powerful positional weapon. In a way, the oldest piece on the board, the chess knight, is also many players' favorite. 

Frequently Asked Questions