Knight

The knight moves to a square two steps away in one horizontal or vertical direction and one step in the perpendicular direction. The result is often described as an L shape, but the knight does not travel through three squares: only the starting square and destination matter.

It is the only piece that can jump over intervening pieces. Anything between the origin and destination neither blocks the move nor gets captured. A knight cannot finish on a friendly piece, but it may capture an enemy piece by landing on that piece's square.

Knight origin and destination

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

a1

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

The six empty squares complete the pattern of eight destinations around d4 without drawing an intermediate path.

The jump has no intermediate squares

The white knight on d4 has eight geometric destinations defined by two squares on one axis and one on the perpendicular axis. The friendly pawn on c2 prevents landing there, while the black bishop on e2 may be captured. The white pawn on e4 stands next to the origin but blocks no jump because the knight does not travel through intermediate squares.

1. The six empty squares complete the pattern of eight destinations around d4 without drawing an intermediate path.
2. c2 is not a legal destination because of the friendly pawn, while the enemy bishop on e2 may be captured upon landing.
3. The pawn on e4 stands beside the knight but blocks none of its jumps.

Each player begins with two knights. In the starting position, White's are on b1 and g1, the squares in vertical columns b and g of horizontal row 1, and Black's are on b8 and g8 in the same columns of row 8.

A knight is a minor piece, the category containing knights and bishops, and is commonly valued at about three pawns. Every knight move changes square color. From central areas it can reach as many as eight destinations, while near an edge it has fewer.

Its unusual attack pattern makes the fork especially common, a tactic in which one piece attacks two or more targets at the same time.