How the knight moves
The knight moves in an L: two squares straight in one direction and then one square to the side. Or, if you prefer, one square straight and two to the side. You end up on the same squares. The knight jumps over anything in the way and captures only a piece standing where it lands.
Notice that all eight squares are the opposite color from the knight's square. The knight changes color with every move, from light to dark and back again. That is a handy way to check that you have counted right.
The only piece that jumps
Because the knight jumps, it can come out on the very first move, before a single pawn has moved. That is why so many games begin with Nf3 or Nc3.
The knight has a short reach. In the middle of the board it reaches eight squares, on the edge four or fewer, and in the corner only two. So knights are happiest near the center, ideally on a square where no enemy pawn can chase them away. As the saying goes, a knight on the rim is dim.
What is the knight worth?
About three pawns, the same as a bishop. Together, bishops and knights are called the minor pieces. The knight does well in closed positions where the pawns block the diagonals, the bishop in open ones.
The knight and the fork
The knight's great weapon is the fork: a move that attacks two or more pieces at once. A check from a knight can't be blocked, because the knight jumps. The king has to move or the knight has to be captured, and meanwhile the other piece falls.
Common mistakes
- Missing your opponent's knight forks. Look especially for squares where a knight reaches both your king and your queen.
- Putting the knight on the edge with nothing to do there.
- Miscounting the L. Remember the color change: a knight on a light square always lands on a dark one.
Try it yourself
Did you know?
- Many people, children especially, call the knight the horse, since the piece looks like a horse's head. In notation it is written N, because K is already taken by the king.
- On an empty board the knight can get from any square to any other square in at most six moves.
- A knight can visit all 64 squares, each exactly once. The puzzle is called the knight's tour and has entertained mathematicians for centuries. Leonhard Euler wrote about it in the 18th century.
- A check from a knight is, along with a pawn's, the only check that can never be blocked.
Frequently asked questions
How does the knight move in chess?
The knight moves in an L: two squares straight in one direction and then one square to the side. It jumps over any pieces in the way and captures only a piece standing where it lands.
Why is the knight written N?
Because K is already taken by the king. In notation the knight is N, as in Nf3. Many people, children especially, call it the horse, since the piece looks like a horse's head.
Can the knight jump over other pieces?
Yes, and it is the only piece that does so in an ordinary move. That is why the knight can come out on the very first move, before the pawns have moved.
What is a knight worth?
About three pawns, the same as a bishop.
Updated October 28, 2026