How a knight moves in chess

   Each player begins the game with two knights on their first rank. In algebraic notation the white knights start on b1 and g1, while the black knights start on b8 and g8. In standard chess sets, the knight is depicted as having a horse's head.

   The knight moves and captures alternately on white and black squares; each move may be described as L-shaped in any direction, where the long arm of the 'L' is 3 squares, and the short base of the L is 2 squares.

   The green crosses in the diagram above mark the eight possible moves of a centralized knight. Unlike other chess pieces, the knight may 'jump' over other pieces in its path directly to the destination square. Like the other pieces, it captures an enemy piece on its destination square.

  Most chess pieces are more powerful if placed near the center of the board, and this is especially true for a knight. A knight on the edge of the board attacks only four squares, and a knight in the corner only two. This diversity in mobility is highlighted in the diagram below. Moreover, it takes more moves for a decentralized knight to switch operations to the opposite side of the board than a decentralized bishop, rook, or queen. Knights function best as short-range pieces and thrive on close combat, even in cramped conditions.

Whoa Nelly! The e5 steed towers in mobility over the meek f1 pony and the sniveling a1 donkey.

  Knights are usually brought into play slightly sooner than bishops, and much sooner than the rooks and the queen.

Interesting facts about knights:
- the only piece that can move at the start of the game before any pawn moves
- usually among the first pieces developed
- the only piece that can attack a king, queen, bishop or rook without being attacked itself!

Next: Rook moves