Questions tagged [knights]
Questions relating to the Knight
2
votes
5answers
288 views
Why is it necessary for black to defend e5 pawn after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3?
Why is it necessary for black to defend the e5 pawn after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3? What do you think of 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 a6 3. Nxe5 d6? Now white should move his knight to c4, d3 or f3 and black can develop ...
23
votes
1answer
7k views
Can a knight move through all squares from its original position?
I'm so confused about this. I googled it and read about knight's tours, however they all start from illegitimate positions. I want to know if a knight can move through all squares from its original ...
6
votes
2answers
339 views
Checkmating the bare king with 3 knights – can the mate be forced on any edge square?
In the case where White has King and 3 Knights, and Black has just the bare King, it is known that White can force checkmate. But can White in fact pick any edge square in advance, and force the ...
2
votes
3answers
160 views
What should white move in the attached position? (It's only one knight on both sides with king)
Is the position in the image above a draw?
1
vote
1answer
111 views
Longest forced win with just a Knight or Bishop
A single knight or bishop usually isn't enough to force checkmate. However, I know there are certain positions where the defending side has his king in front of a rook pawn where a win can be forced.
...
11
votes
3answers
402 views
How to decide when is a3/h3 needed?
a3/h3 are frequently used to prevent the bishops from pinning the knights.
I always have a hard time deciding whether to play them or not. Playing them loses moves and tempo while not playing can ...
2
votes
1answer
144 views
Is a forced draw by 50 moves possible with Bishop and Knight endgame?
Excepting the variations where there is a capture or fork possible for the defending side. Is a position possible where this kind of endgame will last more than 50 moves?
Is somewhere a calculation in ...
1
vote
1answer
139 views
Why is exposing my queen for capture better in this position (According to computer analysis)?
In one my of my game, the following position appeared (me white):
Computer analysis says that I should have played Nf3 (exposing my queen being captured by the bishop). In the proposed scenario by ...
0
votes
2answers
135 views
Can this knight move level the game?
As clearly black cannot trap the white queen for longer. So, won't Nxd4 be the best move in this scenario? Letting the queen escape and take a piece for his lost rook. Nxd4 will be followed by either ...
5
votes
2answers
169 views
What are some techniques for BvN endgames?
Let's say all the pawns are on one side of the board, either left, middle or right. (If there were two pawn groups far from each other, I imagine the Bishop would be much better than the Knight.)
So ...
6
votes
2answers
191 views
Is checkmate possible in knight vs knight pawnless endgame?
I see plenty of information stating that a Knight and King vs a King is a Draw because a mating position is not possible. I also see that it IS possible, no matter how unlikely, to acquire a mating ...
3
votes
1answer
128 views
Q+N in attacking K
I've always been told that Q and N are very strong in attacking K. Could someone show me some real GM games where Q+N attack decides the game? (where at the end of the aggression, the attacking side ...
2
votes
2answers
125 views
Why did Shirov not trade bishop for knight in this position to play against doubled, isolated b-pawns?
In The wisest things ever said about chess by GM Soltis, he quotes this about tempi and gives the following example:
Tempi should not be counted but weighed.
[FEN "r2q1rk1/pp1b1nb1/n2p1pp1/3Pp2p/...
0
votes
2answers
543 views
Can you checkmate with rook vs knight? [duplicate]
Is it possible to checkmate if all you have is a rook and your opponent only has a knight? If both of you play without mistakes or blunders?
1
vote
1answer
102 views
Is exchanging a knight for a bishop and open the game a good strategy for beginners? [duplicate]
I just learned that bishops are better in an opened game, but in a "normal" game is it good to follow this strategy?
2
votes
2answers
1k views
How to play better with Knight?
I'm solving tactics on http://chesstempo.com .
One of the things that I struggle with, is tactics involving moving the Knight several times. I find it very odd to calculate Knight movement beyond the ...
2
votes
1answer
110 views
Can a knight jump into a square in both an odd and even number of moves?
For example, a knight can go from b1 to d5 in 2 moves and in many other routes by an even number of moves. However, can it go to d5 in an odd number of moves?
I was wondering this because it would ...
6
votes
2answers
537 views
Mate with 3 Knights
how do I checkmate with 3 Knights? I know 2 is a draw, but 3 is not.
Thanks in advance!
~CSS
0
votes
0answers
84 views
Battle of Mexico City Chess set
My Dad got a chess set as a kid in Mexico. I believe it is Malachite and Marble. The pieces are trademarked by Anri and their design matches the renaissance chess kit. Ours is a folding board that ...
9
votes
3answers
722 views
When and why should I trade minor pieces?
After looking at bishop placement and bishops compared to knights i came to the following question:
When would it be beneficial to trade a knight for a bishop, or vice versa?
This includes the ...
2
votes
1answer
182 views
Why sacrifice the rook?
[Title "White to move"]
[FEN "1r3rk1/1p4bp/p2p1q2/2pPn1p1/B1PnRp2/PPN2P1P/2QB2P1/3R2K1 w - - 5 27"]
This is a diagram from the game between Del Rey, Diego and Efimenko, Zahar on the Zalakaros Chess ...
-1
votes
1answer
197 views
Rook and knight used together within the same move - legal?
This is my first question on chess beta and I don't know if I'm insane or if the cpu is broken. So I was playing chess against a CPU on the iPhone with the app 3D Chess Game, and the CPU (playing ...
4
votes
3answers
949 views
Why can't knights lose tempo?
From Wikipedia: Kings, queens, bishops, and rooks can lose a tempo; a knight cannot (Müller & Pajeken 2008:40,175,189).
Is there truth to this? Examples please. My context is towards developing ...
10
votes
2answers
800 views
Can a King and a Knight force stalemate against a lone King?
I believe that a King and two Knights are able to force stalemate against a lone King (though obviously not checkmate)... but what about a King and one Knight against a lone King?
I first thought ...
4
votes
1answer
152 views
How to exploit the advantage of a bishop over a knight?
Occasionally in a tournament game I will find myself with a material imbalance of BvN or BBvBN in a situation where I know the extra bishop should be superior (center cleared of pawns, pawns on both ...
3
votes
7answers
969 views
Explaining knight move to kids
I am currently teaching a kid (~6 years) chess and we started with the pieces. While she had no trouble picking up the rules for the rook, the bishop, the queen and the king, the knight seems more ...
3
votes
3answers
387 views
Wording of Troitsky line rule
The current Wikipedia article on the two knights endgame states:
For the position with White to move, Troitsky established that if a black pawn is securely blockaded (by one of the white knights) ...
2
votes
4answers
453 views
Is the bishop pair and a pawn equivalent to knight and a rook?
In theory, rook (5) + knight (3) = 8 points.
And bishop (3.25) + bishop (3.25) + pawn (1) = 7.5 points.
For example, do you think black is better in the following scenario or do you believe white ...
3
votes
3answers
650 views
When Black opens with Nf6 after e4 - Beginner question
I would like to have some analysis in the following setting:
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5.
Now, what is best for white? The move 3. c4 continues the attack, but can create a "pawn weakness".
3
votes
1answer
437 views
Question about knight vs. 3 pawns endgame
In the following puzzle, 5. Kb6 is considered better than 5. Kc7. Doesn't Kc7 force Black to sacrifice his knight (sooner)?
[FEN "8/3n4/8/1P3k2/1P6/4K2P/8/8 b - - 0 1"]
1... Nb6 2. Kd4 Ke6 3. Kc5 ...
2
votes
1answer
302 views
why should I try to put knights on weak squares when they can be taken easily
hello, here you can see 2 weak squares at b6 & d6. That's what my chess book says, and in order to use these 2 weak squares, one must consider the moves Nf3-d2-c4.
Actually, the story is more ...
4
votes
1answer
530 views
Can K + N vs K force black into any corner?
Can white force this position
[Title "KN vs K"]
[FEN "8/8/8/8/8/8/5k1N/7K w - - 0 1"]
into this position?
[Title "KN vs K"]
[FEN "k7/8/1K1N4/8/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
Background:
...
4
votes
2answers
135 views
Could you explain me this part of GM Larry Kaufman's article on “The Evaluation of Material Imbalances”?
This is a stupid question that has more to do with English than with chess, so if other people also think it's stupid I can delete it after I get the answer.
Since English is not my mother's tongue I ...
1
vote
1answer
179 views
What squares are the most active for bishops?
For a beginner:
Where are bishops mostly exchanged or placed?
Where are knights mostly exchanged or placed?
3
votes
2answers
699 views
The Knight is stronger in Rapid/Blitz than it is in classical time controls. How many centipawns does the Knight gain in Rapid and in Blitz?
In blitz, the knight is stronger than the bishop. - Vlastmil Hort
I am using this point value system for classical time controls (at least one hour per player):
Pawn = 1
Knight = 3.25
Bishop = 3.25
...
3
votes
2answers
230 views
The Anderssen v Zukertort game in the Yamie Chess kids' math boardgame
Spanish Game: Johannes Zukertort vs Adolf Anderssen 1865 - Berlin
[fen ""]
[White "Zukertort"]
[Black "Anderssen"]
[Event "Berlin 1865"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 4. c3 d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. O-O Ng6 ...
10
votes
2answers
6k views
endgame with single Bishop or single Knight?
If given the choice should I opt for an endgame with a single Bishop or a single Knight? I understand Bishops increase in value in the endgame but is the disadvantage of covering only half the squares ...
4
votes
2answers
3k views
Shortest path for a knight
Is there a practical way of computing the shortest path from a square to another, for a knight? (for a human chess player, not for a computer)
Usually, when I want to send my knight from a square to ...
4
votes
3answers
153 views
What are good strategies or principles to prolonging the first stage of a game?
Is there a particular strategy or principle you can use to drag out the first stage of a game, namely, to preserve all your pieces as long as possible.
One way I can imagine this being useful, if ...
19
votes
2answers
711 views
How do you hold a draw with a knight against a rook?
Knight and King versus Rook and King is a theoretical draw. Yet, you might lose if you don't know the method. How do you hold a draw?
5
votes
7answers
2k views
What is the benefit of making the first move with a Knight?
I know that some moves from some opening can transpose to another.
But if I move my knight first, does it have benefit to me? In my Houdini, it shows lower value than I move a pawn first.
Best ...
9
votes
5answers
461 views
Is this endgame winnable for white? (Knight vs two connected passed pawns on Queen side.)
I would like to know if this endgame is winnable for white. Black to play.
Any help would be greatly appreciated :)
2
votes
4answers
854 views
Longest path for knight
Suppose the knight is on square X and he wants to get to square Y, and in order to do that he has to move N moves. how big could N be?
Could that be solved using a mathematical equation? Say Nf3 ...
5
votes
3answers
614 views
Is this endgame winnable for White?
Playing White against a computer, I reached this position (White to move):
[fen "8/5pp1/p4k2/5n1p/1PN5/P7/5PPP/6K1 w - - 0 1"]
White has a queenside pawn majority, but Black's king is closer to the ...
3
votes
2answers
272 views
Knights on b4 and g4
I suffer from knight-phobia.
If I e.g. play white and black has knights on c6 and/or f6 I tend to play a3 and/or h3 as prophylaxis against knight coming to b4 and g4. I don't like them there. I ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
“A knight on a rim is dim”, but a knight on a corner is … excellent?
Can someone provide a collection of GM games (I'll define a collection as 5 or more games played by a GM against a GM, to be specific), where the winning side featured, at some point in the game, a ...
13
votes
3answers
698 views
Five Knights Problem
Many years ago, I was shown a problem involving three white pawns promoting to knights and ending up with a ring of five knights encircling the mated king. Does anybody know the starting position?
A ...
24
votes
4answers
985 views
KBN vs K checkmate on nonstandard boards
I know how to win the endgame with bishop and knight, but it is a slippery process and seems to be just barely a win, with the enemy king very nearly escaping. For this reason, I am curious about the ...
11
votes
3answers
11k views
Endgame: Rook + Knight vs Rook
What happens in the endgame Rook + Knight vs Rook? Is it a draw, or can the side with the knight win? I came across this a few days ago, and I managed to win with the Rook + Knight, but I am not ...
23
votes
5answers
21k views
Can a rook win against a knight in the endgame?
Suppose we have just a rook and the opponent has just a knight close to his king.
Is it possible to win this game theoretically?
e.g, in the following position (white to move), is it possible for ...
