Chess Patterns ❯ Condition of Knights and Bishops ❯ Strong Knight
Strong Knight
Strong Knight
A Strong Knight has several of these features: it controls multiple key squares (so called Octopus Knight), serves a critical function (e.g., Knights are excellent blockaders), has good mobility, is well-coordinated with other pieces, is placed on a strong support point. In the diagram above, the Knight on e5 is unassailable and effectively dominates Black's camp.
Ideas for when you have a Strong Knight: (1) Control the center of the board and dominate the opponent's pieces, (2) Use its mobility to create threats, (3) Coordinate it with your other pieces to launch effective attacks. Ideas against a Strong Knight: (1) Use your pawns to limit its mobility by removing potential support points, (2) Exchange the Knight with one of your pieces, (3) Watch out for unexpected forks.
Designed with Love in Italy
Designed with Love in Italy
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Master the Strong Knight
When we started adding a playful touch to chess learning, we looked through thousands of videos and hundreds of books to find the best resources out there. Here's our curated selection of the best content we encountered on Strong Knights. We also included some smaller creators who are growing fast and we believe deserve your attention. Check out these resources if you want to master this type of advantage.
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Use Your KNIGHTS to DOMINATE a Chess Game!
A nice intro for beginners by ChessDawg on why Knights are special and on how to make them formidable attacking and defending pieces.
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How to play better online chess FAST - USE YOUR KNIGHTS!
Watch this great video by the Epic Chess YouTube channel to learn five fundamental rules that’ll make you manage Knights much better.
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The Original Octopus - Karpov vs Kasparov
A wonderful in-depth commentary by Power Play Chess of the famous Karpov-Kasparov “octopus-knight” game. A must-see.
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Complete Book of Chess Strategy*
Another excellent chess book from a truly passionate master. Jeremy Silman breaks down complex concepts with incredible clarity, including strong knights. Whether you're a novice or an intermediate, this book is a must-have.
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Simple, clear, and straightforward. This book by Steve Giddins presents 101 endgames, each highlighting a specific technique. Perfect for serious beginners and intermediate players.