Knight's Movement
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The knight is the only piece on the board that may jump over other pieces. This gives it a degree of flexibility that makes it a powerful piece especially early in the game when the board is cluttered with pieces.
Since obstructions are not a bar to movement (unless there is a friendly piece on the square where the knight would move) the knight's path of movement has never been well defined. The knight can be thought of as moving one square along any rank or file and then at an angle, as shown in the diagram. (The yellow dot is the square being passed over and the blue dot is the space where the knight may move and may also capture opposition pieces.) The knight's movement can also be viewed as an "L" laid out at any horizontal or vertical angle.
Note that the squares to where the knight can move are all of the opposite colored squares two steps away from his starting square. This may help in visualizing the knight's range of influence on the board.
Strategy Tip: Use the knight early on to undermine the opponent's defence, especially the pawns which can sometimes be picked off by a ranging knight. The knight is the piece most likely to sneak in behind "enemy" lines to capture an important piece.
 | Movement of the Bishop in Chess |