Which do you prefer?

There is an age old question...which is better, a knight or a bishop? Personally I think the knight is best because it can move to any square on the board and allows for forks, but what do you think?

Two bishops can checkmate a lone king. Two knights cannot.  If the bishop in not blocked, the bishop is better.  It covers more squares.  It can cover as many as 13 squares.  The knight covers 8 in the middle of the board and 4 squares on the edge of the board.  Put a knight in the corner and it covers 2 squares.  Put a bishop in the corner and it covers 7 square.

 

I didn't think of that. Well said indeed. But I still like my knoghts :D.

Oddly enough, in the 19th century Knights were commonly regarded as stronger, or at least preferable, pieces. I imagine this could be attributed to the tactical nature of most early-mid 19th century games. The development of theory exposed the long term advantages of Bishops, especially in pairs. Generally speaking though, the board situation dictates which type piece is the strongest, though more times than not, Bishops will win out.  A Knight has never corralled a Bishop.

ketchuplover wrote: I believe at one time the bishop and queen could only move one square per move. If I had a nickel for every time I got forked by a knight I'd be rich.

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that would be horrible if the queen and bishop could only move a single space.

It would make a very different game. I'm new to chess but  I think knights are better because they are more subtle in taking pieces. Bishops might be more powerful since they move so far and are more useful in check mates but they can't quite compete with the forks that knights create.

Ok this, knights and bishops worth 3 pawns each, but knights can be very usefull in closed games , (when the pawns are locked), and bishops are usefull in an open game. A bishop can easely dominate a knight, but a knight can alos dominate a bishop. Bishops are usualy used by agresive players because they have a large range of activity and 2 bishops are best than a knight and a bishop. But u have to know something the strenght of a pice is influenced by pawns skeleton (structure), is usualy better to give a bad bishops for a good knight and vice versa. Irs a long story that involves diagrams and i don't have the time to post that now, but if i will hate time be sure i'll poste it :)

Both knight and bishop worth the same!! the only factor that can change this is you!! by means of the position. e.i. If you own bishop pair you would have to open up the position to prove that your bishop party will triumph over those horses.