Limited Mobility of the Knight
The knight might not feel very well maneuvering when the opponent's or even its own forces hinder its mobility.
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Knight Endgames (Part 1)
Are you ready to master knight endings?
This course aims to give you a basic understanding of the most common knight endgames. GM Dejan Bojkov has selected positions that range from 1000 up to 2400 level in difficulty, so there should be a few appropriate positions for any chess student. Start improving your play in knight endgames today!
Here is what you will learn:
- Calculate tricky tactics!
- Find out how to make knights the most effective!
- When should you promote a pawn into a knight?
The Edge of the Board
Knights feel badly when fighting against rook pawns. The reason for this phenomenon is the fact that their mobility is highly restricted towards the edge of the board.
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Knights can be trapped on the edge
Knights can be trapped easily on the edge of the board as their strength is considerably lower than usual. Always be alert for such opportunities in knight endgames!
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Knight Can't Win Tempo
Contrary to any other piece, knights cannot win a tempo, so they can not triangulate like the kings.
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Short-ranged
A knight is too short-legged to easily switch from one flank to another. Therefore it usually hates playing on two flanks.
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Fork
Knights are capable of miracles, especially if the opponent's king is near them. Forks are their favorite weapons.
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Flexibility for the Knight
The most unpleasant pawn which the knight has to face is the corner one. It can handle it alone only if it does not reach the second (seventh) rank.
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Barrier
The ability of the knight to switch the color of the squares he controls helps him in the creation of barriers on the road of the opponent's king.
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Fortress
Knight and a rook pawn usually win against a lone king. However, if the pawn has reached the seventh (second) rank and is defended by the knight, the position is a fortress.
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Positional Draw
Poor coordination of the pieces might prevent the stronger side making use of their material advantage.
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The Knight is a Strong Piece
Despite its drawbacks the knight is a powerful piece. If the opponnet's king is limited in its motion, the knight can even mate it. The edge of the board is very helpful for the knight's intentions.
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Knight of Defense
The good co-ordination of the defensive pieces might also make a hero of a knight if the opponent's king lacks air.
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Zugzwang
When our pieces are dominating in an endgame, we must usually use zugzwang as a strong weapon to finally destroy the opponent's defensive construction.
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Decoy
The knight is a brave piece and can sacrifice itself to force the opponent's pieces to occupy inferior squares.
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Underpromotion
Sometimes, the best piece to defend against a knight fork is a... knight!
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A Role for Each Piece
The knight usually cannot fight alone against two separated passed pawns. It needs the support of its king to deal with the passers. Each of these pieces must take care of a pawn to achieve the desired draw, and sometimes they need to switch their duties for maximum effectiveness.
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Knight versus 3 Pawns
Against three pawns, a knight usually has a very difficult time. The best for it is to deal with connected pawns. In that case blockade is the defender's best (only) bet.
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Solo for the Knight
What other pieces cannot do, the knight can!
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