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Knight
The knight goes to one of the closest squares lying off its own rank, file and diagonal.[1][2]
Page updated: 30 Oct 2026.
Explanation
Pieces standing in between do not block it: it jumps directly to its new square.[2] Two limits still apply: it may not land on a square occupied by one of its own pieces, and it may not move if its own king would then be in check.[1][2] It captures an enemy piece by landing on that piece's square.[1][2]
Examples
White pawns on f2, g2 and h2 beside a white knight on g1 do not block its jumps to f3 or h3, but a white pawn standing on e2 keeps it off that square.[1][2]
Related distinctions
A bishop, unlike the knight, cannot pass over a piece standing in its path along a diagonal.[1][2]
Next steps
- Black's replies to 1.e4 ranked at 1500–1799 (Rankings by Lichess rating level)
- How the wiki texts and numbers are made (Method)
- Chess wiki index (Chess wiki)
Sources
- FIDE: Laws of Chess (effective from 1 January 2023), retrieved 25 Oct 2026. Licence: © FIDE; cited and paraphrased. Our use: Facts only, in our own words; no text copied.
- Wikipedia: Rules of chess, retrieved 30 Oct 2026. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Our use: Facts only, in our own words; no text copied.
Our sentences are our own wording. How the texts and numbers are made: Method.