--- title: "Knight fork in chess" url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/knight-fork.md" canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/knight-fork" last_updated: "2026-11-07" type: "reference" summary: "A knight fork is a move that places a knight on a square from which it attacks two or more enemy pieces at once, so the opponent cannot save them all." related: ["https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fork.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/royal-fork.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-fork.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/double-attack.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/tactics.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md"] --- # Knight fork in chess > **For AI agents:** the complete index of GeorgeLiChess pages is [llms.txt](https://georgelichess.com/llms.txt). Every page is also served as markdown at its URL plus .md. A knight fork is a move that places a knight on a square from which it attacks two or more enemy pieces at once, so the opponent cannot save them all. A knight fork is a move that places a knight on a square from which it attacks two or more enemy pieces at once, so the opponent cannot save them all. The [knight](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/knight.md) is the best forking piece because of the way it moves. It attacks in an L shape, so it can hit up to eight [squares](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/square.md), and it jumps over pieces, so nothing can block the attack. A piece that the knight attacks cannot hit the knight back unless it is another knight, which makes the fork very hard to meet. The strongest targets are the king, the queen and the rooks, and the best moment is when the targets are not protected well or the fork comes with check. Before you play a fork, make sure the knight is not simply captured on its new square and that your opponent has no check of their own that lets them escape first. To find forks, look at the squares a knight can reach and count the enemy pieces on the squares it would attack from there. Pieces that stand two squares apart on the same rank, or a knight's distance from each other, are the classic targets. To avoid forks, check the squares around your pieces for enemy knights, and try not to leave two valuable pieces a knight move away from a single square, especially one you cannot control. In the diagram White plays Nd5. The knight attacks the [bishop](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bishop.md) on b6 and the rook on f6, and no Black piece can [capture](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/capture.md) it on d5. If the rook moves, White plays Nxb6. If the bishop moves, White plays Nxf6+, a capture with check. Also called: knight double attack. ## Example position White to move plays Nd5. The knight attacks the bishop on b6 and the rook on f6, and no Black piece can take it, so White wins one of them with Nxb6 or Nxf6+. Position (FEN): `6k1/8/1b1p1r2/2p5/8/2N5/5PPP/6K1 w - - 0 1` Also worth reading is [Fork](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fork.md). A fork is a move that leaves one of your pieces threatening two enemy pieces together. A neighboring idea is [Opera mate](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opera-mate.md). An opera mate is a back-rank checkmate in which a rook delivers mate on the eighth rank while a bishop guards that rook and also controls the square in front of the king. A neighboring idea is [Pawn fork](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-fork.md). A pawn fork is a pawn move that attacks two enemy pieces at once, one on each of the two diagonal squares ahead of the pawn, so only one of them can escape. To see how often "Knight fork" or a pattern like it decides your own games, book a [first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book/first-lesson.md): George Li reviews your games and writes a study plan around what he finds. ## Related terms - [Fork](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fork.md) - [Royal fork](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/royal-fork.md) - [Pawn fork](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-fork.md) - [Double attack](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/double-attack.md) ## Guides that go further - [How to choose a chess coach](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-choose-a-chess-coach.md): What to decide first, the questions to ask, what a first lesson should show and the red flags to avoid. - [How much does chess coaching cost?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-coaching-cost.md): Published rates for private, group and subscription chess coaching, with the source and the date of each. - [The first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book/first-lesson.md): A game review, a read on your level and a written study plan from George Li. [Book your first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book.md) and George Li reviews your games and builds a study plan around them. Questions about lessons: write to hello@georgelichess.com. ## Related - [Fork in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fork.md) - [Royal fork in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/royal-fork.md) - [Pawn fork in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-fork.md) - [Double attack in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/double-attack.md) - [Chess terms: Tactics and combinations](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/tactics.md) - [Chess terms glossary: plain definitions](https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md)