The knight is one of the six chess pieces, instantly recognizable by its horse-head shape and its distinctive L-shaped move: two squares in one orthogonal direction, then one square perpendicular to that, or vice versa. It is the only piece that can jump over other pieces, regardless of whether they are friendly or enemy.
Its conventional value is 3 points — the same as the bishop — placing it in the category of minor pieces. However, this apparent equivalence conceals an important distinction: knights thrive in closed positions, where pawn chains block open lines and restrict long-range pieces, while they tend to lose influence when the position opens up and bishops or rooks can operate along long diagonals and files.
In practice, aim to place your knight on an outpost — an advanced or central square that cannot be challenged by an enemy pawn. A knight firmly established on e5 or d5 in the middlegame can become a dominant, almost untouchable piece. Conversely, a knight stranded on the edge of the board (a-file, h-file, or back rank) has sharply reduced mobility. As a general rule, avoid rim squares unless absolutely necessary.