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Knights & outposts
Find your knight a square it can't be kicked from.
A knight is short-stepping, so it's strongest when it has a stable home deep in enemy territory. An outpost is an advanced square — often the 5th or 6th rank — that one of your pawns defends and that no enemy pawn can ever attack. A knight planted there can only be removed by trading a piece for it.
Knights also outshine bishops in closed positions, where they hop over locked pawn chains to reach squares a bishop never could.
- An outpost is a square your pawn guards and no enemy pawn can hit.
- A knight on an outpost is nearly impossible to dislodge.
- A knight on the 6th rank is often a winning advantage.
- Closed positions favour knights; they're also the best blockaders of passed pawns.