The knight's jump

Chess · Chess basics · ages 7-10

Name ______________________ Date ____________

The knight is the only piece that can jump over others.
Circle one: True False
How many knights does each player start with?
Answer: ______________
What shape does the knight move in?
- An L-shape
- A straight line
- A diagonal
How far does a knight go on its L-move?
- Two squares, then one to the side
- Three squares straight
- One square in any direction
A knight starts on a light square. What color square does it land on?
- A dark square
- A light square
- Either color
A knight can move even when its own pieces are all around it.
Circle one: True False
From the middle of the board, how many squares can a knight reach?
Answer: ______________
From a corner, how many squares can a knight move to?
Answer: ______________

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

True · Every other piece has to stop when something blocks its path.
2 · The knights begin next to the rooks in the corners.
An L-shape · Two squares one way, then one square to the side, makes an L.
Two squares, then one to the side · Two in a line and one to the side is the knight's jump.
A dark square · Every knight move switches to the opposite color.
True · It jumps right over them and lands on the far square.
8 · A centered knight can jump to 8 different squares.
2 · A knight tucked in a corner has only 2 L-moves.