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Knights control squares same color they are on
Compiled by notyetagm
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WHEN THEY HAVE A TACTICAL TARGET/BASE. When knights have <TACTICAL TARGETS/BASES>, they become color-coordinated just like bishops!

In particular, notice how many <KNIGHT FORKS> come about because a knight is able to give <CHECK> to the enemy king. The enemy king is the -ultimate- <TACTICAL TARGET>, so it can be no real surprise that a knight being able to move to a square (<TACTICAL BASE>) and give <CHECK> to the enemy king is often a sign the a <KNIGHT FORK> is in the air.

It is -incredibly- dangerous from a purely tactical point of view when an enemy knight can give <CHECK> to your king.

From my comments on Anand vs Morozevich, 2007

The <KNIGHT FORK> Anand visualized that would have been played out OTB.

Position after 56 ♖c5-e5!! ♕e4x♖e5 <deflection from g4, decoy to e5> 57 ♘e3-g4+


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And here is the alternate <KNIGHT FORK> variation that World Champion Anand visualized but did not get a chance to play.

(VAR) Position after 56 ... ♔h6-g6 57 ♘e3-d5 ♕h1-h8 58 ♖c5-c8! ♕h8x♖c8 59 ♘d5-e7+


click for larger view

These incredible <KNIGHT FORK> variations, calculated by Anand with the World Championshup at stake(!), teach you almost everything you need to know about the <KNIGHT FORK> tactic.

56 Rc5-e5!! White e3-knight can check Black h6-king from g4
Anand vs Morozevich, 2007 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 56 moves, 1-0

31 Rd1-d7! White e4-knight can check Black g8-king from f6
Hodgson vs M Hebden, 1986 
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 36 moves, 1-0

30 Qc6!! White f5-knight controls c6, g7-checking focal point
Capablanca vs F Duz-Khotimirsky, 1913 
(C84) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 47 moves, 1-0

30 Qh4xRh8+! White e5-knight controls h8 from f7-tactical base
M Judd vs J Congdon, 1874 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 50 moves, 1-0

31 Rh8-d8! Black b4-queen tactical target for White e5-knight
Carlsen vs T Gulbrandsen, 2002 
(C05) French, Tarrasch, 35 moves, 1-0

83 - Qh8+!! White e5-queen tactical target for Black d6-knight
Kotronias vs M Hebden, 2007 
(C99) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd, 86 moves, 1-0

25 Be2-c4! Black f7-king tactical target for White g4-knight
Pillsbury vs Lasker, 1904 
(D50) Queen's Gambit Declined, 30 moves, 1-0

17 Nd4-e6! Black e8-king tactical target for White d5-knight
A Nimzowitsch vs L Steiner, 1927  
(C62) Ruy Lopez, Old Steinitz Defense, 21 moves, 1-0

41 .. g4-g3+! White c1-rook tactical target for Black d4-knight
C Lutz vs Kasparov, 2002 
(B84) Sicilian, Scheveningen, 42 moves, 0-1

37 d5-d6+! White h6-knight has f5- and(!) f7-tactical bases
Kasparov vs Karpov, 1986 
(C92) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 41 moves, 1-0

18 ... Qe6xBc4! Black g4-knight controls c4-square from e3-base
Steinitz vs J Minckwitz, 1870 
(C25) Vienna, 18 moves, 0-1

20 ... Qb4-b2! Black f4-knight controls b2-square from d3-base
Ljubojevic vs Morozevich, 2003 
(D07) Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense, 43 moves, 0-1

43 ... Ne4xBf2! Black f2-knight controls h2-square from g4-base
Karpov vs J Polgar, 2007 
(E17) Queen's Indian, 43 moves, 0-1

28 ... Bg7-d4+! Black c3-knight supports d4 with ... Nc3-e2+
Mamedyarov vs Carlsen, 2007 
(A57) Benko Gambit, 58 moves, 0-1

53 ... Rd5-d1! Black c4-knight supports d1-target from e3-base
Avrukh vs Kamsky, 2007 
(A64) Benoni, Fianchetto, 11...Re8, 53 moves, 0-1

33 f6-f7! Black e5-rook means White f4-knight covers f8-square
Kramnik vs Nunn, 1992 
(E81) King's Indian, Samisch, 33 moves, 1-0

21 ... Qh6xh3+! Black g4-knight supports h3-target from f2-base
B Larsen vs R Hernandez Onna, 1989 
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 21 moves, 0-1

42 Nh5xf6??, 42 Rc6xf6?? Black c5-knight has e4-tactical base
Carlsen vs Eljanov, 2008 
(D91) Grunfeld, 5.Bg5, 54 moves, 1-0

28 - Qg5xBh5?, 28 - Qg5-f5 stopped by light-squared g4-knight
Topalov vs Gelfand, 2008 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 28 moves, 1-0

38 ... c4-c3+! Black f6-knight adds to control of the c3-square
Vaganian vs Short, 1989 
(D35) Queen's Gambit Declined, 53 moves, 0-1

56 ... b4-b3! Black f3-knight controls b3-square from d2-base
Kramnik vs Carlsen, 2008 
(A30) English, Symmetrical, 57 moves, 0-1

21 ... Rf8xBf4! Black d4-knight controls f4 from e2-checking sq
J Thomason vs Fischer, 1955 
(E90) King's Indian, 23 moves, 0-1

23 Ne3-g4! White g4-knight defends f5-queen via h6-forking sq
Anand vs A Beliavsky, 1992 
(C61) Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense, 24 moves, 1-0

12 Bc4xf7+! White e4-knight controls the f7-square from d6-base
Mamedyarov vs G Ginsburg, 2007 
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 21 moves, 1-0

29 Rg2-g5!! White e5-knight controls g5-target from f7-base
Aronian vs H Stefansson, 2004 
(D45) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 40 moves, 1-0

21 Bd3-f5! White c4-knight controls f5-square from the d6-base
Tal vs H Hecht, 1962 
(E12) Queen's Indian, 49 moves, 1-0

16 ... Qg6-c2+! Black e6-knight gives added control of c2-sq
Smeets vs Adams, 2008 
(C45) Scotch Game, 28 moves, 0-1

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