How to Make a Knight Fork in Chess

The knight fork in chess forces your opponent to choose between giving up 2 pieces while distracting him from other attack campaigns you might be waging. The fork requires some patience, a little foresight and some knowledge of how the knight piece works, but is otherwise relatively simple to achieve.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Target 2 chess pieces that are both 2 row squares and 1 column square, 2 column squares and 1 row square or a combination of each distance from a square that your knight can reach in a small number of moves (keeping in mind that the knight moves 3 squares at a time--2 squares in one direction and 1 square in a different direction). Understand that you will choose one or the other piece to take, and that you will sacrifice your knight to the remaining piece.

2. Move any pieces that are standing in the squares that the knight can use to get to both the targeted pieces. Also try to set up a secondary move that will take your opponent's piece after his second piece (the one you choose to spare) takes your knight. Consider a backup attack to use in case your opponent blocks your knight fork.

3. Place your knight into the square that can create the knight fork, or double attack. Wait to see how your opponent chooses between her two chess pieces or if she finds a defense you hadn't expected.

4. Take the piece that your opponent chooses to leave undefended or, if you setup an attack that used the knight fork as a feint, pursue your real attack at another part of the board to get a better gain against your opponent.