Forks

Chess Learning / Path / Jump-In

A fork is one move that attacks two enemy pieces at the same time, so the opponent can only save one of them.

Why This Matters

A fork happens when one piece attacks two (or more) enemy pieces on the same move.
Knights are the classic forking piece because their attack pattern is hard to see coming and hard to block.
When you find a fork, check that the forking piece itself is safe - a fork only wins if you don't lose it right back.

Objectives

Define what a fork is.
Recognize squares where a knight forks two pieces.
Find forking moves in practice positions.

Guided Interactive Lesson

Step 0 of 8

Try to play move 1:(Expected idea from lesson line)

Lesson Line

Practice Positions

Find the move yourself — the answer stays hidden until you solve it or reveal it.

Practice 1 of 4

White to move. Find the knight move that attacks two pieces at once.

Practice 2 of 4

White to move. One knight move attacks both black rooks — find it.

Practice 3 of 4

White to move. This is the biggest kind of fork — find it.

Practice 4 of 4

White to move. Find the square where the knight attacks both bishops.

Mini-Game

Play this position with a partner. Watch for any knight move that would attack two pieces at once - even if it is not available yet, discuss where a fork could happen later.

Printable Move-by-Move Boards

Print one board per step to review the full sequence offline.

Open printable version