The knight outpost

Nimzowitsch and Karpov

A square in the enemy camp that no enemy pawn can attack. A knight planted there becomes the strongest piece on the board.

The knight outpost: Nimzowitsch and Karpov

Key ideas

  1. Look for holes left by the opponent's pawns.
  2. Protect the square with one of your pawns.
  3. Bring the knight there, even if it takes several moves.

When to use it

When the opponent's pawns advance and leave squares no pawn can protect.

Interactive lesson

Middlegame strategies