A fork in chess is a move where one piece attacks two or more enemy pieces at the same time. Your opponent can usually save only one of them, so you win the other. Forks are one of the first tactics (short, clever tricks that win material) every beginner should learn, and the knight is the most famous forking piece.
Think of it like a cricket fielder who can run out either batter. The batters cannot both get home safely. In the same way, the opponent cannot protect both pieces with one move, and something will be lost.
How a fork works
Every fork has three parts: one attacking piece, and two targets. The targets are usually pieces that are unprotected (no other piece is guarding them) or worth more than the attacker. The best forks include a check, which means the king is attacked. When the king is in check, your opponent must deal with the check first, so they have no time to save the other piece.
In the picture above, Black must move the king out of check. Then the knight simply takes the rook. A knight is worth about 3 points and a rook about 5, so White wins a big piece. If you are not sure about these numbers yet, read our guide to chess piece values.
Why the knight is the king of forks
The knight moves in an L-shape: two squares in one direction and then one square to the side. It can also jump over other pieces. Because of this strange shape, a knight can attack up to eight squares, and those squares are hard for the opponent to see. A queen or rook attacked by a knight cannot attack it back, which makes knight forks extra powerful. If the L-shape still feels tricky, practise with how the knight moves.
A useful habit: whenever the enemy king and another big piece are on the same colour square, check whether your knight can jump to a square that attacks both. A knight always attacks squares of the opposite colour to the one it stands on.
Other pieces can fork too
Any piece can make a fork, even the king. Here are the most common ones you will see in your games:
- Queen fork: the queen moves in every straight and diagonal direction, so it often attacks two loose pieces at once.
- Pawn fork: a pawn captures diagonally forward. When a pawn steps forward and attacks two pieces, it is a great deal, because the pawn is worth only 1 point.
- Bishop and rook forks: a bishop forks along diagonals, a rook along lines. These are less common but still worth looking for.
- King fork: in the endgame, the king can attack two enemy pieces that are standing next to each other.
In this puzzle the queen goes to d5. It checks the king along the diagonal and attacks the rook on a8 along another diagonal. If the king goes to the corner, taking the rook is even checkmate.
Did you find it? Pushing the d-pawn to d4 attacks both c5 and e5. Black can save only one piece, and you trade a small pawn for a whole knight or bishop.
How to find forks in your own games
- Look for enemy pieces that are unprotected or more valuable than your attacker. These are the best targets.
- Check where the enemy king is. A fork with check is the strongest kind.
- For each of your pieces, ask: is there one square from which it can hit two targets?
- Make sure that square is safe, or that you win more than you lose even if your piece is taken.
How to practise forks
The fastest way to get good at forks is to solve lots of small puzzles. After a few weeks, your eyes start spotting the pattern without effort. Try today's free puzzle as a daily habit, and once forks feel easy, move on to the next tactic: the pin.
Questions parents and kids ask
What is a fork in chess in simple words?
A fork is when one of your pieces attacks two enemy pieces at the same time. The opponent can usually save only one, so you win the other.
Which piece is best at forking?
The knight. It jumps over pieces and attacks in an L-shape, so its forks are hard to see coming and cannot be attacked back by the pieces it hits.
What is a royal fork?
A royal fork is a knight fork that attacks the king and the queen at the same time. Since the king must get out of check, the queen is usually lost.
Can a pawn fork two pieces?
Yes. A pawn attacks the two squares diagonally in front of it, so if enemy pieces stand on both squares, the pawn forks them. It is a great trade because a pawn is worth only 1 point.
How do I stop my opponent from forking me?
Keep your pieces protected, avoid leaving your king and queen on squares a knight can reach together, and always check the opponent's possible captures before you move.