If a player is dangerous with the knights but average with the bishops and you're average with either than it's worth the while, unfortunately you need to know the opponents game from beginning to end which is a moot point. Personally I think it's stupid to sac a bishop for knight but that won't stop players doing it unless you learn how to punish that.
Throwing away bishops to capture knights
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Understood. How do I punish that?
toxic_internet wrote:
Understood. How do I punish that?
All based on pawn structure really.
Open up the position, bishops are generally better in open games.
Deny outposts/advanced squares to the knight.
@1
"My opponent will sacrifice the bishop to capture the knight in his/her next move." ++ Bad play.
"I realize the points for each are the same." ++ No, a bishop is worth more.
"is this a good idea" ++ No, very bad.
"Should I be sacrificing my own bishops to capture knights, like my opponents do?" ++ No.
@4
"How do I punish that?" ++ By attacking on the squares of the color of his missing bishop. You have an extra piece to attack those squares.
Gaking the bishop leaves behind gaps in the opponents defense that particular bishop had covered. For eg. The queen side bishop ( light square if black dark square if whites) takes knight ( f3 if whites f6 if black) so you can take back the bishop as the beginning of punishment and that particular bishop is on the same color starting square as your queen and a bishop so the queen rook diagonal pawn is unprotected the queen side defense is down a bishop and also that color bishop that was sacked the only threat from that color square is from the opposite queen and opponent traded that for a knight!!!!!!
Most chess engines prefer bishops to knights (approx. 3.15 per bishop, 3.00 for knight), but below 2000, that really doesn't mean all that much. Do your best to recapture with a piece rather than a pawn if possible, as doubling an opponents pawns can be worth a slightly losing trade, but if you recapture with a bishop or a queen, then you are usually slightly better. Maybe try to focus on good bishop play and pawn formations, opening the board up early if your king is safe, and attacking on the color of your opponent's lost bishop (e.g. if your opponent traded their DSB, play on dark squares and put your pawns on light squares if possible).
Oct 18, 2022
0
#8
Just to complicate things further - the Bishop pair is believed to be worth an extra half-pawn, on average - see:
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-evaluation-of-material-imbalances-by-im-larry-kaufman
Oct 18, 2022
0
#9
In closed positions knights can be better than bishops. Study the board, if the center is closed by pawns of both sides your opponent may try to deliberately exchange his bishops for your knights because they can jump across closed diagonals, ranks, and files. I am only a beginner but in the lessons I have viewed on chess.com this is one reason your opponent chooses to capture your knights with their bishop. If your opponent is good at finding or identifying outposts and can get his knight on the outpost they become strong.
Anyone know much about clubs ? I have joined a few clubs but no communication from anyone in the clubs.
Anyone know much about clubs ? I have joined a few clubs but no communication from anyone in the clubs.
Oct 18, 2022
0
#10
toxic_internet wrote:
This is happening to me more often of late. Upon activating my knights, an opponent brings his/her bishop across the board to try and pin the knight to the king or the queen. Whether I move the a or the h pawn up to threaten the bishop, or I place a bishop behind the knight to un-pin it, it makes no difference. My opponent will sacrifice the bishop to capture the knight in his/her next move.
I realize the points for each are the same. Knights can, of course, jump over other pieces. But is this a good idea, or maybe not so good?
Should I be sacrificing my own bishops to capture knights, like my opponents do?
It depends on the long term strategies and positions because in some lines, it is book move.
The ideas are to remove or pin a key defender (normally the knight) that guards a pivotal central square; such example are the Grunfeld, Nimzo, Ruy Lopez, Queens Indian Defence , c3 Catalan and Rossolimo Attack.
Provoking a hook and doubling up of pawns are other long term strategies or targets.
I don’t like giving up my bishop pair but sometimes when I have control of the dark squares with my pawn chain combined with a bad bishop, I immediately exchange on Nf6 because blacks knight is a more valuable minor piece for the moment and his opposing bishop either bites granite or doesn’t have a good square to post or gets in the way of his coordination.
https://lichess.org/X7JghaPL/white#14
Having just taken chess up. To me knights are good early on in the game when the board is congested. As they can jump over obstacles where as bishops (and Rooks) need long clear lines to operate well. Taking out the opposition’s knights limit their ability to manoeuvre and push the game.
Oct 19, 2022
0
#12
If bishops have lots of space to move or are able to conduct some sort of attack, then they should be preferred over knights.
toxic_internet wrote:
But is this a good idea, or maybe not so good?
Should I be sacrificing my own bishops to capture knights?
As with most things in Chess, the answer is the same
It depends on the position
My sincere thanks to each and every one of you for posting and for the top shelf-tier education on this subject - you've taught me a great deal and I am very, very grateful. Your detailed replies have taught me a lot, and I appreciate the benefit of your experience, as well as the time you took to share. 🙏
This is happening to me more often of late. Upon activating my knights, an opponent brings his/her bishop across the board to try and pin the knight to the king or the queen. Whether I move the a or the h pawn up to threaten the bishop, or I place a bishop behind the knight to un-pin it, it makes no difference. My opponent will sacrifice the bishop to capture the knight in his/her next move.
I realize the points for each are the same. Knights can, of course, jump over other pieces. But is this a good idea, or maybe not so good?
Should I be sacrificing my own bishops to capture knights, like my opponents do?