Welcome back. Perhaps you'd like to tell me what you'd like me to call you this lesson.
Have you learnt about the KNIGHT MOVE and KNIGHT FORKS, kiddo?

Yes, I understand about KNIGHT MOVES and KNIGHT FORKS

I still don't remember how the KNIGHT moves

I'm not sure about KNIGHT FORKS
In this lesson we're going to look at how long it takes the KNIGHT to travel from one square to another.

The way the KNIGHT moves that it can sometimes get to a distant square quickly, but it takes longer to get to a closer square.

Strange, but true! Take a look for yourself.

In this position it takes the KNIGHT two moves to get from c3 to f6. You can see that there are two routes: going through either d5 or e4.

But how many moves would it take the KNIGHT to get from c3 to e5?

Try to work it out for yourself before moving on.

Although e5 looks nearer c3 than f6 it takes the KNIGHT four moves to get there. That's twice as long! There are quite a few different routes. On the board you can see three of them, marked in different colours.

Follow the blue route (1 - 2 - 3), then the red route (1 - 2 - 3), then the pinky-purple route (1 - 2 - 3)

Now can you see how many moves it would take a KNIGHT to travel from a1 to h8?

Again, try and work it out for yourself before moving on.

In fact it takes the KNIGHT six moves to get from one corner to the other.

There are lots of possible routes. Here's one of them, but you probably found a different one. Why not see how many you can find?

Next question - can you get from a1 to h8 in SEVEN moves?

Think about it!

That was a trick question!

The answer is that you can't do it in seven moves.

You remember that the KNIGHT always moves to a different colour square?

So if it starts on a black square it will reach white squares on moves 1,3,5,7,9 and so on.

And it will reach black squares on moves 2,4,6,8,10 and so on.
There's one more piece you have to learn about - the most important piece of all.

But first you have to do another REALLY HARD QUIZ to see how good you are at KNIGHT TOURS.

Awesome! I really like KNIGHT TOURS!
I'd like to repeat the lesson first please
I'll do it later if you don't mind - I have to go now
No thankyou - I'll probably lose my way