Outposts

Tackle these test questions to really understand what an outpost is and how to use it.

Your Move

(You play white)

White has a great knight on the outpost square e5, but doesn’t Black have an equally good outpost? How can White chase the black knight on e4 away and prove that its home is not really an outpost?

 Complete

Very good – while White’s knight on e5 is established on a square where it cannot be chased away by a pawn – a true “outpost” – the black knight on e4 is not actually on an outpost because the f-pawn can attack it.

Your Move

(You play white)

There’s an outpost square in the center. Do you see it? Take control of the d5 outpost permanently by trading off Black’s best defender of the square.

Correct!

Great trade. The knight on f6 controls d5. After it is gone, the white knight can sit on that square forever. Black’s remaining bishop cannot control d5.

Your Move

(You play white)

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The knight on f6 has been correctly traded off, and White’s knight is now the best minor piece in the position. Hop the white knight into its perfect post.

Well done. The d5 square is a perfect outpost. Thanks to our excellent trade which eliminated the knight on f6, Black has no way to exchange or chase away our knight. The knight is so powerful that Black’s best option may be to sacrifice a rook for it.