The #1 Knight Placement Mistake in the Opening (And How to Avoid It!)

This video will consolidate this lesson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_ts3RlEIdk 🔵 My Chessable Courses: https://chessable.com/drcan ♟️ Find me on Chess.com: DrCanChess ♟️ Find me on Lichess: cantosh 🏆 2022 Chessable Community Author of the Year! https://www.chessable.com/blog/announcing-the-winners-of-the-2022-chessable-awards/ 🏆 2023 Chessable Best Tactics Course of the Year! https://www.chessable.com/fundamental-chess-calculation-skills/course/123333/ 🏆 2024 Chessable Author of the Year! https://www.chessable.com/blog/annoucing-the-winners-of-the-2024-chessable-awards/ Connect on https://bsky.app/profile/drcanchess.bsky.social Connect on https://twitter.com/Drcanchess Go Chessable Pro using this link to support the channel: https://chessable.com/drcanpro 00:00 Position 1 01:46 Position 2 03:49 Position 3 05:16 Position 4 07:25 Position 5 11:27 Position 6 14:13 Ruy Lopez Tabiya 18:30 Homework When should we play Nc3 or Nc6? I've witnessed many players make this mistake in the opening. If you’ve ever developed your knight to c3 or c6 without thinking twice, this video will help you see when and why these moves can be a major mistake! In this episode, we’re talking to our knights—listening to their struggles, joys, and miseries on the board. Learn how to instantly evaluate whether a knight is happy or trapped, using simple but powerful strategic insights. We'll explore key positions from common pawn structures like the French Exchange and Carlsbad formation, highlighting why some knight moves seem natural but actually lead to positional disasters. By analyzing real-game examples and classic chess ideas, we’ll train your intuition to recognize good and bad knight placements instantly. You’ll see how strong players optimize piece harmony and avoid misplaced knights that get buried behind pawn chains. Plus, I’ve included a homework position at the end—drop your thoughts in the comments, and I’ll respond to every single one!