Pieces & Activity

What does octopus mean in chess?

  • Pieces
  • Activity
  • Coordination

In chess, octopus refers to a strongly positioned knight in enemy territory. A knight not near the edge reaches out in eight directions, like the eight tentacles of an octopus.

Octopus FAQ

What does octopus mean in chess?

In chess, octopus refers to a strongly positioned knight in enemy territory. A knight not near the edge reaches out in eight directions, like the eight tentacles of an octopus.

Train this pattern on your own games

Reading a definition is not the same as spotting the pattern with a clock running. Chessiro's free PGN analysis runs Stockfish 19 over every move you play, names the concept behind each mistake, and turns the positions where it cost you into training puzzles. You can also see the idea in action in the classic games collection, where the greatest players in history demonstrate it.

Free game review

See where this pattern decides your games

Chessiro reviews your games with an AI coach that names the concept behind every mistake, then drills you on the exact positions where it happened until you stop repeating them.