Why? (answer in comments, my answer is below)
Poll was brought on by hearing that the knight on a chessboard has to move in an “L” shape because back then, the horse had to be turned left or right for the knight to get close enough to hit someone with a sword or mace.
Sometimes I think that I shuffle that way, behaviorally (is that a word?). I move off to the side, and then a bit forward. (or vice versa) It seems to progress effectively, I have to shift a bit, laterally.
It’s also worth noting that I am *horrid* at chess… I still haven’t grasped the best strategies of the game. I do very well at simpler ones, like Go, Othello (Reversi), Pente, Checkers, and the like