The Piece Value

In the beginning of our training, we want to present the piece value. Most of players
know just a simple list of values: pawn = 1p, bishop=knight = 3.5p, rook = 5p, queen =
9p. This is ALMOST correct, but it’s not complete at all.

The value of pieces is NOT the same during the chess game. During opening and
middlegame, we have a set of values and, during the endgame, we have another set.

This is because during the endgame, the ROOK, the BISHOP and the PAWN change
their values. All the above 3 pieces increase in value, especially the pawn.
The bishop, because of his better mobility, starts to be better in the endgame than the
knight.

Piece Opening + Middlegame Endgame

Bishop better than 3 pawns relative equal with 3 pawns
Knight equal with 3 pawns weaker than 3 pawns
Rook better than 5 pawns relative equal with 5 pawns

The pieces have different purposes on the chess board.

The pieces with long ray of action are excellent attackers (all, except the knight) and the
piece with the short ray of action (the knight) is an excellent defender. Larsen said: “Give
me a knight on f8 and I will defend any position” – of course, it’s a bit exaggerated, but
not too much though.

When you are starting an attack, you could get a first picture of the success chances if
you compare the number of pieces with long ray of action with the number of pieces with
short ray of action.

Two pieces with long ray of action collaborate better than a piece with long ray of action
and a knight. For example, the queen + bishop are relative better than the queen + knight.
Of course, there are exceptions (for example when the queen and knight are directly
attacking the king – but, again, this is only an exception).

Now, we are giving the table with the RELATIVE VALUE OF PIECES during the
opening-middlegame and endgames. We are interested in these evaluations when the
material of the 2 players is different, of course. So, we are comparing a piece or a group
of pieces with another group of pieces and/or pawns.

1
Notation: p = pawn, B = bishop, N = knight, R = rook, Q = queen, “<” = weaker, “>” = stronger,
“≈” = relative equal

Piece Opening + Middlegame Endgame

ROOK ≈ B + 2p ≈ B + 1p
≈ N + 2p > N + 1p
≈ N + 2p
ROOK + 1 PAWN <B+N ≈B+N
ROOK + 2 PAWNS ≈B+N >B+N
QUEEN < 3 minor pieces ≈ 3 minor pieces
≈ R + B + 1p ≈ R + B (+ 1p)
≈ R + N + 2p ≈ R + N + 1p
<2R <2R
> B + N + 3p ≈ B + N + 3p
≈ 2 B + 3p < 2 B + 3p
QUEEN + 1 PAWN ≈2R =2R
≈2N+B >2N+B
<2B+N =2B+N
2 ROOKS ≈ 3 minor pieces ≈ 3 minor pieces
≈ 2 B + 3p ≈ 2 B + 3p
> N + B + 3p ≈ N + B + 3p
2 ROOKS + KNIGHT ≈ R + 2 B + 1p ≈ R + 2 B + 1p
The presence of a rook, together with the 2 bishops, increases the
value of bishops – see the “play coordinating piece”

2 ROOKS + 1 PAWN <R+N+B ≈R+N+B

because of their force of
attacking the opponent king

2 ROOKS + 2 PAWNS ≈R+N+B >R+N+B

<R+2B ≈R+2B

In no case, these evaluations of relative value of pieces are absolute! Very important is
the QUALITY of pieces which makes the above evaluations relative.

There is a set of criteria for evaluation of positions with material equivalence (the
material on the board is different for the 2 players).

We will refer further to these positions calling them PME.

On next lessons, we will deal in detail with the criteria of evaluation of PME.