Value of Pieces

Last updated November 15, 2022

Would you want to give up your Queen in exchange for a Rook?  No!  Even beginners know that the most powerful piece is the Queen.  However, what about swapping a Rook for a Bishop, or a Knight for a Bishop?  To help in answering such questions in a chess game, players use a scale of values for the pieces . . . 

  • 1  pawn
  • 3  Knight
  • 3  Bishop
  • 5  Rook
  • 9  Queen
  • The King is worth the whole game!

These values are only approximate, but they are a good guide for beginners.

On an empty board, the Knight could move to, and so attack, 2 / 4 / 8 squares depending on whether it is in a corner / on an edge / near the centre.
   Knight 2.jpg   Knight 4.jpg   Knight 8.jpg
So, a knight in the centre is worth more than a Knight in a corner.

There are similar ideas for the other pieces, with the centre of the board often making a piece stronger.  In the middle of a game, when there are lots of pieces on the board these ideas are discussed in the topic of mobility, and the value of pieces can vary considerably.  Article to follow . . .