The Complete Chess Course From Beginning To Winning Chess! (2016)

Book One

The Basic Rules of Chess

Relative Values of the Chess Pieces

It is essential to know the values of the chess units to avoid giving up a unit of greater value in return for a unit of lesser value.

In addition, you will discover that when you have an advantage in the values of your units (a material advantage), it is generally possible to force checkmate or the queening of a pawn. Consequently you have to understand clearly the nature of your material advantage if you capture a hostile unit without giving up one of your own in exchange.

Here are the relative values of the chess units:

(The king is not included in this table, as it cannot be captured.)

The queen is clearly the most valuable piece by far.

Bishop and knight are of equal value. Giving up a knight for a bishop (or the reverse) is considered an equal exchange.

If a player captures a rook in return for a knight (or bishop), he is said to “win the exchange.” If he captures a knight (or bishop) in return for a rook, he is said to “lose the exchange.”