Material (Pieces and Pawns)

Chess for Beginners

Material (Pieces and Pawns)

Except for the king, each playing piece has a general value. The pawn is worth one point; the knight, three; the bishop, three; the rook, five; and the queen, nine. These values have no legal value regarding the rules of chess; they're simply a general set of values to help us determine how to capture and allow our opponent to capture. (The queen is three times as valuable as a knight; a bishop plus a knight are more valuable than a rook, etc.)

In chess, the word "exchange" means a series of moves in which two or more pawns or pieces are captured: at least one for white and at least one for black. See "Beginners' Chess Lessons."

When you plan an exchange, recognize that our opponent may have options you did not at first see. On the other hand, look for your own options that also may be less obvious.