The usual chess piece values are: pawn = 1 point, knight = 3, bishop = 3, rook = 5, queen = 9. The king has no point value, because losing it means losing the game, so it is worth more than everything else put together. These numbers are a guide that helps you decide whether a trade is good or bad. They are not an official rule, and the position on the board can change how much a piece is really worth.

The point value of each piece

  • Pawn: 1 point. The smallest piece. It moves forward one square at a time and can turn into a queen if it reaches the far end.
  • Knight: 3 points. It jumps in an L shape and can hop over other pieces.
  • Bishop: 3 points. It slides diagonally and always stays on squares of one colour.
  • Rook: 5 points. It slides in straight lines up, down and sideways.
  • Queen: 9 points. She moves like a rook and a bishop together, so she is the strongest piece.
  • King: priceless. It cannot be traded. If it is checkmated, the game ends.

Why these numbers? Mostly because of how many squares a piece can control and how useful it usually is. A queen in the middle of an empty board can reach 27 squares. A knight can reach at most 8. Over hundreds of years, strong players found that this simple scale matches what usually happens in real games quite well.

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Compare the reach of the queen on d4 with the knight on g1. The highlighted squares show just a few of the queen's many targets, while the knight in the corner area can reach only three squares (e2, f3 and h3).

How to use piece values in a game

Piece values help you answer one important question many times in every game: should I make this trade? A trade (also called an exchange) is when you capture an enemy piece and they capture one of yours back. Add up what you get, subtract what you give, and see if the answer is more than zero.

  • Your knight (3) takes their rook (5), then they take your knight. You gained 5, lost 3. That is +2, a good trade.
  • Your bishop (3) takes their knight (3), then they take your bishop. That is 0, an even trade.
  • Your queen (9) takes a pawn (1), then they take your queen. That is -8, a disaster.

Some trades have special names. Winning a rook for a knight or bishop is called winning the exchange. When you count, always ask: "After I capture, can they capture back?" A piece with no defender is called hanging, and taking it is free.

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White to move. Try the different captures: the knight can take the rook on d5, and the bishop can take the knight on c6. Count the points for each. Which one wins the most?

Your turn: move the pieces on the board.

Tap a piece, then tap where it should go, or drag it.

The rook on d5 has no defender, so knight takes rook wins 5 points for free. Bishop takes knight on c6 only swaps 3 for 3 after Black recaptures with the b-pawn. Counting like this before every capture is one of the best habits a beginner can build.

When piece values are not the whole story

The points are a starting guide, not a law. Here are some times when a piece is worth more or less than its number:

  • Checkmate beats points. If giving up your queen leads to checkmate, the queen's 9 points do not matter at all. The game is won.
  • Two bishops together are often a bit stronger than bishop and knight, because they cover both colours of squares.
  • Knights love closed positions full of pawns, where they can jump around. Bishops love open positions with long, empty diagonals.
  • A pawn close to promotion can be worth much more than 1 point, because it is about to become a queen.
  • Activity matters. A rook stuck in the corner is weaker than a knight in the middle of the board.

Puzzle: pick the biggest prize

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White to move. Your e4-pawn can capture two different pieces. Use piece values to choose the best capture.

White to move. Make your move on the board.

Tap a piece, then tap where it should go, or drag it.

Taking the queen is best. Even though Black can recapture with the c6-pawn, you win a 9-point queen for a 1-point pawn. Taking the knight would only win 3 points for 1. Many tactics, like the fork, work because they attack two pieces at once and the opponent can only save one, so knowing values helps you see which one you will win. For more habits like this, see our chess tips for beginners.

Questions parents and kids ask

Is a bishop or a knight worth more?

Both are worth about 3 points. Bishops are often a little better in open positions and knights in closed ones. Many coaches value a bishop very slightly higher, but for beginners, treat them as equal.

How many points is the king worth?

The king has no point value because it can never be traded or captured. If it is checkmated, the game is lost, so it is more valuable than all the other pieces combined.

How many points does each side have at the start?

Each side starts with 39 points: 8 pawns (8), 2 knights (6), 2 bishops (6), 2 rooks (10) and a queen (9). The king is not counted.

Are piece values an official chess rule?

No. The official rules never mention points. Piece values are a thinking tool that players use to judge trades. The player with more points does not automatically win; only checkmate (or the opponent resigning or running out of time) wins the game.