Chess pieces
Chess pieces are the sixteen units each side starts with: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns; in everyday speech, though, piece usually means everything except the pawns.
Also called: piece, chess piece, chessman
Each side begins with sixteen chess pieces in a single color: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns. The Laws number them this way, and their notation chapter notes that in the notation description "piece" means a piece other than a pawn. That second meaning is the one most players use. When a coach says "develop your pieces", the pawns are not included. In written notation the king is K, the queen Q, the rook R, the bishop B and the knight N, with N chosen so that it is not confused with the king. Pawns carry no letter at all. Pieces are grouped by value and role. Bishops and knights are minor pieces, rooks and queens are major pieces, and the king is priceless. The table gives the rough values coaches use as a first guide, which the piece value entry explains in full. Values are a starting point only, because activity, structure and king safety change them in real positions. Learn each piece's strengths early.
| Piece | Letter in notation | Value in points | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pawn | none | 1 | Pawn |
| Knight | N | 3 | Minor piece |
| Bishop | B | 3 | Minor piece |
| Rook | R | 5 | Major piece |
| Queen | Q | 9 | Major piece |
| King | K | not counted | Cannot be exchanged |
Compare it with King. The king moves one square in any direction or castles, may never be left in check or moved into check, and is never captured, because the game ends when it is checkmated.
Also worth reading is Pawn. The pawn moves one square straight forward, or two from its starting square, captures one square diagonally forward, and is exchanged for a queen, rook, bishop or knight on the far rank.
It sits close to Queen. The queen moves any number of squares along a rank, file or diagonal, provided the path is clear, which makes her the most powerful piece on the board.
Once "Chess pieces" is familiar, the next question is what to work on at your rating, which the improvement plans by rating band answer with game and puzzle data.
Related terms
Piece value is the rough points scale players use to compare material: a pawn counts one, a knight and a bishop three each, a rook five and a queen nine.
The pawn moves one square straight forward, or two from its starting square, captures one square diagonally forward, and is exchanged for a queen, rook, bishop or knight on the far rank.
The knight moves to one of the nearest squares that is not on its own rank, file or diagonal, an L-shaped jump, and it is the only piece that can leap over other pieces.
The bishop moves any number of squares along a diagonal, as long as no piece stands in the way, so each bishop stays on one color of square for the entire game.
The rook moves any number of squares along its rank or file, provided the path is clear, and it takes part in castling alongside the king.
The queen moves any number of squares along a rank, file or diagonal, provided the path is clear, which makes her the most powerful piece on the board.
The king moves one square in any direction or castles, may never be left in check or moved into check, and is never captured, because the game ends when it is checkmated.
Guides that go further
What to decide first, the questions to ask, what a first lesson should show and the red flags to avoid.
How much does chess coaching cost?
Published rates for private, group and subscription chess coaching, with the source and the date of each.
A game review, a read on your level and a written study plan from George Li.
Sources
- FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023), Article 2.2, read Oct 21, 2026.
- FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023), Appendix C.1 to C.4, read Oct 21, 2026.
Want to spot this in your own games?
A first lesson starts with your games: George reviews them and builds a study plan around what he finds.