Knights worth 2.9 ??

[Guest Jase]

I've read in your book that knights are worth 2.9 and bishops 3 points. But I've checked other sources and websites and they all say that a bishop is woth 3 and so is the knight, 3.

Whom should I trust?

[Javier]

Piece value is actually a complex subject which, unfortunately, has always been covered very superficially in modern chess literature.

What you have to understand is that a piece's worth is not set in stone, it's completely dynamic, changing all the time with every single move.

Having said that, I can assure you that, in general, a Knight is a little bit worse that a Bishop and 2.9 is probably quite an accurate measure for its true worth. I understand that most people (even masters!) will say that a knight's worth 3 and so is a bishop, but that's probably because of their upbringing and chess culture, yet they too know that a Bishop is normally worth a little bit more.

 

So, yes, I take the responsibility, a knight's worth 2.9, a bishop's worth 3.

 

Here's what I say in the book:

 

"The value of the chess pieces is "relative". But what exactly do I mean by that?

Well, it depends on the position really... How much is a bottle of water at your local supermarket, 1 or 2 dollars maybe? Ok, but what would happen if you actually needed a bottle of water when you were about to die of thirst in the middle of the dessert, how much would you be willing to pay for it then? See? it's relative... The same thing happens in chess, it depends on the circumstances, each situation is different, each position is different... in some positions a Pawn could be the most valuable piece if you can checkmate your opponent with it, or a single knight might be able to beat a whole army of pieces, or perhaps you'll get a position where it's actually better to promote a Pawn into a Rook rather than a Queen. The possibilities are endless..."