Chess 101- The Relative Value of the Pieces

A knight is worth more than three pawns, a bishop is worth more than a knight, but practically these armor pieces are regarded as being of equal value. A rook is worth a minor piece and two pawns. If a player gains a rook for a minor piece, he is said to win the exchange. Two rooks are about equal to three minor pieces. A queen's value slightly exceeds two rooks.

In chess, a player is not compelled, as at checkers, to take any piece offered to him, but may refuse if he thinks proper. When any piece is captured, it is removed from the board, and the capturing piece is placed in the same square

When the king is exposed to the attack of any of the adversary's pieces or pawns, he is said to be in check, and if he is unable to avoid the attack by taking out the attacking piece, interposing one of his own, or retiring out of check, he is check mated, and his adversary wins the game.

When the pieces and pawns on each side are so diminished, or are so situatated, that neither party can checkmate the other's king, the game is drawn.

When a player has no piece or pawn which he can move, except his king, and his king not being in check is yet so located that he cannot move without going into check, he is stale-mated.