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Ideal Values and Practical Values (part 3). More on the value of Chess pieces.[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]
John Lawson wrote on Thu, Jul 10, 2003 07:21 PM UTC:
Without doing lots of arithmetic, I'll just comment that enormously
powerful pieces like the Amazon are actually less valuable than their
overall mobility would indicate due to the levelling effect.  I quote
Ralph from Part 4:

'...what's more, if one minor piece is a bit more valuable than another,
some of the surplus value is taken away by the 'levelling effect' -- if
the weaker piece attacks the stronger one, even if it is defended the
target feels uncomfortable and wishes to flee; but if the stronger piece
attacks the defended weaker piece, the target simply sneers.'

While Ralph refers here to minor pieces, it seems to me to be a generally
applicable concept.  Isn't that why we don't develop a Queen too
quickly, so it's not chased all over the board by less valuable pieces?