Pieces & Activity
What does material mean in chess?
- Pieces
- Activity
- Coordination
In chess, material refers to a player's pieces and pawns on the board. The player with pieces and pawns of total greater value is said to have a material advantage. Gaining a material advantage is called winning material. See Chess piece relative value.
Material FAQ
What does material mean in chess?
In chess, material refers to a player's pieces and pawns on the board. The player with pieces and pawns of total greater value is said to have a material advantage. Gaining a material advantage is called winning material. See Chess piece relative value.
Train this pattern on your own games
Reading a definition is not the same as spotting the pattern with a clock running. Chessiro's free PGN analysis runs Stockfish 19 over every move you play, names the concept behind each mistake, and turns the positions where it cost you into training puzzles. You can also see the idea in action in the classic games collection, where the greatest players in history demonstrate it.
Related terms
Free game review
See where this pattern decides your games
Chessiro reviews your games with an AI coach that names the concept behind every mistake, then drills you on the exact positions where it happened until you stop repeating them.
