From: Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> COMCAST <dot> NET>
Date: 15 nov 2002
Subject: Re: The value of pieces to Shogi

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chiaki Ito" <shogi <at> MAIL <dot> COM>
To: <SHOGI-L <at> TECHUNIX <dot> TECHNION <dot> AC <dot> IL>
Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2002 11:33 PM
Subject: Re: The value of pieces to Shogi


> If you talk about the value of pieces in Shogi, it is better to introduce
> other factors such as the solidarity of castle and efficiency of pieces.

     This is true, especially the "efficiency of pieces".  However, if we
are speaking about pieces in hand, then the table of values is pretty
accurate, because pieces in hand are always efficient.  On the board, their
value varies dramatically.

> After all, you need to know the value of pieces because you want to make a
> judgment on the situation.  In some cases in Shogi, it is better to have
> nothing there than to have a piece, a knight with its head unprotected for
> instance, because it is so vulnerable sitting there just to be exchanged
for
> a less valued piece like a pawn.  This, I found, is not true in Chess.
>
> Chiaki
>
     Yes, often in shogi a piece on the board will have a negative value,
because it is useless but may become part of the enemy's army.  In chess a
piece will only very rarely have negative value, when it blocks another
piece and cannot move out of the way.
     But whenever a capture occurs, the captured piece ends up in hand, so
the table of values is still quite useful for evaluating exchanges.  But
remember that a poorly placed piece is worth much less than its normal
value, and may even have a negative value.

     Larry