Back to Encyclopedia
TechnicalLast Updated: 2026-07-18
Centipawn
"An engine evaluation unit equal to one hundredth of a pawn."
In-Depth Explanation
A score of +100 centipawns is roughly a one-pawn advantage for White, although modern engines map internal winning chances into displayed values. Centipawn differences are context dependent: +1 in a quiet endgame may be decisive, while +1 in a wild attack may be hard to convert.
Recommended Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What does centipawn mean in chess?
An engine evaluation unit equal to one hundredth of a pawn.
How can I practice centipawn?
Use a real game in the Plychess analysis tools and identify where centipawn affected the position or result.
Want to master your chess openings?
Join thousands of players who use our cloud repertoire lab to store and train their secret weapons.
Get Started with Repertoire Master (PRO)