Understanding how we analyze and classify chess moves
“How good was my move compared to what was available?”
Every position in chess has a range of possible moves. Some are excellent, some are okay, some are terrible. We use Stockfish (the world's strongest chess engine) to evaluate positions and compare your move to the best available options.
Stockfish measures positions in centipawns (cp). 100cp equals 1 pawn advantage.
A 50cp loss means different things in different positions:
| Scenario | Before | After | Real Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equal game | 0cp | -50cp | Noticeable |
| Already winning | +500cp | +450cp | Minimal |
| Crushing | +2000cp | +1950cp | Meaningless |
The same 50cp loss has completely different significance depending on the position!
To solve this, we convert centipawns to win probability using a mathematical formula (the same one used by Lichess). This naturally accounts for position context.
| Centipawns | Win Probability |
|---|---|
| 0cp | 50%(Equal chances) |
| +100cp | 59% |
| +200cp | 68% |
| +500cp | 86% |
| +1000cp | 97.5% |
This is why we classify moves based on win probability loss, not raw centipawns.
“We show you the data. You decide what it means.”
Our job is to inform, not judge. Your chess journey is your own.