minor piece

noun

Chess.

1. a bishop or knight.

Word History and Origins

Origin of minor piece¹

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

He was traded to the New York Yankees the following spring as a minor piece in a Josh Donaldson/Gary Sánchez deal, but spent most of that year injured.

From Los Angeles Times

Ne3 — White only gets a rook and minor piece for the queen, but his rook on d8 locks up Black’s queenside and allows the kingside mating attack to proceed.

From Washington Times

Rae8 — Black only has a rook and minor piece for the queen, but his rook pair and bishop pair lay down a murderous attacking crossfire.

From Washington Times

The Sicilian savant has to be familiar with a string of thematic sacrifices on squares all over the chessboard, and here Vaishali pulls off the classic minor piece sac on e6 to fuel a winning attack.

From Washington Times

His win over veteran Armenian GM Gabriel Sargissian from last year’s 44th Olympiad, held in Chennai, channels Pragg-Topalov in striking ways: a kingside assault and a timely minor piece sacrifice result in White getting a queen for a rook and minor piece and a winning edge.

From Washington Times