In a standard game of chess, there are 32 pieces in total : 16 for each player.

Each side has:

  • 1 king
  • 1 queen
  • 2 rooks
  • 2 bishops
  • 2 knights
  • 8 pawns

So if you’re wondering “how many pieces in chess?”, the answer is: 32 pieces on the board at the start of a normal game.