Answers.Body: <p>There are <em>so</em> many factors that would affect that. Player strength, for one, as weaker players tend to play heavy pieces first (beginners <em>always</em> have to be told not to push their rook pawns and bring their rooks out in front of their pawns).</p>
  
  <p>Next, the opening choice affects it strongly, because that can dictate both castling and pawn structure.</p>
  
  <p>Since <code>O-O-O</code> is rarer than <code>O-O</code>, a good guess for the last piece is the QR, because every other piece has to move before it can. But pawns figure in as well, and given the rarity of queen side fianchettoes I'd guess the b-pawn might even nip the Rook for last moved.</p>
  
  <p>What's the purpose of the question, aside from idle curiosity? Is there a principle you're aiming for?</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2012-10-20T17:43:19.070Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-10-22T18:12:41.883Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2012-10-22T18:12:41.883Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Arlen
Answers.Body: <p>The rook or the queen. Typically</p>
  
  <p>Knights &amp; Bishops should be developed early
  Queen should be out after the minor pieces are out
  The rooks are out last and usually come out via castling. Sometimes, it stays there and attacks from there (e.g. in the Sicilian Yugoslav attack, white players usually castle queenside and push the h-pawn, with the rook staying on h1)</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2014-05-12T12:22:46.290Z
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Answers.LastEditDate: 2020-03-03T16:10:17.303Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: zscoder
Answers.Body: <p>I'd say the queen for the very reason she isn't moved much early on - because she is more susceptible to attack!  </p>
  
  <p>Also, isn't knights before bishops a rule for the opening that holds true under most circumstances?  I say this because that would nearly eliminate the knight from contention, or would in tournaments anyway.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2014-05-14T05:20:29.033Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Paul Burchett
Answers.Body: <p>I think a good approach to this is to see what pieces most likely move first.</p>
  
  <p>Central pawns normally always come out.</p>
  
  <p>The bishops and knights come out early</p>
  
  <p>If you castle early, one of the rooks plus the king will have moved</p>
  
  <p>The other rook is sometimes left stationary unless there is an open file.</p>
  
  <p>The queen normally gets into play.</p>
  
  <p>Since you want to keep the king safeguarded, especially if castled, I would say most players would try to move the pawns in front of the castled king last or leave them on their original squares.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2012-11-01T12:53:13.560Z
Answers.Text: There was a funny game between Tal and Karpov where Tal played e2-e4 at move 101 "for fun". A serious game in a strong tournament. Ended with draw.
Answers.UserDisplayName: AnonymousLurker
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Answers.CreationDate: 2014-05-21T15:31:11.697Z
Answers.Text: well, you answer is incorrect as he is asking about developing pieces. You cannot develop a pawn, you move a pawn.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Kanan Farzali
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Answers.UserDisplayName: xaisoft
Body: <p>Statistically speaking, for white and black, what is the last piece moved from its starting position, and why?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2020-03-03T16:18:20.030Z
Comments.Text: How do you count games, where there is more than one piece that hasn't moved by the end of the game? I would guess that this is a large proportion of all games, where some pawns haven't moved yet.
Comments.UserDisplayName: user1583209
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2012-05-17T15:02:34.577Z
Comments.Text: do you mean the last piece moved in the game when it ends or the last piece moved at any given time?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Andrew
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2012-05-17T15:03:42.580Z
Comments.Text: +1 @Andrew: Last piece moved from its default starting position on the board. For example, all pawns start on the second row, but I would guess that a given pawn is not the last piece moved statistically speaking.
Comments.UserDisplayName: blunders
Tags: <opening><statistics>
Title: What is the last piece to be developed, and why?
ThreadText: # What is the last piece to be developed, and why?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2012-05-17)
  
  Statistically speaking, for white and black, what is the last piece moved from its starting position, and why?
  
  **Tags:** opening, statistics
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: do you mean the last piece moved in the game when it ends or the last piece moved at any given time?  
  > **username_0**: +1 @username_2: Last piece moved from its default starting position on the board. For example, all pawns start on the second row, but I would guess that a given pawn is not the last piece moved statistically speaking.  
  > **username_1**: How do you count games, where there is more than one piece that hasn't moved by the end of the game? I would guess that this is a large proportion of all games, where some pawns haven't moved yet.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 4 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2012-05-17. Score: 6 | Accepted answer
  
  I think a good approach to this is to see what pieces most likely move first.
  
  Central pawns normally always come out.
  
  The bishops and knights come out early
  
  If you castle early, one of the rooks plus the king will have moved
  
  The other rook is sometimes left stationary unless there is an open file.
  
  The queen normally gets into play.
  
  Since you want to keep the king safeguarded, especially if castled, I would say most players would try to move the pawns in front of the castled king last or leave them on their original squares.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_7**: There was a funny game between Tal and Karpov where Tal played e2-e4 at move 101 "for fun". A serious game in a strong tournament. Ended with draw.  
  > **username_8**: well, you answer is incorrect as he is asking about developing pieces. You cannot develop a pawn, you move a pawn.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2012-10-20. Score: 4
  
  There are *so* many factors that would affect that. Player strength, for one, as weaker players tend to play heavy pieces first (beginners *always* have to be told not to push their rook pawns and bring their rooks out in front of their pawns).
  
  Next, the opening choice affects it strongly, because that can dictate both castling and pawn structure.
  
  Since `O-O-O` is rarer than `O-O`, a good guess for the last piece is the QR, because every other piece has to move before it can. But pawns figure in as well, and given the rarity of queen side fianchettoes I'd guess the b-pawn might even nip the Rook for last moved.
  
  What's the purpose of the question, aside from idle curiosity? Is there a principle you're aiming for?
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2014-05-12. Score: 2
  
  The rook or the queen. Typically
  
  Knights & Bishops should be developed early
  Queen should be out after the minor pieces are out
  The rooks are out last and usually come out via castling. Sometimes, it stays there and attacks from there (e.g. in the Sicilian Yugoslav attack, white players usually castle queenside and push the h-pawn, with the rook staying on h1)
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2014-05-14. Score: 1
  
  I'd say the queen for the very reason she isn't moved much early on - because she is more susceptible to attack!
  
  Also, isn't knights before bishops a rule for the opening that holds true under most circumstances? I say this because that would nearly eliminate the knight from contention, or would in tournaments anyway.
  
  
  ---
  
  