user11144: The following is...disturbing.
[FEN "bbbbkbbb/bbbbbbbb/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]

Black is about 15*3-38, say 10 units up (as Black will also grab a pawn and exchange on b2 or g2, to say the least). Stockfish evaluation is even more pessimistic.
[FEN "nnnnknnn/nnnnnnnn/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]

Eh...WHAT?!? (Try yourself. I used Lichess Standard.)
You can answer the WHAT?!? by "horizon", and it is kind of true - the nearer the shortlegs come, the more the evaluation goes down. But depth 20 or so should suffice to find out that White is to be trampled over soon.
So I repeat my question, why does the computer underrate the knights so drastically here? (Even if some knights had to be "traded" against pawns, Black is still up materially!)

user3118: I believe the position would be more equal if some of the pawns remained to block the bishops initial reach into white's position. Black has some attacks immediately that cannot all be defended.

Bxb2 winning a rook
Bxg2 winning a rook
Bxf2+ sacrifice, followed by potentially Bh4+ g3 Bxg3+ hxg3+ Bxg3+ and the king is almost mated immediately.


11144: <p>The following is...disturbing.</p>
<pre><code>[FEN &quot;bbbbkbbb/bbbbbbbb/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1&quot;]
</code></pre>
<p>Black is about 15*3-38, say 10 units up (as Black will also grab a pawn and exchange on b2 or g2, to say the least). Stockfish evaluation is even more pessimistic.</p>
<pre><code>[FEN &quot;nnnnknnn/nnnnnnnn/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1&quot;]
</code></pre>
<p>Eh...WHAT?!? (Try yourself. I used Lichess Standard.)</p>
<p>You can answer the WHAT?!? by &quot;horizon&quot;, and it is kind of true - the nearer the shortlegs come, the more the evaluation goes down. But depth 20 or so should suffice to find out that White is to be trampled over soon.</p>
<p>So I repeat my question, why does the computer underrate the knights so drastically here? (Even if some knights had to be &quot;traded&quot; against pawns, Black is still up materially!)</p>
 3118: <p>I believe the position would be more equal if some of the pawns remained to block the bishops initial reach into white's position. Black has some attacks immediately that cannot all be defended.</p>
<ol>
<li>Bxb2 winning a rook</li>
<li>Bxg2 winning a rook</li>
<li>Bxf2+ sacrifice, followed by potentially Bh4+ g3 Bxg3+ hxg3+ Bxg3+ and the king is almost mated immediately.</li>
</ol>
