user27089: I am not a native English speaker and I'm learning to play online chess.
I often find a sentence with this pattern.

White is down a rook for a pawn.

What does it mean? Could you elaborate on this sentence and make it much more understandable for me?

user9363: Another aspect of the phrase you provided is how English uses "up" and "down". A player is considered "up" if they have an advantage. Likewise, being "down" mean a player has the worse position or piece count.
Because rooks are generally more valuable than pawns, whichever player still has the rook is in a better position and would be considered "up a rook for a pawn".
Combining these two ideas, "white is down a rook for a pawn" means that white has the worse end of the trade involving a rook and pawn. This means that white has lost a rook and only captured a pawn as compensation.

user25913: It means that white is down a rook, and up a pawn compared to black. So black has one more rook than white, and white has one more pawn than black

27089: <p>I am not a native English speaker and I'm learning to play online chess.
I often find a sentence with this pattern.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>White is down a rook for a pawn.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What does it mean? Could you elaborate on this sentence and make it much more understandable for me?</p>
 9363: <p>Another aspect of the phrase you provided is how English uses &quot;up&quot; and &quot;down&quot;. A player is considered &quot;up&quot; if they have an advantage. Likewise, being &quot;down&quot; mean a player has the worse position or piece count.</p>
<p>Because rooks are generally more valuable than pawns, whichever player still has the rook is in a better position and would be considered &quot;up a rook for a pawn&quot;.</p>
<p>Combining these two ideas, &quot;white is down a rook for a pawn&quot; means that white has the worse end of the trade involving a rook and pawn. This means that white has lost a rook and only captured a pawn as compensation.</p>
 25913: <p>It means that white is down a rook, and up a pawn compared to black. So black has one more rook than white, and white has one more pawn than black</p>
