Pawn-count-advantage annotation symbol

In the Chess Informant system of international signs, > means an advantage in the number of pawns. It compresses a purely numerical comparison: one side has more pawns remaining than the other. The surrounding annotation must identify which side has the advantage and, when relevant, the size of the difference.

Having more pawns is one part of the material balance, meaning the comparison of pieces and pawns still on the board. It does not automatically mean that side is better. The opponent may have activity, a threat, a more effective piece, or material compensation, meaning chess benefits received in return for material that was given up.

The character is the ordinary greater-than sign also used in mathematics and programming. It has this chess meaning only inside a symbol key, game annotation, or application that follows the convention.