White vertical bar

Hi

So after years away I thought I would come back to chess

I have been playing against the computer and I think (I hope improving) but I was wondering what the white vertical moving bar is on the left of the board?

On the right hand side next to my last move I can see +1.2 etc. which I think is a notional piece advantage in pawns? ( i.e. theoretically I have a 1.2 pawn advantage based on pieces and position?)

But the white bar has totally different numbers and moves on its own accord, I assume as the computer is analysing?

What does the bar and its number mean?

Thanks!

https://support.chess.com/article/656-what-do-the-computer-evaluation-numbers-mean-like-225

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I understand those numbers but the numbers and position of the white vertical bar are quite different.

There are two analyses involved: (1) the game report which is calculated on chess.com's cloud servers and (2) a move analysis which is calculated on your client device. The two analyses can differ (cloud vs. client) because of differences in platform capabilities and analysis depth. 

https://support.chess.com/article/1275-what-is-analysis-depth-what-does-it-mean

https://support.chess.com/article/1258-what-is-max-analysis-and-how-do-i-use-it

I believe the three (up to five) analysis lines which are displayed when you check the "Show Lines" checkbox are calculated on your client device.

Hello. I still don't understand the explanation about the vertical white bar, as it's only positiv, and they say it can be also negativ, if the position is very bad and favorable towards the opponent.

A positive evaluation (mostly white bar) means white is winning.

A negative evaluation (mostly black bar) means black is winning.

If the bar is all of the same colour it means that one side (the side with the colour of the bar) can force checkmate.

Nope. The bar is called the "evaluation bar" and it evaluates which side has the advantage.

As I said in my previous comment,

A positive evaluation (mostly white bar) means white is winning.

A negative evaluation (mostly black bar) means black is winning.

If the bar is all of the same colour it means that one side (the side with the colour of the bar) can force checkmate.

Imagine a position where White is up 5 queens but Black can back-rank mate. Black would be winning and the eval bar diplay accordingly.

Material advantage isn't the only factor considered by the eval bar.