Algebraic Chess Notation
Learn Algebraic chess notation
Algebraic Chess Notation is used to keep track of every move in a chess game.
Are you looking for how to record a chess game or to read about a chess game
after the fact. If so, you have come to the right place. Here we will teach you
how to record a chess game so you can record your own game or read other games.
To do this, we first assign a letter to every chess piece (except the pawn) as follows:
King = K
Queen = Q
Knight = N
Bishop = B
Rook = R
Secondly, we assign a name to each of the 64 squares as follows:
Black
| a8
| b8
| c8
| d8
| e8
| f8
| g8
| h8
|
| a7
| b7
| c7
| d7
| e7
| f7
| g7
| h7
|
| a6
| b6
| c6
| d6
| e6
| f6
| g6
| h6
|
| a5
| b5
| c5
| d5
| e5
| f5
| g5
| h5
|
| a4
| b4
| c4
| d4
| e4
| f4
| g4
| h4
|
| a3
| b3
| c3
| d3
| e3
| f3
| g3
| h3
|
| a2
| b2
| c2
| d2
| e2
| f2
| g2
| h2
|
| a1
| b1
| c1
| d1
| e1
| f1
| g1
| h1
|
White
Note that each number assigned to a square is called a Rank, and each letter assigned to a square is called a File. Starting out, Ra
nk 1 and 2 are always white, and Rank 7 and 8 are always black. Furthermore, when writing chess notations, capital letters are piece
s and small letters are Files.
Then, to record a chess move, you write the name of the piece followed by
what square on the board it moved to. For example, if you move the Queen to
h4 on the board, then you would write Qh4. Easy enough, but since there are many different
circumstances, you must keep reading below to fully be able to record a chess game.
Since the Pawn does not have a letter, you simply write the square name it moved to.
For example moving a Pawn to h4, would simply be written as h4.
If two pieces of the same kind can be moved to a square, then you indicate which
square it came from by adding the Rank or File that the piece came from. You add
the Rank or File after the piece name. For example, Kfh4 means that the Knight was
moved to h4 from an f File.
If you kill or capture a piece, then you put an "x" between the piece and the square.
If the Queen captures a piece on h4, then it would be Qxh4.
If you kill or capture a piece with a Pawn, then you put the File it came from, followed by
the square it moved to. For example, gxh4.
If a Pawn is promoted, write the square followed by what piece it was promoted to.
For example, a Pawn going to b8 and becoming a Queen would be b8Q.
If you do a Kingside castle, then the chess notation is O-O.
If you do a Queenside castle, then the chess notation is O-O-O.
If you put someone in check, it is indicated as a plus. For example Qh4+.
If you put someone in check mate, it is indicated with the number sign. For example Qh4#.
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