Algebraic
Notation
Chess
Club members will receive extra bonus points for each game they successfully
record. They may bring their own notation notebook, or, if they prefer,
they may obtain a Lee Chess Club notation book if they are willing to
make a commitment to learning and notating the majority of their games
(ask a co-chair for more information about this).
Notation
Symbols
K=King Q=Queen R=Rook B=Bishop N=kNight
(Pawns are identified by the file they occupy and the rank they are
moving to.)
x capture (for example, cxd5 means the pawn on c4 captures the piece
on d5)
+check
++ checkmate
O-O castles short (King's side) (Often shortened to OO.)
O-O-O castles long (Queen's side) (Often shortened to OOO.)
=Q pawn promotes to Queen (may also be =R, =B, or =N)
The following short-hand notations are frequently used to comment
on moves:
! an excellent move
? a blunder
!? an interesting move that may not be best
?! a dubious move, but not easily refuted
1-0 white won
0-1 black won
.5-.5 draw
 Notation
Overview
Each file (column) of the chess board is labeled with a letter. Each
rank (row) is labeled with a number. Each square is named according
to its rank and file (for example: b4, d5, or h3) If your board does
not show letters and numbers just remember that "a1" is the
dark square in white's lower-left-hand corner.
There are various forms of chess notation. The most common today (required
for most tournament play) is known as "algebraic notation."
While writing algebraic notation, each player keeps a complete record
of both player's moves. Each line on notation includes two moves: first
white, then black's response.
The essential thing to remember about all chess notation is that it
should identify which piece is being moved, where it's moving to, and
whether anything special happened as a result of the move (such as a
capture or a pawn promotion).
Initially, students may find a "longhand" form of notation
to be less confusing than the popular shorthand notation described below.
"Long" notation fully names each piece, its starting square,
and its landing square. So, for example, if White moved a Bishop from
its starting square on the Kingside to the 6th rank above his Queenside
Rook, he would record the move:
Bf1-a6
If Black responded by moving her King's pawn out two squares, both
moves would be recorded on a single line like this:
Bf1-a6 e7-e5
The same two moves could be recorded with short notation this way:
Ba6 e5
When using short notation, the piece to move is identified at the
same time its new location is identified. It's only necessary to identify
the original location of the piece when two pieces with the same name
could possibly wind up on the same square. For example, if both White's
Rooks are the only pieces occupying the first rank, either one may be
able to move to the d1 square. If so, you would need to give more information:
Rad1
In other words, the a-file Rook is the one moving to the d1 square.
Sometimes it's necessary to identify the rank of the piece's original
position, rather than the file. For example if Black had one of her
Nights on b6 and the other Night on b4, either piece could move to d5.
So the shorthand move would be recorded:
N6d5 or N4d5
A
Short Sample Game
 (Follow
along by moving the pieces on your own chess board.)
1. d4 Nf6
(When only a square is stated (like d4 in this first move), a pawn
is assumed to be the piece moved to that square.)
2. c4 g6
3. Nc3 Bg7
4. e4 d6
5. Nf3 O-O
6. Bd3 Bg4
7. h3 Bxf3
8. gxf3 c5
9. d5 Nbd7
10. f4 e6
11. dxe6 fxe6
12. Be3 a6
13. Qf3 d5
14. e5
 (The
board position after White's 14th move is shown at right.)
14... Nxe5
(A speculative effort to open the center of the board while White
is uncastled.)
15. fxe5 Ne4
16. Qg4 Qb6
17. Na4?
(A serious blunder. White should castle long.)
17... Qb4+
18. Ke2 Rxf2+
19. Bxf2 Qd2+ {White resigns} 0-1
20... Qxf2 is mate next.
 (The
final board position is shown at right. White will be mated next.
Why
Notation?
Nearly all good chess players record all the moves of all their serious
games. They record the moves in order to reconstruct the game at a later
date for analysis or to resolve a dispute. You too should begin recording
the moves of your serious games. Your game record is the most important
tool you can use to improve your playing skill.
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