Algebraic Notation Tutorial



1.
[{B:64 WHITE}{T:0}{D:17000}
There are a number of methods Chess Players use to write down the moves of their games. The most widely used method is called Algebraic Notation.

To describe a move in algebraic notation, start by writing down the letter of the piece that is moving. {P:WKd7}{N1:e7}{T:e7K}K is for King; {D:3400}{P:WQd6}{H:e6}{T:e6Q}Q is for Queen; {D:3000}{P:WRd5}{H:e5}{T:e5R}R is for Rook; {D:2400}{P:WBd4}{H:e4}{T:e4B}B is for Bishop; and {D:3250}{P:WNd3}{H:e3}{T:e3N}N, not K, is for Knight. Remember, K is already being used by the King. {D:8800}{P:WPd2}{H:e2}If a Pawn is moving, don't write down anything.{D:3500}{T:0}{C}{W:ANL_001}]

2.
[{T:0}{B:64 WHITE}{D:1500}{N1:a1a2a3a4a5a6a7a8}{D:50}{N1:b1b2b3b4b5b6b7b8}{D:50}{N1:c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8}{D:50}{N1:d1d2d3d4d5d6d7d8}{D:50}{N1:e1e2e3e4e5e6e7e8}{D:50}{N1:f1f2f3f4f5f6f7f8}{D:50}{N1:g1g2g3g4g5g6g7g8}{D:50}{N1:h1h2h3h4h5h6h7h8}{D:50}{C}{D:1550}{N1:a1b1c1d1e1f1g1h1}{D:50}{N1:a2b2c2d2e2f2g2h2}{D:50}{N1:a3b3c3d3e3f3g3h3}{D:50}{N1:a4b4c4d4e4f4g4h4}{D:50}{N1:a5b5c5d5e5f5g5h5}{D:50}{N1:a6b6c6d6e6f6g6h6}{D:50}{N1:a7b7c7d7e7f7g7h7}{D:50}{N1:a8b8c8d8e8f8g8h8}{D:50}{C}Next, write down the file (a-h) and rank (1-8) of that piece's destination square. Here's how you'd write the notation on the first few moves of a real game:
{W:ANL_002}]

3.
[{B:rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/32/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR WHITE}{T:0}White begins by moving his Pawn to e4{D:1600}{S:e2e4}. {D:7500}{N:h4}{T:h4e4}Since you don't use any piece names for Pawns, you write only the destination square: e4.

{D:2500}{T:0}Black responds by moving his Pawn to e5{D:600}{S:e7e5}. {D:4000}{T:h4e5}This is written: e5.

{D:3000}{T:0}Next, White moves his Knight to f3{D:500}{S:g1f3}. {D:2800}{T:h4Nf3}You write: Nf3.

{D:2900}{T:0}Black moves his Knight to c6{D:2000}{S:b8c6}. {D:3000}{T:h4Nc6}So you write: Nc6.

{D:3000}{T:0}White attacks by moving his Bishop to b5{D:2000}{S:f1b5}. {D:3200}{T:h4Bb5}And you write: Bb5.

{D:3000}{T:0}Black brings out his f Pawn to f5{D:1700}{S:f7f5}. {D:2500}{T:h4f5}You write: f5.{D:3000}{T:0}{C}{W:ANL_003}]

4.
[{T:0}{C}{B:r1bqkbnr/pppp2pp/2n5/1B2pp2/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R}{D:5700}Algebraic Notation uses the letter "x" to indicate a capture. So, when the White Bishop takes Black's Knight on c6{S:b5c6}{D:3600}{N1:h4}{T:h4Bxc6} you write: Bxc6.

{D:3500}{T:0}When a Pawn makes a capture, you write down the file on which it starts. So when Black's f-Pawn captures White's e-Pawn, you write{D:5700}{S:f5e4}{D:3700}{T:h4fxe4}: fxe4.

{D:3300}{T:0}White moves his Pawn to d3{D:900}{S:d2d3}{D:1800}{T:h4d3}: d3.

{D:3200}{T:0}And Black responds by Checking with his Bishop{S:f8b4}. When a move places the other side in check, put a "+" at the end of the move. So this move would be written {D:11700}{T:h4Bb4+}Bb4+.{W:ANL_004}{D:1000}{T:0}{C}]

5.
[{T:0}{C}{B:r1bqk1nr/pppp2pp/2B5/4p3/1b2p3/3P1N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R}{D:7200}Sometimes, identical pieces can move to the same square. For example, White can remove the threat to his King by moving either of his {A:Wb1d2}{A:Wf3d2}{D:2000}{R}Knights to d2. Here's how you define which piece is moving: 

If both pieces start on the same File, put the starting Rank (1-8) right after the name of the piece. Otherwise, put the starting file (a-h) right after the name of the piece. In this case, the two White Knights are on different files, so if you are moving the Knight on f3{D:28200}{S:f3d2} you would write: {T:h4Nfd2}{N1:h4}Nfd2.{D:3000}{T:0}{C}{W:ANL_005}]

6.
[{T:0}{C}{B:r3k3/1pp4P/N4n2/2b1p3/2B2N2/3PP3/1P3PP1/R2QK2R WHITE}
{N:h4}Castling Kingside{D:500}{A:We1h1}{D:1000}{R}{S:h1f1}{S:e1g1}{D:500} is written{T:h4O-O}: O-O.
{D:2500}
{T:0}Castling Queenside{A:Be8a8}{D:1000}{R}{S:e8c8}{S:a8d8}{D:500} is written{T:h4O-O-O}: O-O-O.{W:ANL_006}{D:1000}{T:0}{C}]

7.
[{T:0}{C}{B:2kr4/1pp4P/N4n2/2b1p3/2B2N2/3PP3/1P3PP1/R2Q1RK1}When a {D:500}{A:Wh7h8}{D:2000}{R}Pawn promotes to another piece {S:h7h8}{D:300}{X:h8}{P:WQh8}you write: {T:h4h8Q}{N1:h4}h8Q. The Q indicates that, in this case, the Pawn is promoting to a Queen.{W:ANL_007}{D:1000}{T:0}{C}]

8.
[{T:0}{C}{B:2kr3Q/1pp2n2/N5n1/2b1p3/2B2N2/3PP3/1P3PP1/R2Q1RK1}{D:7000}When a move causes Checkmate you write a "++" after the move, so if White moves his Bishop to e6{S:c4e6}, you write: {D:2900}{T:h4Be6++}{N1:h4}Be6++.{W:ANL_008}{D:1000}{T:0}{C}]

9.
[{T:0}{C}{D:4600}{T:h4!}{N1:h4}{D:6700}{T:h4?}{D:4500}{T:0}{C}Sometimes a Chess Player will include commentary in his notation. If you see an exclamation point (!) after a move it means that the move is considered to be a good one. A question mark (?) after a move means that the move is a questionable one.{W:ANL_009}]

10.
[{B:rnbkqbnr/pppppppp/32/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR}{T:0}
{E:Watch the move, and then type in the correct algebraic notation.{W:NOT_001}{A:We2e4}{D:1000}{S:e2e4};
e4;Correct.{W:cor};
That's not the correct notation.{W:NOT_004}}]

11.
[{B:1k4nr/ppp4p/q7/2p2p2/1B2PP2/6P1/PP2N1R1/3Q2K1}
{E:Type in the correct algebraic notation for the following move.{W:NOT_002}{A:Wd1d8}{D:1000}{S:d1d8};
Qd8++;Correct.{W:cor};
That's not the correct notation.{W:NOT_004}}]

12.
[{B:r1b1k1nr/pppq1ppp/n7/4p3/1b2P3/1N1B1P1N/PPPB2PP/R2QK2R}
{E:Type in the correct algebraic notation for this move.{W:NOT_003}{A:We1h1}{A:Wh1e1}{D:1000}{S:e1g1}{S:h1f1};
O-O;Correct.{W:cor};
That's not the correct notation.{W:NOT_004}}]

13.
[{B:64}{F:B}{B:rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/3p1n2/4p3/3PP3/3B1N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R BLACK}
{E:Type in the correct algebraic notation for this move.{W:NOT_003}{A:Wc8g4}{D:1000}{S:c8g4};
Bg4;Correct.{W:cor};
That's not the correct notation.{W:NOT_004}}]

14.
[{B:r1bqkbnr/pppn1ppp/3p4/4P3/4P3/2P5/PP3PPP/RNBQKBNR BLACK}
{E:Type in the correct algebraic notation for the following move.{W:NOT_002}{A:Wd7e5}{D:1000}{S:d7e5};
Nxe5;Correct.{W:cor};
That's not the correct notation.{W:NOT_004}}]

15.
[{B:64}{F:W}{B:r1bqk1nr/2pn1ppp/8/p2pp3/1bP1P3/3P1N2/PB3PPP/RN1QKB1R}
{E:Type in the correct algebraic notation for this move.{W:NOT_003}{A:Wb1d2}{D:1000}{S:b1d2};
Nbd2;Correct.{W:cor};
That's not the correct notation.{W:NOT_004}}]

16.
[{B:3rn3/1qp2p1P/3k4/p2Pp3/2P5/3Q1N2/P4P2/5RK1}
{E:Watch the move, and then type in the correct algebraic notation.{W:NOT_001}{A:Wh7h8}{D:1000}{S:h7h8}{X:h8}{P:WQh8};
h8Q;Correct.{W:cor};
That's not the correct notation.{W:NOT_004}}]

17.
[{B:r2qk3/2p1bp1r/p1n3pp/1p1p1bn1/1P1P4/N1B1Q1PN/P1P2PBP/2KR3R}
{E:Type in the correct algebraic notation for the following move.{W:NOT_002}{A:Wf5h3}{D:1000}{S:f5h3};
Bxh3;Correct.{W:cor};
That's not the correct notation.{W:NOT_004}}]

18.
[{B:1Q6/p2k4/4p1p1/1N2pq1r/2R4P/2P3P1/8/2K5}
{E:Type in the correct algebraic notation for this move.{W:NOT_003}{A:Wc4c7}{D:1000}{S:c4c7};
Rc7++;Correct.{W:cor};
That's not the correct notation.{W:NOT_004}}]

19.
[{B:64}{F:B}{B:r3k1nr/pp1q1ppp/n2b4/2p1pb2/1P6/2PB1P1N/P2B2PP/RN1Q1RK1 BLACK}
{E:Watch the move, and then type in the correct algebraic notation.{W:NOT_001}{A:Wa8e8}{D:1000}{S:e8c8}{S:a8d8};
O-O-O;Correct.{W:cor};
That's not the correct notation.{W:NOT_004}}]