ChessmateGet the appAlgebraic notation
Algebraic notation records chess moves with piece letters, square names, and symbols for captures, checks, and special moves.
Modern game scores normally use Standard Algebraic Notation. Pawns have no piece letter, while K, Q, R, B, and N identify the other pieces.
Squares and piece letters
The file-and-rank system gives every square a fixed name. Files run from a to h, and ranks run from 1 to 8 when the board is viewed from White's side. A move combines that coordinate with the piece that arrived there.
Pieces use the English initials below in PGN. The knight uses N because K is already assigned to the king. A pawn has no piece letter, so e4 simply means that a pawn moved to e4.
| Piece | Letter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| King | K | Ke2 |
| Queen | Q | Qh5 |
| Rook | R | Re1 |
| Bishop | B | Bc4 |
| Knight | N | Nf3 |
| Pawn | No letter | e4 |
How a move is written
A normal move starts with the piece letter and ends with the destination square. Pawn moves omit the first part. Captures, check, and checkmate add symbols only when they apply.
e4- A pawn moves to e4.
Nf3- A knight moves to f3.
Bc4- A bishop moves to c4.
Rae1- The rook on the a-file moves to e1.
Captures, check, and checkmate
The letter x marks a capture. A pawn capture includes the pawn's starting file, which is why exd5 can be read as 'the e-pawn captures on d5.' A plus sign marks check, and a hash marks checkmate.
Nxe5- A knight captures the piece on e5.
exd5- The e-pawn captures on d5.
Bxf7+- A bishop captures on f7 and gives check.
Qh7#- The queen moves to h7 and checkmates.
When two identical pieces can move
A destination square is not always enough to identify the moving piece. When two identical pieces can legally reach the same square, SAN adds the starting file, the starting rank if the file is still ambiguous, or the full starting square when both are needed.
Only legal moves count. A pinned piece that cannot legally move does not create an ambiguity just because it could reach the square geometrically.
Move either knight to f3. The notation will identify the knight you chose.
Move either knight to f3. The notation will identify the knight you chose.
Nef3- The knight on the e-file moves to f3.
R1e2- The rook on the first rank moves to e2.
Nc3e2- The knight on c3 moves to e2 when file and rank are both required.
Castling, promotion, and en passant
Special moves have their own notation. PGN writes castling with the capital letter O, promotion with an equals sign and the new piece, and an en passant capture like any other pawn capture.
You may also see 0-0, 0-0-0, d8Q, or an e.p. suffix on handwritten scoresheets. Those forms appear in FIDE's notation appendix, while exported PGN uses O-O, O-O-O, d8=Q, and no such suffix.
O-O- Kingside castling.
O-O-O- Queenside castling.
e8=Q- The e-pawn reaches e8 and promotes to a queen.
exf8=N+- The e-pawn captures on f8, promotes to a knight, and gives check.
exd6- An en passant capture by the e-pawn can be written this way in PGN.
Move numbers and game results
A move number covers one move by White and one by Black. When a line begins with Black's move, three periods show that White's move has been omitted. A completed PGN movetext ends with the result.
1. e4 e5- White plays e4, then Black plays e5.
1... e5- The excerpt begins with Black's first move.
1-0- White won.
0-1- Black won.
1/2-1/2- The game was drawn.
*- The result is unknown or the game is still in progress.
Reading a complete line
The first line below records the opening moves of a Ruy Lopez. It includes pawn moves, knight and bishop moves, and kingside castling. The second is a complete two-move game that ends in checkmate.
Starting position · Position 0/10