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Descriptive Notation

by S. Evan Kreider

When notating moves, descriptive notation observes the following conventions:

1) Pieces are identified by the following letters: K = king, Q = queen, B = bishop, N = knight (not K, which would be ambiguous with the K for king), R = rook, P = pawn. (N.B.: Some books use "Kt" instead of "N" for the knight.)

2) The piece letter is followed by a dash and then the alpha-numeric coordinate of the square to which the piece is being moved.

2a) The letter component of the alpha-numeric coordinate is determined the file of the destination square, identified by the piece which sits on the back rank of that file at the beginning of the game. Thus, the files are labeled (left to right from the White player's perspective; right to left from the Black player's perspective) R, N, B, Q, K, B, N, R. When necessary to prevent ambiguity, the files receive an additional letter to distinguish between the Queenside and Kingside: QR, QN, QB, Q, K, KB, KN, KR.

2b) The numeral component of the alpha-numeric coordinate is determined the rank of the destination square, identified by the number of the rank from the perspective of the player making the move. Thus, the ranks are labeled (nearest to furthest, from either player's perspective) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. (N.B.: this means that the very same square will receive a different label depending on which player is moving. E.g., the square labeled "e4" (under algebraic notation) is "K4" (under descriptive notation) for White and "K5" for Black.)

2c) To clarify this, consider the same sequence of moves, the left in algebraic and the right in descriptive:

1. e4  e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6
   etc.
1. P-K4   P-K4
2. N-KB3  N-QB3
3. B-N5   P-QR3
4. B-R4   N-B3
   etc.

3) Captures are indicated by the letter of the piece capturing, an "x," and then the letter of the piece being captured. For example, "N x B" means "Knight captures Bishop." As per 2a above, additional letters can be used if necessary to avoid ambiguity.  E.g., "N(KB3) x B" means "Knight (the one currently on King's Bishop Three) captures Bishop."

4) En passant captures are indicated by "e.p." or "en passant" after the move. For example, "P x P e.p." means "Pawn captures pawn en passant."

5) Castling is indicated by "Castles," also indicating "KR" or "QR" if necessary to distinguish between Kingside and Queenside castling.

6) Check is indicated by "ch" after the move; double check is indicated by "dbl ch" after the move; checkmate is indicated by "Mate" after the move.

7) Pawn promotion is indicated by the pawn move followed by the letter of the piece to which the pawn is being promoted is parentheses. E.g., "P-K8 (Q)" means "Pawn moves to King-eight and promotes to a Queen."

[There are also a variety of annotation symbols which may be used in conjunction with any form of notation. Click here for more information.]

Copyright 2002 S. Evan Kreider.  Used with permission.

 

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