How to Use Chess Notation

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Knowing chess notation will help you study great chess games and learn classic moves and strategies.

Step 1: Learn the signs
Learn the symbol for each piece. Each major piece is indicated by a capital letter. There is no symbol for pawns.

Step 2: Learn the symbols for squares
Learn the symbol for each square. The rows are numbered one to eight from white's perspective. The columns are indicated by lowercase letters, a through h.

Step 3: Learn the symbols for moves
Learn the symbols for moves, which are the symbol for the piece followed by the symbol for the square it moves to.

Tip
Pawn moves are indicated by the square they move to.

Step 4: Record pieces that can move to the same square
If two pieces in different columns can move to the same square, use the column letter of the starting square after the piece symbol. If they're in the same column, use the row number instead.

Step 5: Signal a capture
Use a lowercase x to signal a capture. First record the piece making the capture, then add the x and the square the piece moves to.

Tip
Indicate a good move by adding an exclamation point and a bad move by adding a question mark.

Step 6: Record castling
Record castling. Kingside is indicated by O-O. For queenside, add another -O.

Step 7: Show promotions
Show promotions by adding an equals sign and the symbol for the new piece.

Step 8: List turns together
Record each turn on a single line, with white's move first, then a space, followed by black's move. Indicate check with a plus sign and checkmate with a hash sign.

Did You Know?
"Deep Blue," an IBM supercomputer, was the first computer to beat a human chess master when it defeated Garry Kasparov in 1997.