Exeter Chess Club: Algebraic and descriptive notations

[There is a more detailed explanation of notation and more of the symbols available.]

  Here is the board, labelled using both systems of notation (text-only browsers: see below for pre-formatted version!)

Algebraic
Descriptive (from Black's side)
Descriptive (from White's side)

 

a8
QR1
QR8		 b8
QN1
QN8		 c8
QB1
QB8		 d8
Q1
Q8		 e8
K1
K8		 f8
KB1
KB8		 g8
KN1
KN8		 h8
KR1
KR8
a7
QR2
QR7		 b7
QN2
QN7		 c7
QB2
QB7		 d7
Q2
Q7		 e7
K2
K7		 f7
KB2
KB7		 g7
KN2
KN7		 h7
KR2
KR7
a6
QR3
QR6		 b6
QN3
QN6		 c6
QB3
QB6		 d6
Q3
Q6		 e6
K3
K6		 f6
KB3
KB6		 g6
KN3
KN6		 h6
KR3
KR6
a5
QR4
QR5		 b5
QN4
QN5		 c5
QB4
QB5		 d5
Q4
Q5		 e5
K4
K5		 f5
KB4
KB5		 g5
KN4
KN5		 h5
KR4
KR5
a4
QR5
QR4		 b4
QN5
QN4		 c4
QB5
QB4		 d4
Q5
Q4		 e4
K5
K4		 f4
KB5
KB4		 g4
KN5
KN4		 h4
KR5
KR4
a3
QR6
QR3		 b3
QN6
QN3		 c3
QB6
QB3		 d3
Q6
Q3		 e3
K6
K3		 f3
KB6
KB3		 g3
KN6
KN3		 h3
KR6
KR3
a2
QR7
QR2		 b2
QN7
QN2		 c2
QB7
QB2		 d2
Q7
Q2		 e2
K7
K2		 f2
KB7
KB2		 g2
KN7
KN2		 h2
KR7
KR2
a1
QR8
QR1		 b1
QN8
QN1		 c1
QB8
QB1		 d1
Q8
Q1		 e1
K8
K1		 f1
KB8
KB1		 g1
KN8
KN1		 h1
KR8
KR1
Let's see that again in pre-formatted text: 


8   a8   b8   c8   d8   e8   f8   g8   h8
    QR8  QN8  QB8  Q8   K8   KB8  KN8  KR8
    QR1  QN1  QB1  Q1   K1   KB1  KN1  KR1

7   a7   b7   c7   d7   e7   f7   g7   h7
    QR7  QN7  QB7  Q7   K7   KB7  KN7  KR7
    QR2  QN2  QB2  Q2   K2   KB2  KN2  KR2

6   a6   b6   c6   d6   e6   f6   g6   h6
    QR6  QN6  QB6  Q6   K6   KB6  KN6  KR6
    QR3  QN3  QB3  Q3   K3   KB3  KN3  KR3

5   a5   b5   c5   d5   e5   f5   g5   h5
    QR5  QN5  QB5  Q5   K5   KB5  KN5  KR5
    QR4  QN4  QB4  Q4   K4   KB4  KN4  KR4

4   a4   b4   c4   d4   e4   f4   g4   h4
    QR4  QN4  QB4  Q4   K4   KB4  KN4  KR4
    QR5  QN5  QB5  Q5   K5   KB5  KN5  KR5

3   a3   b3   c3   d3   e3   f3   g3   h3
    QR3  QN3  QB3  Q3   K3   KB3  KN3  KR3
    QR6  QN6  QB6  Q6   K6   KB6  KN6  KR6

2   a2   b2   c2   d2   e2   f2   g2   h2
    QR2  QN2  QB2  Q2   K2   KB2  KN2  KR2
    QR7  QN7  QB7  Q7   K7   KB7  KN7  KR7

1   a1   b1   c1   d1   e1   f1   g1   h1
    QR1  QN1  QB1  Q1   K1   KB1  KN1  KR1
    QR8  QN8  QB8  Q8   K8   KB8  KN8  KR8
These should all represent the same short game:

 

Short Algebraic
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 Nf6?? 5. Nc6+! 1-0
Long Algebraic
1. e2-e4 e7-e5 2. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6 3. Nf3xe5 Nf6xe4 4. Qd1-e2 Ng8-f6?? 5. Ne5-c6+! 1-0
Descriptive
1. P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-KB3 3. NxP NxP 4. Q-K2 N-KB3?? 5. N-B6ch! 1-0

  The +/ch means "check"; the 1-0 means "resigns".

  You may find variations on these, for example, Kt for Knight, : for a capture, and so on. I use standard short algrabraic.

  [Further explanation of Notation]

Symbols: evaluation and comment codes

Evaluations are used very often, the comments usually only in `languageless' publications. Here are the most common:

Evaluations of moves:

  Nf3!! Excellent move
Nf3! Good move
Nf3!? Interesting or tricky move
Nf3? Bad move
Nf3?! Dubious move but not losing
Nf3?? Terrible move

Evaluations of positions:

  +- White has a winning advantage
+/- White has an advantage
+= White has a slight advantage
= Level position
=+ Black has a slight advantage
-/+ Black has an advantage
-+ Black has a winning advantage
& Unclear
&= With compensation for material

  [Further explanation of Symbols]

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This document (descript.html) was last modified on 30 Apr by [cool blue cat]

Dr.Dave