Quick answer
Chess notation names every square with a letter (a–h) and a number (1–8). A move is written as the piece letter plus the square: K king, Q queen, R rook, B bishop, N knight, and no letter for pawns. x means a capture, + check, # checkmate and O-O castling.
Every square has a name
Files (columns) are lettered a to h from White's left to right. Ranks (rows) are numbered 1 to 8 from White's side. So the square in White's bottom-left corner is a1, and the black king starts on e8.
Piece letters
- K
- King
- Q
- Queen
- R
- Rook
- B
- Bishop
- N
- Knight (K is taken by the king)
- (none)
- Pawn: only the square is written, like e4
Symbols you'll see
- x = capture. Nxe5 means "knight takes on e5." For pawns, the starting file is added: exd5.
- + = check. # = checkmate.
- O-O = castling kingside. O-O-O = castling queenside.
- =Q = promotion, as in e8=Q.
- Nbd7: when two pieces could go to the same square, the starting file (or rank) is added.
- ! good move, !! brilliant, ? mistake, ?? blunder.
Try it: a short game in notation
How to stop Scholar's Mate as Black: after 3.Bc4, play 3...g6 or 3...Qe7 to defend f7, or 2...Nc6 then 3...g6 to chase the queen.
Frequently asked questions
What does 1.e4 e5 mean?
Move number 1: White plays a pawn to e4, and Black answers with a pawn to e5.
Why is the knight N and not K?
K is already used for the king, so the knight gets N.
What is PGN?
PGN (Portable Game Notation) is the standard file format for saving chess games. It uses the same algebraic notation.