Chess notation explained
Make a move on the board and see it written in chess notation, with a plain-words explanation. Then test yourself on the square names.
Name that square
You have 30 seconds. Tap the square that matches the name. Ranks are numbered 1 to 8 from White's side, files are lettered a to h.
How to read a move
Every square has a name: a letter for the file, from a on the left to h on the right, and a number for the rank, from 1 at White's side to 8 at Black's. The bottom-left square for White is a1.
Examples
- e4: a pawn moves to e4.
- Nf3: a knight moves to f3. (The knight is N because K is the king.)
- Bxc6: a bishop captures on c6. The x means a capture.
- exd5: the pawn on the e-file captures on d5.
- O-O: castling kingside. O-O-O is queenside.
- e8=Q: a pawn reaches e8 and is promoted to a queen.
- Qh5+: the queen moves to h5 and gives check. Qxf7# is checkmate.
- Nbd2: when two knights could reach d2, the letter after N says which one started on the b-file.
Moves in a game
Moves are numbered, with White's move first and Black's move after it: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6. The board above writes each move for you as you play.
Cats vs Dogs Chess: 3d chess with cats and dogs
Play a full game against the computer, then look back at the moves you played.
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Questions
What is algebraic notation in chess?
The standard way to write moves. Each square has a name from its file (a to h) and rank (1 to 8), and a move is written with a letter for the piece and the square it goes to, such as Nf3.
What do the symbols + and # mean?
A plus sign means check. A hash sign means checkmate.
How do you write a capture?
With an x between the piece and the square: Bxe5 means a bishop captures on e5. A pawn capture starts with the pawn's file: exd5.
How do you write castling?
O-O for kingside castling and O-O-O for queenside.
What does e8=Q mean?
A pawn moves to e8 and is promoted to a queen.