How to Read and Write Algebraic Chess Notation

Algebraic chess notation records a game by naming the piece moved, its destination square, and any important event such as a capture, check, or promotion. Once you can read notation, you can follow books, save games, share analysis, and reconstruct a position without a video.

Learn the board coordinates first

After reviewing the correct board setup, learn the coordinates. Every square has a unique name made from a file letter and rank number:

Files run a through h from White's left to right.
Ranks run 1 through 8 from White's side toward Black.

The square in White's right-hand corner is h1. White's king starts on e1, and Black's king starts on e8. Square names never change when the board is viewed from Black's side.

Piece letters in English notation

Pieces use capital letters:

| Piece | Letter | |---|---| | King | K | | Queen | Q | | Rook | R | | Bishop | B | | Knight | N | | Pawn | no letter |

The knight uses N because K already belongs to the king. Pawns are identified through their destination file or capture origin rather than a piece letter.

How to write a normal move

Write the piece letter followed by the destination square:

Nf3 means a knight moves to f3.
Bb5 means a bishop moves to b5.
Re1 means a rook moves to e1.

For a non-capturing pawn move, write only the destination: e4, d5, or h6.

Notation records the legal move, not the physical path. Nf3 does not say whether the knight came from d2, e1, g1, or h2 unless more information is needed to distinguish it.

How to write a capture

Use x before the destination square:

Bxc6 means a bishop captures the piece on c6.
Qxd5 means a queen captures on d5.
Rxe8 means a rook captures on e8.

For a pawn capture, include the pawn's starting file: exd5 means the e-file pawn captures on d5. gxh8=Q means the g-pawn captures on h8 and promotes to a queen.

The identity of the captured piece is not written in standard algebraic notation. You determine it from the position.

Check, checkmate, and result symbols

Add + when the move gives check and # when it gives checkmate:

Qh5+ — queen to h5, check.
Rxe8# — rook captures on e8, checkmate.

Game results are written:

1-0 — White won.
0-1 — Black won.
1/2-1/2 — draw.
* — game unfinished or result unknown.

The symbol does not create the result. The board position determines whether a move is check or checkmate.

Castling notation

Kingside castling is O-O. Queenside castling is O-O-O. Use capital letter O characters, not the digit zero.

The notation is the same for White and Black. The move number and surrounding position reveal which side castled. See the complete castling rules for legality.

Promotion notation

When a pawn reaches its final rank, add the new piece after the destination:

e8=Q — pawn moves to e8 and becomes a queen.
c1=N+ — pawn promotes to a knight and gives check.
fxg8=R — f-pawn captures on g8 and promotes to a rook.

Promotion is part of the same move. The choice may be a queen, rook, bishop, or knight.

En-passant notation

An en-passant capture is written like an ordinary pawn capture, such as exd6. Some annotations add e.p., but the board position normally makes the special capture clear.

How disambiguation works

If two identical pieces can legally move to the same destination, notation adds the minimum information needed to identify the mover.

Nbd2 — the knight from the b-file moves to d2.
R1e2 — the rook on rank 1 moves to e2.
Qh4e1 — both file and rank are included in the rare case that one alone is insufficient.

Only legal movers count. A pinned knight that cannot move without exposing its king does not create ambiguity.

Move numbers and a complete example

A move pair is written with a number followed by White's move and Black's move:

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6

When a record begins with Black's move, three dots may appear: 12...Nf6.

Comments, variations, clock times, and headers belong to formats such as PGN. The moves themselves still use algebraic notation. Read how PGN files work to understand the complete game container.

A reliable notation workflow

To write a move:

Identify the moving piece.
Determine whether another identical piece can reach the destination legally.
Add x if a capture occurs.
Write the destination square.
Add promotion information if needed.
Rebuild the final position and add + or # only when correct.

To read a move, reverse the process. Use the current position to find the legal origin and apply the move before reading the next token.

Common notation mistakes

Writing K for a knight instead of N.
Naming the captured piece rather than the destination square.
Forgetting the origin file on a pawn capture.
Using zeroes in castling notation.
Adding + because a move attacks the queen rather than the king.
Omitting disambiguation when two legal pieces can reach the same square.
Trying to reconstruct moves without maintaining the current board position.

Practice exercise

Play the first ten moves of a slow game and write them by hand. Then reconstruct the game from your notation on an empty board. Every ambiguity or impossible move reveals exactly which notation rule needs review.

Frequently asked questions

Why are pawn moves written without P?

Standard algebraic notation omits a pawn letter. A normal pawn move uses the destination square, while a capture includes the pawn's origin file.

What is the difference between `+` and `#`?

+ means check with at least one legal defense. # means checkmate: no legal defense exists.

Is algebraic notation the same as PGN?

No. Algebraic notation describes moves. PGN is a text format that organizes those moves with game headers, results, comments, and variations. Browse the beginner chess lessons for more rule explanations.

Rules reference: FIDE Laws of Chess, Appendix C.