Chess Variants

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American Chess Equipment

Move Notations

Most Chess players realize the advantages of using the algebraic system instead of the descriptive system to record the moves of a game. However, there are several advantages to using numbers instead of letters to denote the files.

Some of the advantages of using a numerical system to record moves:

• Ascending numbers are toward Black and the Kingside.
  
• Descending numbers are toward White and the Queenside.
  
• It is much easier to visualize the moves. A move of five files or ranks (2 to 7, 3 to 8) is easier to "see" than b to g, or c to h, especially when the move is descending (f to a, as compared to 6 to 1).
  
• If BOTH numbers are odd or both are even, the piece is on a white square, especially helpful with bishops and knights.

PIECE King Queen King's Guard Queen's Guard Rook Bishop Knight Pawn

WHITE K Q G' G R B N P

BLACK k q g' g r b n p

Notations used to describe moves and situations:

x	Captures
C	Castles
-	Moves To...
+	Check
-+	Discovered Check
++	Double Check
S#	Stalemate
P+	Perpetual Check
#	Checkmate
!	Good Move
!!	Excellent Move
?	Poor Move
??	Blunder
!?	Surprising, But Questionable
?!	Risky, But Not Totally Unsound
R-	Threatens Repetitive Moves
P-	Threatens Perpetual Check
T#	Threatens Mate (Add Number To Indicate In How Many Moves)
WM	White To Move
BM	Black To Move
RR	Resigns

To note a move, use the letter designating the piece to be moved, followed by a dash (moves to...) or an x (captures), then the number of the square the piece is to occupy.

Pawn moves are indicated by the square the pawn lands on. For example, a white pawn on square 64 (king's pawn on the fourth rank) moving ahead one square would be indicated as 65. The same pawn capturing a piece on an adjacent file would be indicated as 6x55 or 6x75 (capturing the piece on square 55 or 75).

Castling is indicated by C(file the King moves to)-(Guard move, if any).
It helps to underline a castling move to make it more noticeable when reviewing a game.

A game would be noted as follows:

1.  54           N-76
2.  44           86
3.  N-43         B-87
4.  B-85         C8
5.  Q-42         36
6.  C3-G4  (Guard moved to 41, King to 31, Rook to 51.)




  (6...)         55
7.  64           5x44
8.  Bx44         96
9.  B-74         N-46
10. N1-62    (A number after a piece designator indicates a rank or
                              file to distinguish which piece is to move.)





  (10...)        N-95
11. 65           Nx74
12. Gx74         B-75
13. B-53         N-34??
14. Bx75!...




  (14...)        Nx42
15. B-84         N-34?
16. B-Ø6+        G'-97
17. Bx97+        Kx97
18. Ø4           Ø5
19. 94           R-Ø8
20. 9xØ5         RxØ5
21. G'-94        K-Ø7
22. R5-91        85
23. G'xØ5+       K-98  (9xØ6 would have prolonged the agony.)

Could it have done more?

24. Gx85          RR (black resigns) ???