There are several sets of chess notation, whose purpose is to record the games documentary purposes. The system algebra is used and recommended by the FIDE . There are other methods such as descriptive notation (now obsolete), or the system Forsyth-Edwards to score particular positions.
The general rules are algebraic notation:
- The rows of the board are named with numbers from 1 to 8, the white pieces occupy rows 1 and 2 and the black pieces rows 7 and 8.
- The columns of the board are named with lowercase "a" through "h" from the left of the white player.
- The boxes are called the column and row for (e8, d5, c6, etc.).
- The parts are designated by their initial, except the pawn: R (King), D (Lady), T (Torre), A (Bishop), C (Horse).
- A play is written with the initial of the piece and the box that moves, except for the Pawn, which mentions only the box (Ce4, for example, means that a horse moves to the square e4, d5 represents play of the d5 pawn of the column to the row 5).
- A snapshot is indicated by an "x" between the initial piece (or pawn column) and the captured piece box (Txb5 indicates that a tower captures a piece b5; dxe6 indicates that the d-pawn capture on e6.)
- If two identical pieces can go to the same box, the column indicates the part that moves, if both pieces are on the same column indicates the row (Ced5 means that, between two horses on the same side, the one located at column "e" moves to the square d5.)
- The check is indicated with a "+" and the checkmate with "+ +" (also "#").
- The castle is noted as 0-0 short and long castling is recorded as 0-0-0.
- An en passant capture is indicated by "ap"
Some symbols used to discuss items are:
- !: Good move
- !: Play bright (very good)
- ?: Bad move
- ?: Very bad move
- !?: Play interesting
- ?!: Play doubtful
- ±: Advantage White
- + / = Or ±: Slight advantage to White
- + -: White Winning Advantage
- - / + (Or, inverted figure of ±): black Advantage
- = / + (Or, inverted figure of ±): slight black edge
- - +: - Winning Edge Black
- ?: Position uncertain