Algebraic chess notation

Algebraic chess notation is the method used today by all competition chess organizations and most books, magazines, and newspapers to record and describe the play of chess games. It is also called abbreviated (or short) algebraic notation or SAN to distinguish it from the expanded (or long) algebraic notation variant now referred to as (LAN). Beginning in the 1970s, the abbreviated algebraic notation eventually came to replace descriptive chess notation, although this notation can still be found in older literature.

Naming squares on the board

The notation begins by identifying each square of the chessboard with

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a unique coordinate.

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First, the files (that is, lines running parallel to the direction the

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players are facing) are labelled with lowercase letters a through h,

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from the left of the "white" player.

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So the "a" file is to white's left, and to black's right.

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Then the ranks (lines running horizontally between the players) are numbered from 1 to 8, starting from white's home rank.

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Thus, black's home rank is rank 8.

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Each square of the board, then, is uniquely identified by its file

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letter and rank number.

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The white king, for example, starts the game on square e1.

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The black knight on b8 can move to a6 or c6 (or

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d7, if that square is vacant).

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