If you’ve ever been stuck through a chess video or flipped through a tournament game, there’s a good chance you’ve come across those strange code numbers, e4, Nf3, or Qxd5. At first, they can look like some sort of secret code, but don’t worry. They’re actually easy to pick up once you learn what they mean.
Step 1: Getting to Grips with the Chessboard Coordinates
The board is divided into 8 columns that go up and down, and those vertical bits are actually called files. They’re labelled a to h. The rows that go across the board, there are 8 of them, are numbered from 1 all the way up to 8. Each square on the board has a unique name that you need to get to know.
For example:
- The bottom-left corner is a1
- The middle square is e4
- The top-right corner is h8
Every move ends on one of these squares.
Step 2: Learn What the Piece Letters Mean
In algebraic notation, each of the chess pieces gets a capital letter.
- K = King
- Q = Queen
- R = Rook
- B = Bishop
- N = Knight (because K is already used by the King)
Pawns are special; they don’t use any letter. For example, you might see :
- e4, and that means a pawn moves on to square e4 or
- Nf3, you know the knight is moving to f3
- Bb5, it’s the bishop moving to b5
Step 3: Capturing Pieces
When a piece actually captures another piece, a little letter x gets thrown in; it’s your cue that something has been taken. Examples:
- Qxd5 + Queen captures a piece on d5.
- Rxa8 = Rook captures a piece on a8.
Pawn captures look slightly different because pawns have no letter. Example:
- exd5: This means the pawn from the e-file captures a piece on d5.
Step 4: Special Chess Symbols
Some moves include extra symbols.
+ = Check
# = Checkmate
o-o = Kingside castling
o-o-o = Queenside castling
Examples:
- Qh7+ = Queen gives check.
- Rd8# = Rook delivers checkmate.
These symbols quickly show important moments in the game.
Step 5: When Two Pieces Can Move to the Same Square
Sometimes two identical pieces can move to the same square. To avoid confusion, notation adds either the file or rank. Examples:
- Nbd2 = Knight from the b-file goes to d2.
- R1e1 = Rook from rank 1 moves to e1.
Step 6: Pawn Promotion
When a pawn reaches the last rank, it can become another piece. Notation uses an equals sign. Examples:
- e8=Q = Pawn promotes to a queen.
- a8=N = Pawn promotes to a knight.
Promotion often changes the entire game, so it’s important to record correctly.
A Short Example Game
Here is a simple opening:
- e4
- e5
- Nf3
- Nc6
- Bb5
Reading it becomes easy once you know the basics.
- White pawn moves to e4.
- Black pawn moves to e5.
- White knight develops to f3.
- Black knight develops to c6.
- White bishop moves to b5.
Once you pick up board coordinates, piece letters, captures and special symbols, you’ll be reading and recording games just like any old experienced players.
The more you practice using it, the more second nature it becomes. So get yourself a chessboard, grab a pen, write down your next game and watch your chess skills grow one move at a time.