Every chess book, video and game database speaks one of two languages. Modern sources use algebraic notation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3). Older books, many of the classics included, use descriptive notation (1.P-K4 P-K4 2.N-KB3). If you can read both, you can read almost any chess material printed in the last 150 years. This guide teaches both systems from scratch, with a diagram for every idea, and finishes with a complete game written both ways.
Part 1: Algebraic Notation
Algebraic notation is the international standard. FIDE made it the official system in 1981, and every modern book, app and broadcast uses it. It works like a map grid: every square has exactly one name, no matter which side you play.
Step 1: Name the squares
The vertical columns are files, lettered a through h from White’s left to White’s right. The horizontal rows are ranks, numbered 1 through 8 starting from White’s side. A square’s name is its file letter plus its rank number: the bottom-left square is a1, the top-right is h8.
Quick check: the rule “light on the right” means h1 (White’s bottom-right corner) is always a light square. If your board has a dark square there, turn it 90 degrees.
Step 2: Learn the piece letters
| Piece | Letter | Example move |
|---|---|---|
| King | K | Ke2 |
| Queen | Q | Qh5 |
| Rook | R | Rd1 |
| Bishop | B | Bc4 |
| Knight | N (K is taken by the king) | Nf3 |
| Pawn | no letter | e4 |
Step 3: Write a move
A move is written as the piece letter + the destination square. You don’t write where the piece came from unless you need to (see disambiguation below). Pawn moves are just the destination square.
Moves are numbered in pairs. 1.e4 e5 means White’s first move was e4 and Black’s reply was e5. When a line starts with Black’s move, it’s written with an ellipsis: 2…Nc6.
Step 4: Captures
Add an x between the piece and the square: Bxf7 means the bishop captures on f7. For pawn captures, write the file the pawn came from: exd5 means the e-pawn captures on d5.
Step 5: Check, checkmate and castling
- + means check: Qxe4+
- # means checkmate: Nf3#
- O-O is kingside (short) castling
- O-O-O is queenside (long) castling
Step 6: Promotion
When a pawn reaches the last rank, write the square followed by = and the new piece: e8=Q. Some sources drop the equals sign (e8Q).
Step 7: When two pieces can reach the same square
If two identical pieces could move to the same square, add the file the moving piece came from. If they share a file, add the rank instead. So Nbd2 means the b1 knight goes to d2, and R1e2 means the rook on the first rank goes to e2.
Step 8: En passant
En passant is written like any pawn capture, using the square the capturing pawn lands on. Some writers add e.p. for clarity.
Step 9: Annotation symbols
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ! | Good move |
| !! | Brilliant move |
| ? | Mistake |
| ?? | Blunder |
| !? | Interesting, risky move |
| ?! | Dubious move |
| 1-0 / 0-1 / ½-½ | White wins / Black wins / draw |
Part 2: Descriptive Notation
Descriptive notation (also called English notation) dominated English- and Spanish-language chess literature until the 1970s and 80s. Classics like Fischer’s My 60 Memorable Games, Nimzowitsch’s My System in its older translations, and Reinfeld’s puzzle books were printed in it. It describes squares by which piece starts on that file and counts ranks from each player’s own side.
Step 1: Files are named after the pieces
Each file takes its name from the piece that starts on it. The half of the board where the queen starts is the queen’s side (Q), and the half where the king starts is the king’s side (K).
| Algebraic file | a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive file | QR | QN | QB | Q | K | KB | KN | KR |
| Named after | Queen’s rook | Queen’s knight | Queen’s bishop | Queen | King | King’s bishop | King’s knight | King’s rook |
Step 2: Ranks are counted from your own side
This is the part that confuses people. Rank 1 is always the rank closest to the player making the move. White’s first rank is Black’s eighth rank, and vice versa. So every square has two names: one from White’s point of view and one from Black’s.
The shortcut: the two rank numbers always add up to 9. If White calls a square KB3, Black calls it KB6.
Step 3: Pieces and how a move is written
Pieces use the same letters as algebraic, plus P for pawn. Older books write Kt for knight. A move is written piece, dash, destination square, with the destination named from the mover’s point of view.
That is the key idea: in descriptive notation, symmetrical moves look identical. White’s 2.Nf3 is N-KB3, and if Black answers 2…Nf6, that’s also N-KB3.
Step 4: Captures name the piece, not the square
Captures are written piece x piece: PxP (pawn takes pawn), BxN (bishop takes knight), QxKP (queen takes the king’s pawn). If that’s ambiguous, add detail, such as KPxP, PxQP or NxP(K5).
Step 5: Dropping the K and Q
When only one piece of that type can reach a file pair, writers drop the K or Q to save space. B-B4 means a bishop goes to a B4 square; if only one bishop can get to either KB4 or QB4, there’s no confusion. If both could, you must write B-QB4 or B-KB4. The same applies to pieces: KR-Q1 tells you which rook moved.
Step 6: Check, mate, castling, promotion
| Event | Descriptive | Algebraic |
|---|---|---|
| Check | ch (sometimes +) | + |
| Discovered check | dis ch | + |
| Double check | dbl ch | + |
| Checkmate | mate | # |
| Kingside castling | O-O | O-O |
| Queenside castling | O-O-O | O-O-O |
| Promotion | P-K8=Q or P-K8(Q) | e8=Q |
| En passant | PxP e.p. | exf6 e.p. |
Side-by-Side Translation
| Move | Algebraic | Descriptive |
|---|---|---|
| King’s pawn two squares (White) | 1.e4 | 1.P-K4 |
| King’s pawn two squares (Black) | 1…e5 | 1…P-K4 |
| Kingside knight out (White) | Nf3 | N-KB3 |
| Kingside knight out (Black) | …Nf6 | …N-KB3 |
| Queenside knight out (White) | Nc3 | N-QB3 |
| Queen’s pawn two squares (Black) | …d5 | …P-Q4 |
| Ruy Lopez bishop | Bb5 | B-N5 |
| Queen to the edge | Qh5 | Q-R5 |
| Pawn takes pawn | exd5 | PxP |
| Castle kingside | O-O | O-O |
| Promote on the e-file | e8=Q | P-K8=Q |
A Full Game in Both Systems
Here is the famous Blackburne Shilling trap, a short game that uses captures, check and checkmate. It is named after the 19th-century master Joseph Henry Blackburne, who is said to have used it to win shilling stakes in casual games.
| Move | White (Algebraic) | White (Descriptive) | Black (Algebraic) | Black (Descriptive) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | P-K4 | e5 | P-K4 |
| 2 | Nf3 | N-KB3 | Nc6 | N-QB3 |
| 3 | Bc4 | B-B4 | Nd4?! | N-Q5 |
| 4 | Nxe5? | NxP | Qg5! | Q-N4 |
| 5 | Nxf7?? | NxBP | Qxg2 | QxNP |
| 6 | Rf1 | R-B1 | Qxe4+ | QxKP ch |
| 7 | Be2 | B-K2 | Nf3# | N-B6 mate |
Notice how the same square gets two names. Black’s knight on d4 is written N-Q5 because Black counts from the far side of the board. From White’s seat, that square is Q4.
Tips for reading old books
- Always ask whose move it is before reading a descriptive square. Then count ranks from that player’s side.
- Remember the add-to-9 rule: White’s K4 is Black’s K5.
- Set up a real board and play through the moves as you read. Once you have a game in algebraic, you can paste the PGN into Analyze My Games for an engine review.
- Translate an opening you already know. 1.P-K4 P-K4 2.N-KB3 N-QB3 3.B-N5 is the Ruy Lopez.
Quick Quiz
- Translate 1.d4 into descriptive.
Show answer
1.P-Q4
- Translate 2…Nf6 (Black) into descriptive.
Show answer
2…N-KB3
- White plays N-QB3. What is it in algebraic?
Show answer
Nc3
- Black plays B-N5, pinning a knight on c3. What is it in algebraic?
Show answer
…Bb4 (Black’s QN5 is b4)
- What is White’s KR3 called from Black’s side?
Show answer
KR6 (the ranks add to 9)
- Translate Qxf7# into descriptive, where the queen takes the king’s bishop pawn.
Show answer
QxBP mate
Now you can pick up any chess book, old or new, and follow the moves. Put it to work with our opening guides, such as the Italian Game, where the Blackburne trap is lurking.
