Abbreviated Algebraic Notation and Forsyth Notation
Chess Notation
To record moves in chess, a special notation is used. In a previous lesson we showed you how to read and write full chess notation. It is used to record moves with completeness.
Using full chess notation can be cumbersome though. Players have created simpler notation systems to make recording easier.
Abbreviated Algebraic Notation
In this abbreviated type of chess notation, the full starting square is omitted; only the target square is indicated fully.
For instance, in the opening move…
1.e4 e5
... it is understood that the white pawn in e2 started the game by advancing to e4. Black, in turn, moved the black pawn in e7 to e5.
However if clarification is needed, the starting file or rank is given. For example, if one black rook is in c8 and the other is in f8 and both can move to e8, the file of the rook that moves is given, for example:
Rce8
It is the rook in c8 that moves.
A B C D E F G H 8 R X R 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Forsyth Notation
The Forsyth Notation lets us describe positions on a chess board very quickly and easily.
In this notation system, all eight ranks are described in order from the eighth or top rank to the bottom or first rank. Each chess piece is represented by its algebraic symbol; white pieces are in uppercase and black pieces are given in lowercase. Empty or unoccupied squares are indicated by a number (the number of empty squares there are) and the end of a rank is shown by a slash.
Symbol White Black 1,2,3,4 # of Squares 5,6,7,8 K k King Q q Queen R r Rook B b Bishop N n Knight P p Pawn / End of Rank
To give an example of how the Forsyth Notation works, look at the figure below.
A B C D E F G H 8 r k 7 p p p 6 5 b 4 N 3 2 1 Q K
This is written as:
2r3k1/5ppp/8/b7/2N5/8/8/Q2K4/
Double-check your notations. Every rank in the Forsyth system should total 8 squares!
Learning Chess Notation
It is important for every student of chess to be able to read and write in chess notation. When you play, you want to be able to record the moves in the game so you can review it later for study. You also want to be able to "play back" other people's chess games so you can learn from them. There are chess games recorded and saved in chess libraries and books just for that.
Practice writing chess notation as often as you can. Do both the full Algebraic Notation and the Abbreviated Algebraic Notation. Then familiarize yourself with the Forsyth Notation. Don't be intimidated by the looks of it; it is nowhere near as hard as people think.