Algebraic notation is the universal system for writing down chess moves. Every square on the board has a unique address, made of a letter from a to h for the file and a number from 1 to 8 for the rank, and every move is written as the piece that moves followed by its destination square. This notation, and no other, is what lets you replay any game from anywhere in the world, in any language.

How to read the squares

Seen from White’s side, the files run from a to h left to right, and the ranks from 1 to 8 bottom to top. Square a1 sits in White’s bottom-left corner, and h8 in the top-right. Every square has exactly one possible address: e4, c6, g1…

1.e4: the white pawn advances to e4 (no piece letter means it's a pawn). 1...e5 answers in the center. 2.Nf3: the N stands for knight, hopping to f3.

For pieces, a letter comes before the destination square: K for king, Q for queen, R for rook, B for bishop, N for knight. Pawns get no letter at all; the square alone is enough, as in e4 or d5.

The symbols worth knowing

A few extra signs complete the basic address:

  • x marks a capture (Nxe5: the knight captures on e5).
  • + marks a check, # a checkmate.
  • O-O notates kingside castling, O-O-O queenside castling.
  • When two identical pieces can reach the same square, the starting file or rank is specified (Rad1: the rook from the a-file goes to d1).
  • = followed by a letter notates promotion (e8=Q).

A full game is written as a numbered sequence: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5… The number comes before White’s move, and Black’s move follows directly on the same line, without its own number.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the knight notated with an “N” instead of “K”?

Because K is already taken by the king, so the knight uses the second letter of its name, N. Every piece is notated with a letter tied to its name in the language being used. In French, for instance, the knight is C (Cavalier). The letters change from language to language; what stays universal is the square, not the piece letter.

Is algebraic notation the only system that exists?

No, but it’s the only one used in competition today. An older system called “descriptive notation”, once common before the 1980s in English-speaking countries, described each move relative to the starting piece rather than a single unique square. It has virtually disappeared in favor of algebraic notation, which is simpler and more precise.

How do you write a square without any ambiguity?

Always file then rank, never the other way around: e4, not 4e. The file (letter) reads left to right from White’s side, the rank (number) reads bottom to top. With these two coordinates, all 64 squares get one unique, unambiguous address.