Descriptive notation: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:DescriptiveChessNotationWhite.PNG|right|thumb|Descriptive chess notation for player white.]]'''Descriptive chess notation''', '''descriptive notation''', '''English descriptive notation''' or '''English notation''' is a [[chess notation|notation]] for recording [[chess]] games, and at one time was the most popular notation for doing so. It has been superseded by [[algebraic chess notation]], but is still important for understanding older chess books.

==Naming squares on the board==

[[Image:DescriptiveChessNotationWhite.PNG|right|frame|Descriptive chess notation for player white.]]In descriptive chess notation each square has two names, depending on black's or white's viewpoint. Each file is given a name corresponding with the piece that occupies the first rank at the start of the game. Thus the [[queen (chess)|queen]]'s rank is named 'Q' and the [[king (chess)|king]]'s rank is named 'K'.

Since there are two each of the remaining pieces on the first rank, it is necessary to distinguish between them. The pieces to the left of the queen are named with respect to the queen i.e. 'queen's rook', 'queen's knight' and 'queen's bishop' and have the shortened names 'QR', 'QKt' and 'QB' respectively.

Similarly, the pieces to the right of the king are named with respect to the king i.e. 'king's rook', 'king's knight' and 'king's bishop' and have the shortened names 'KR', 'KKt' and 'KB' respectively.