Algebraic Notation
There are various ways to record the moves in a chess game. The most common is Algebraic Notation. First, you write down the letter of the piece that is moving:
B = Bishop
K = King
N or Kt = Knight
Q = Queen
R = Rook
Nothing is written for a pawn.
Then you write down the file, a-h, and rank, 1-8, where the piece is moving.
When a move puts the opposing King in check, you write a '+' at the end of the move.
When a move puts the opposing King in checkmate, you write a '++' or '#' at the end of the move.
Castling Kingside is written: O-O.
Castling Queenside is written: O-O-O.
If a piece is capturing another piece you use the letter 'x' to indicate the capture. In this diagram, the Rook at g2 is capturing the Bishop at g6, so we'd write: Rxg6.
In the case of a pawn capturing a piece, you write down the file that the pawn is on. Then the 'x' indicating the capture. Finally, you write down the square that the pawn is capturing. In this diagram, the pawn at a4 is capturing the pawn at b5, so we'd write: axb5.
Sometimes, identical pieces can move to the same square. In this diagram, the black Bishop has the white King in check. If white wanted to move a Knight to e2 to block the check, we would need a way to identify which Knight moves there since both of them are able to. If both pieces start on the same File, put the starting Rank, 1-8, right after the name of the piece. Otherwise, put the starting file, a-h, right after the name of the piece.
In this diagram, the two white Knights are on different files, so if you are moving the Knight on c3, you would write: Nce2. If you are moving the Knight on f4, you would write: Nfe2.
When a pawn promotes to another piece you write the square that the pawn is promoting on, then an '=', followed by the piece it is promoting to: B (Bishop), Q (Queen), R (Rook), or N (Knight).
For practice using algebraic notation, let's write down the moves of the Sicilian.
First, White moves his pawn at e2 to e4, so we'd write: e4
Next, Black moves his pawn at c7 to c5, so we'd write: c5.
Then, White moves his knight at g1 to f3, so we'd write: Nf3.
Then, Black moves his knight at b8 to c6, so we'd write: Nc6.
White moves his pawn at d2 to d4, so we'd write: d4.
Black then takes the d pawn with his c pawn, so we'd write: cxd4.
White then takes the d pawn with his Knight, so we'd write: Nxd4.
So we get:
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4
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