Chess Notation

Notation : Chess notation is a universal coordinate system used to record moves and analyze games. The standard method, called Algebraic Notation, identifies each of the 64 squares by combining a column letter (a–h) with a row number (1–8).

The Chessboard Grid:
Files: The vertical columns of squares are lettered a through h from left to right, strictly from White's perspective.
Ranks: The horizontal rows are numbered 1 through 8 from bottom to top (1 is White's starting side, 8 is Black's).
Squares: Every square gets a unique coordinate like e4, c6, or h8, based on its column and row.

Piece Abbreviations: Capital letters are used to identify pieces, leaving pawns uncapitalized
K: King
Q: Queen
R: Rook
B: Bishop
N: Knight (Note: K is reserved for King, so N is used for kNight)
Pawn (e.g., a move like "e4" means a pawn moves to the e4 square)

How to Write Moves: To write a move, you combine the piece abbreviation with the destination square.
Nf3: Knight moves to the f3 square.
Bc4: Bishop moves to the c4 square.
e4: Pawn moves to the e4 square.

Special Symbols: Specific symbols are added to the end of a move to indicate special game events:
x (Capture): Indicates a piece takes an opposing piece (e.g., Bxf7 means the Bishop captures on f7). When a pawn captures, you use the file it started on before the "x" (e.g., exd5 means a pawn on the e-file captures on d5).
= (Promotion): Added when a pawn reaches the 8th rank and transforms (e.g., e8=Q means a pawn moves to e8 and becomes a Queen).
O-O (Kingside Castling): Castling short toward the King's Rook.
O-O-O (Queenside Castling): Castling long toward the Queen's Rook.
+ (Check): Placed after a move that directly threatens the enemy King.
# (Checkmate): Placed after the winning move.
! / ? (Evaluation): An exclamation mark means a brilliant move, while a question mark means a blunder.