Learning Move Names

Submitted by Cobalt_T on Sat, 10/11/2008 at 8:31pm.

I'm wondering how exactly do the names for moves come about. Some are very simple to understand for me but i'm wondering things like i don't Qfc3... which i think i've seen once. I would assume Q stands for queen, and i would guess c3 stands for the plot on the board just like a d4...

but how are these names made up?

» posted in andrewah's Blog

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Comments:

by 66_Mustang - 11 months ago
Tukwila, WA United States

Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 1688

Well, since there are two white queens that can go to the same square, the notation must be more specific. That is, we must note which queen has moved there: Thus, Qfc3 means, "the queen on the f-file has moved to the c3 square".

Now, if we had two white queens on the same f-file, we would have to be even more specific. Suppose we have white queens on the f3 square and the f8 square and we moved the one on f3 to c3. The notation then would become Qf3c3.

We don't see such notation so often with queens, since few games have dual queens. But we see this all the time with knights and rooks, as both knights and rooks can move to the same square at the same time. We don't have this problem with bishops, of course (only if a player promotes to a bishop color he already has on the board).

by Rookbuster - 13 months ago
Some Town United States

Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 242

Here is a good example for you cobalt

by photray94 - 13 months ago
United States

Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 470

Well, if you're asking about algebraic notation here's a nice article on how to notate chess games: http://www.uschess.org/beginners/read/

I'm curious to know where you read "Qfc3". You're right, Q stands for queen and c3 is the plot on the board - for the square the queen was moved to was on the third rank and the c file. The f would normally be put there if there was another piece of the same type that could move to the same square.

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