Types of Notation

There are two types of notation for Chess that you may come across when you look up games in books or magazines.

Algebraic Notation is the current international notation used in all new chess books and on databases. This is the one that you should concentrate on learning.

Discriptive Notation is an old notation form that was used in the UK some years ago. I intend to show you this system only for a matter of completion, and due to the fact that many old chess books printed in this country often use this form of notation. My telling you of this form will give you the knowledge you need to use old chess books.

Chess books can be costly, but old books can often be picked up for pennies, due to the fact that they are written in discriptive notation. If you are able to play the games through you will gain a lot of valuable insight. Therefore knowing how to understand the old notation form is useful when you are a more experienced player.

The system you have to master is algebraic notation.

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