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Standard Notation & Staunton

Standard Notation & Staunton

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Hi,

Will someone please unequivically indicate what is the standard as far as notation for games goes. It seems there are three types, namely algebraic, descriptive and coordinate.

I have borrowed Staunton's Handbook (which was apparently seminal 100 years ago), but his notation seems dated now - I think he uses descriptive, eg. P-K4 etc.

What I find most irksome is when the notation gives a destination square, but no indiaction of which piece moves!?

Thanks in advance...

Russ.

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Originally posted by hardyrules
Hi,

Will someone please unequivically indicate what is the standard as far as notation for games goes. It seems there are three types, namely algebraic, descriptive and coordinate.

I have borrowed Staunton's Handbook (which was apparently seminal 100 years ago), but his notation seems dated now - I think he uses descriptive, eg. P-K4 etc.

What ...[text shortened]... a destination square, but no indiaction of which piece moves!?

Thanks in advance...

Russ.
Algebraic.

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Originally posted by hardyrules
Russ.
Just how many accounts do you have?

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Originally posted by Bowmann
Just how many accounts do you have?
huh? just one, and thanks

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Originally posted by hardyrules
What I find most irksome is when the notation gives a destination square, but no indiaction of which piece moves!?
1. e4 is a pawn move. In the appendix to Staunton's book, you'll find an explanation of what he calls the "notation adopted by Alexandre Jaenisch." That system is the precursor to the universal system in use today. Staunton's own cumbersome "1. P. to K's 4th" became more streamlined as the system known as descriptive, which was popular in Britain and the United States for much of the twentieth century.

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Originally posted by Wulebgr
1. e4 is a pawn move. In the appendix to Staunton's book, you'll find an explanation of what he calls the "notation adopted by Alexandre Jaenisch." That system is the precursor to the universal system in use today. Staunton's own cumbersome "1. P. to K's 4th" became more streamlined as the system known as descriptive, which was popular in Britain and the United States for much of the twentieth century.
Yes, descriptive held sway for most of the 20th century and algebraic become more and more popular as chess became popularized, until it is now the "standard" notation in use today. Coordinate was used mainly in correspondence chess, especially among players of differing languages, and, with the advent of the internet, is becoming obsolete.

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Originally posted by hardyrules
What I find most irksome is when the notation gives a destination square, but no indiaction of which piece moves!?

Thanks in advance...

Russ.
Descriptive always tells which piece is doing the moving, even a pawn.

When you see a move that is a destination square only, that is algebraic, and represents a pawn move, such as e4. Long Algebraic keeps the conventions of regular Algebraic, except the from square is also mentioned, such as e2e4, or Ng1f3.

The main benefit of Algebraic is that each rank is numbered with only one number, instead of two in descriptive, a different one for each side.

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Originally posted by hardyrules
huh? just one, and thanks
I believe you already thanked me.

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Originally posted by Suzianne
Descriptive always tells which piece is doing the moving, even a pawn.

When you see a move that is a destination square only, that is algebraic, and represents a pawn move, such as e4. Long Algebraic keeps the conventions of regular Algebraic, except the from square is also mentioned, such as e2e4, or Ng1f3.

The main benefit of Algebraic is that each ...[text shortened]... is numbered with only one number, instead of two in descriptive, a different one for each side.
I believe the USCF has rules that say you must use algebraic notation.

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Originally posted by powershaker
I believe the USCF has rules that say you must use algebraic notation.
Shows what I know. The USCF and I parted company years ago.

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Originally posted by powershaker
I believe the USCF has rules that say you must use algebraic notation.
Wrong. USCF allows both algebraic and descriptive (as far as I can tell the USCF website is horrible to try and find anything on). Under FIDE rules however you must use algebraic.

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I use Algebraic as White and Descriptive as Black. Why? I can't think backwards as Black....the 8th rank is always the first rank in my mind.

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Originally posted by XanthosNZ
[b]Wrong. USCF allows both algebraic and descriptive.....
My USCF Official Rules of Chess book, Article 11.1 says "In the course of play, each player is required to record the game....as clearly and legibly as possible in the algebraic notaion....." This is the 4th ed, effective 1/1/94. Did they change it?

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Originally posted by masscat
My USCF Official Rules of Chess book, Article 11.1 says "In the course of play, each player is required to record the game....as clearly and legibly as possible in the algebraic notaion....." This is the 4th ed, effective 1/1/94. Did they change it?
I don't have the rulebook I just went off the website which states that two types of notation are common in the US (descriptive and algebraic) and gives a guide to both. I couldn't find the rulebook on their site so I couldn't be sure.

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Originally posted by masscat
My USCF Official Rules of Chess book, Article 11.1 says "In the course of play, each player is required to record the game....as clearly and legibly as possible in the algebraic notaion....." This is the 4th ed, effective 1/1/94. Did they change it?
The 5th edition came out a few years ago (2003). Rule 15A states, in part, "Algebraic notation is standard, but descriptive or computer notation is permitted."