Algebraic vs Descriptive Notation: What Modern Chess Books Use
TL;DR: All modern chess books use algebraic notation (e.g. 1. e4 e5). Older English books — published before roughly 1990 — used descriptive notation (e.g. 1. P-K4 P-K4). They describe the same moves; the systems just name squares differently.
What is algebraic notation?
Algebraic notation (also called Standard Algebraic Notation, or SAN) names every square on the board by its absolute coordinate: a letter for the file (a–h) and a number for the rank (1–8). The square in the bottom-left corner from White's perspective is always a1, regardless of which player is moving.
A move is written as the piece abbreviation followed by the destination square: Nf3 means a knight moves to f3. e4 means a pawn moves to e4.
This is the system used in all modern chess books, FIDE tournaments, chess.com, Lichess, and every major chess database. If you're learning chess today, algebraic notation is the only one you need.
What is descriptive notation?
Descriptive notation (also called English Descriptive Notation) was the standard in English-language chess books from the 19th century until the 1980s. Instead of naming squares by absolute coordinates, it named them relative to each player's perspective.
Files were named after the piece that started there:
| File | Descriptive name | Algebraic |
|---|---|---|
| Queen's Rook (QR) | a | |
| Queen's Knight (QN) | b | |
| Queen's Bishop (QB) | c | |
| Queen (Q) | d | |
| King (K) | e | |
| King's Bishop (KB) | f | |
| King's Knight (KN) | g | |
| King's Rook (KR) | h |
Ranks were numbered 1–8 from each player's own side. So White's fourth rank (rank 4 in algebraic) was "White's K4" but "Black's K5" from Black's perspective. The same physical square had two different names depending on who was moving.
Side-by-side comparison
The Ruy Lopez opening written in both systems:
| Algebraic (modern) | Descriptive (old) |
|---|---|
| 1. e4 e5 | 1. P-K4 P-K4 |
| 2. Nf3 Nc6 | 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 |
| 3. Bb5 a6 | 3. B-N5 P-QR3 |
| 4. Ba4 Nf6 | 4. B-R4 N-B3 |
| 5. O-O Be7 | 5. 0-0 B-K2 |
Why did algebraic notation win?
Algebraic notation won for several clear reasons:
- Unambiguous: Every square has exactly one name, regardless of whose turn it is.
- Computer-friendly: Databases and engines can parse algebraic notation trivially. Descriptive notation requires knowing whose perspective is being used.
- International: Algebraic notation translates directly across languages. Descriptive notation's piece abbreviations differ by language.
- Shorter: Algebraic notation is generally more compact (e4 vs P-K4).
FIDE officially mandated algebraic notation for international tournaments in 1981. English-language books followed through the 1980s; by the mid-1990s the transition was essentially complete.
Reading older chess books
Many excellent chess books — Nimzowitsch's My System, Reti's Masters of the Chessboard, older Keres or Tal collections — were originally published in descriptive notation. Many were later re-issued in algebraic editions, which are worth seeking out.
If you do encounter a descriptive notation book, the key is: files are named by piece, ranks count from your side. Read a few games with an algebraic board open beside you and you'll get the pattern quickly.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between algebraic and descriptive chess notation?
Algebraic notation names squares by their absolute position on the board (e.g. e4, Nf3) using a coordinate system of files a–h and ranks 1–8. Descriptive notation named squares relative to each player's perspective, using piece names and numbers (e.g. P-K4, N-KB3). All modern chess books, databases, and software use algebraic notation.
When did chess switch from descriptive to algebraic notation?
FIDE (the international chess federation) officially adopted algebraic notation as the international standard in 1981. English-language chess books gradually transitioned through the 1980s and early 1990s. By the mid-1990s, virtually all new English-language chess publications used algebraic notation.
How do I read old chess books that use descriptive notation?
In descriptive notation, files are named after the piece that starts on them (K-file, Q-file, KB-file, etc.) and ranks are numbered 1–8 from each player's own side. P-K4 means 'pawn to king's fourth square' — which is e4 for White and e5 for Black. A conversion table and practice reading a few games is usually enough to get comfortable with older books.