It is necessary that the novice be thoroughly familiar with the original
position of each piece, this being the foundation of what is called Chess
Notation, or the system by which moves are recorded, and without which it
would be impossible to convey written instruction in the game. Various
systems are employed in different countries, but what is called the English
notation is the only one with which our readers need trouble themselves.
{344}
Each square in the two outer rows is named (see Fig. 4) after the piece
which occupies it, and the other squares by reference to these. For
instance, the square upon which the King stands is called the
Black.
+-----------------------------------------------+
| QR8 | QKt8| QB8 | Q8 | K8 | KB8 | KKt8| KR8 |
|-----------------------------------------------|
| QR7 | QKt7| QB7 | Q7 | K7 | KB7 | KKt7| KR7 |
|-----------------------------------------------|
| QR6 | QKt6| QB6 | Q6 | K6 | KB6 | KKt6| KR6 |
|-----------------------------------------------|
| QR5 | QKt5| QB5 | Q5 | K5 | KB5 | KKt5| KR5 |
|-----------------------------------------------|
| QR4 | QKt4| QB4 | Q4 | K4 | KB4 | KKt4| KR4 |
|-----------------------------------------------|
| QR3 | QKt3| QB3 | Q3 | K3 | KB3 | KKt3| KR3 |
|-----------------------------------------------|
| QR2 | QKt2| QB2 | Q2 | K2 | KB2 | KKt2| KR2 |
|-----------------------------------------------|
| QRsq|QKtsq|QBsq | Qsq | Ksq | KBsq|KKtsq|KRsq |
+-----------------------------------------------+
White.
FIG. 4.--English Notation (shown for white - for black invert each file).
King's Square, or more shortly K sq., or K 1. The square in front of it is
K 2; the next K 3, and so on throughout the file. In like manner with the
other files. The pieces on the right side of the King are called the King's
pieces--_i.e._, King's Bishop, {345} K B; King's Knight, K Kt; King's Rook,
K R; and the pieces on the left of the Queen are called Queen's
pieces--_i.e._, Queen's Bishop, Q B; Queen's Knight, Q Kt; Queen's Rook, Q
R. The same rule applies to the black pieces; so that each square has two
names, as it may be necessary to describe it with reference to the one or
the other player. Thus White's King's square would be Black's King's eight
(K 8), whilst Black's King's square would be White's King's eight (K 8),
and so on with all the other squares.