Manual de Fritz 15 2015 | Page 353

Chess rules (FIDE)

353

sake of convenience, N is used.)
E2. For the first letter of the name of a piece, each player is free to use the first
letter of the name which is commonly used in his country. Examples: F = fou (French
for bishop), L = loper (Dutch for bishop). In printed periodicals, the use of figurines for
the pieces is recommended.
E3. Pawns are not indicated by their first letter, but are recognized by the absence of
such a letter. Examples: e5, d4, a5.
E4. The eight files (from left to right for White and from right to left for Black) are
indicated by the small letters, a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h, respectively.
E5. The eight ranks (from bottom to top for White and from top to bottom for Black)
are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, respectively. Consequently, in the initial
position the white pieces and pawns are placed on the first and second ranks; the
black pieces and pawns on the eighth and seventh ranks.
E6. As a consequence of the previous rules, each of the sixty four squares is invariably
indicated by a unique combination of a letter and a number.
E7. Each move of a piece is indicated by (a) the first letter of the name of the piece in
question and (b) the square of arrival. There is no hyphen between (a) and (b).
Examples: Be5, Nf3, Rd1. In the case of pawns, only the square of arrival is indicated.
Examples: e5, d4, a5.
E8. When a piece makes a capture, an x is inserted between
(a) the first letter of the name of the piece in question and
(b) the square of arrival.
Examples: Bxe5, Nxf3, Rxd1.
When a pawn makes a capture, not only the square of arrival but also the file of
departure must be indicated, followed by an x. Examples: dxe5, gxf3, axb5. In the
case of an "en passant" capture, the square of arrival is given as the square on which
the capturing pawn finally rests and "e.p." is appended to the notation.
E9. If two identical pieces can move to the same square, the piece that is moved is
indicated as follows:
(1) If both pieces are on the same rank: by
(a) the first letter of the name of the piece,
(b) the rank of the square of departure, and
(c) the square of arrival.
(2) If both pieces are on the same file: by
(a) the first letter of the name of the piece,
(b) the rank of the square of departure, and
(c) the square of arrival.
(3) If the pieces are on different ranks and files, method (1) is preferred. In the case
of capture, an x must be inserted between (b) and (c).
Examples:
(1) There are two knights, on the squares g1 and d2, and one of them moves to the
square f3: either Ngf3 or Ndf3, as the case may be.
(2) There are two knights, on the squares g5 and g1, and one of them moves to the
square f3: either N5f3 or N1f3, as the case may be.

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