-------------------------- a b c d e f g h F I L E S This gives each square a unique name, since each square is located on exactly one file-rank intersection. In referring to specific squares, the file is given first, then the rank. In the diagram, the square marked with a "j" is called "b5", and "z" is named "d4". In describing moves, the pieces are reduced to their initial letters, with two exceptions. Knights are to "N" (since "K" already stands for "King"), and Pawns are not designated with a letter at all (I'll clarify that in a moment). In general, each move is represented by the initial of the piece moving followed by the square it lands on, such as "Nf6", "Bc4", "Rd1", etc. Pawn moves are indicated by the square they move to, such as "e4", "c6", "f4", c. Captures are indicated by inserting an "x" between the piece and the end-square: "Bxc6", "Kxd8", "Nxe5", etc. Pawn captures include the starting file: "exd5", "bxc6", "cxd4", etc. A plus mark "+" is used for "check", and "++" signifies "checkmate". For castling, "0-0" (Kingside) and "0-0-0" (Queenside) are used; and for en passant, "e.p." is added after the move ("dxc6 e.p.", for example). For Pawn promotion, an equal sign "=" and the letter of the piece promoted to are dded to the move: "g8=Q", bxa1=N, etc. Ambiguity occurs when two pieces of the same color and type are able to move to the same square. This can happen as early as the third move. Let's say White's first move was 1 d4 and his second was 2 Nf3. At this point either White Knight could move to d2, so writing "Nd2" is ambiguous. The situation is clarified by inserting either the rank or the file the moving piece starts on: 3 Nbd2 or 3 Nfd2. (NOTE: By convention, the file designation is used to resolve ambiguities, unless the pieces in question are on the same file to start with, in which case, the rank gets the nod.) As for the use of question marks (?) and exclamation points (!) -- these are chess writers' diacritical markings. "?" means a bad move, and "!" means a good or strong move. You will also see "??" (horrendous move) and "!!" (tremendous move). What writers are often inconsistent on are the meanings of "?!" and "!?". (Actually, the meanings are fairly well agreed upon -- it's which meaning goes with which symbol wherein the problem lies!). In my own chess writing (for the local chess club), "?!" indicates an "inexactitude", a move for hich there was probably a superior alternative, but the move actually made is not quite bad enough to be called a "blunder". Conversely, "!?" is an "inter- esting" move, and is used to indicate a move which is not quite a "strong" move, often mixed with a bit of uncertainty or risk. That's all there is to Standard Algebraic Notation -- except for practice, practice, practice! Later, Bruce Moon --- Maximus 2.02 * Origin: The Gate - Coos Bay, OR (1:356/4) --- SendMsg/2 v1.00 --- Squish/386 v1.11 * Origin: Squish Added This Line -- It Didn't Have One Before (1:106/6018) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 123 CHESS Ref: E2B00000 Date: 02/04/97 From: DOUG ATTIG Time: 05:11pm \/To: ALL (Read 1 times) Subj: Chess Files on Filebone! The following files were placed on the Fido Filebone and International Filegate systems on Tuesday 02-04-97. They are also being archived on ftp.pitt.edu under group/student-activities/chess followed by the area tag listed below, without the 'CHS-' (e.g. /CA). From the Web: http://www.pitt.edu/~schach Mouse on FTP Site, or on allindex.txt to download the index to the entire site. Area : CHS-UTIL Comment : CHS: Recorders, Readers, other utilities ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHESSU4.ZIP 115,035 CHESSU4 v3.0.1 ChessU4 is a games manager, viewer, and editor for PGN collections providing the functionality of an ASCII chess "database." CM4000 import/export, header, position, notation searches; build or substract opening datasets; publisher using any font. Font maps included for Linares, Tilburg, CHEQ, Utrech. U4 shareware $13; COLLEDIT.ZIP 69,908 COLLEDIT.EXE v3.0 CollEdit is a general-purpose command-line editor for Windows that allows operations not possible with your word processor. Manipulate and sort columns, isolate and sort headers. Designed with PGN chess in mind; good for cleaning Site names--save index space in your database. 60 day evaluation. U4 shareware, $10. ECOCLASS.ZIP 122,526 ECOCLASS v2.1 ECOClass assigns ECO codes, NIC codes, or user-defined codes to PGN games by position matching. Included is a 2,000-line opening ECO master. Opening descriptions can also (on option) be assigned--game-by-game. This version adds game sampling statistics (Phase IV). U4 packaged shareware $10. HIGHRANK.ZIP 98,006 HIGHRANK v3.1 HighRank normalizes player names to a standard spelling, assigns ELO ratings, and, optionally, splits a PGN game file into two parts--games played by professionals, and those by amateurs. Comes complete with ratings for top 1200 players. U4 packaged shareware $10. 4000 games limit; 60 day evaluation. NORMAL.ZIP 85,008 NORMAL v3.2.3 NORMAL PGN game converter/normalizer. Cleans PGN and ASCII game collections. Extracts games from most ASCII files and messages. Many new features. U4 packaged shareware $10. 500 game limit till registered; 90 day evaluation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 490,483 bytes in 5 file(s) Total of 490,483 bytes in 5 file(s). CONTRIBUTE! *You* can contribute files by uploading to ftp.pitt.edu under group/student-activities/chess/Uploads, or hatch into the Fido Filebone or Filegate systems in CHS-UPLD & I'll get them. Any file having to do with Chess is fine as long as it's not copyrighted by someone else! Best regards, Doug Attig --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: Knight-Line! * Tacoma, WA * (206) 565-0594 (1:138/239.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 123 CHESS Ref: E2B00001 Date: 02/04/97 From: DOUG ATTIG Time: 06:02pm \/To: ALL (Read 1 times) Subj: Chess Files on Filebone! The following files were placed on the Fido Filebone and International Filegate systems on Tuesday 02-04-97. They are also being archived on ftp.pitt.edu under group/student-activities/chess followed by the area tag listed below, without the 'CHS-' (e.g. /CA). From the Web: http://www.pitt.edu/~schach Mouse on FTP Site, or on allindex.txt to download the index to the entire site. Area : CHS-PROG Comment : CHS: Chess-Playing Programs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CMDEMO14.TXT 4,277 Description file for CMDEMO14.ZIP -- Chess Mentor Demo CMDEMO14.ZIP 1,860,967 CMDEMO v1.4 -- Chess Mentor Demo -- interactive learning software. See cmdemo14.txt. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,865,244 bytes in 2 file(s) Total of 1,865,244 bytes in 2 file(s). CONTRIBUTE! *You* can contribute files by uploading to ftp.pitt.edu under group/student-activities/chess/Uploads, or hatch into the Fido Filebone or Filegate systems in CHS-UPLD & I'll get them. Any file having to do with Chess is fine as long as it's not copyrighted by someone else! Best regards, Doug Attig --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: Knight-Line! * Tacoma, WA * (206) 565-0594 (1:138/239.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 123 CHESS Ref: E2B00002 Date: 02/05/97 From: DOUG ATTIG Time: 05:00pm \/To: ALL (Read 1 times) Subj: Chess Files on Filebone! The following files were placed on the Fido Filebone and International Filegate systems on Wednesday 02-05-97. They are also being archived on ftp.pitt.edu under group/student-activities/chess followed by the area tag listed below, without the 'CHS-' (e.g. /CA). From the Web: http://www.pitt.edu/~schach Mouse on FTP Site, or on allindex.txt to download the index to the entire site. Area : CHS-CA Comment : CHS: Chess Assistant Data Files ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 97NCALCA.ZIP 8,117 1997 Northern California State Ch., San Francisco RUBLV-CA.ZIP 37,771 GM Sergey Rublevsky (RUS): 362 Games, from Dave Oppedal ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 45,888 bytes in 2 file(s) Area : CHS-CB Comment : CHS: ChessBase Data Files