How do you write a promotion with check and capture?

All three parts in order: exd8=Q+. The e-pawn captures on d8, promotes to a queen and gives check.

Which disambiguation comes first, file or rank?

File. Use the rank only when both pieces stand on the same file, and the full departure square only when neither file nor rank is enough, as in Qh4e1.

What should I write when my opponent makes an illegal move?

Nothing for the illegal move. Stop the clock, call the arbiter, and record the legal move that is then played. In standard play you normally receive two extra minutes.

How do you record a draw offer on a scoresheet?

Write = beside the move on which the draw was offered. Under FIDE rules both players record it. The offer is made after playing your move, before pressing the clock.

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Notation · 3 min read

How to notate castling, en passant, promotion and ambiguous moves

Scoresheets go wrong on the few moves that need extra information, and those are often the moves that decided the game. Here is the correct entry for each, and the usual mistake.

Castling

Correct: O-O kingside, O-O-O queenside.
Wrong: Kg1 or Kc1, which records a king move and hides the rook.
Wrong in a PGN file: 0-0 with zeros. On paper, zeros are fine.
Castling with check takes the plus: O-O-O+.

En passant

Correct: the square your pawn lands on. White's e5 pawn takes a pawn that has just moved d7-d5: exd6.
Wrong: exd5, the captured pawn's square. The game will not replay.
Optional on paper: e.p. after the move. PGN never uses it.

Promotion and underpromotion

Correct: the square, =, then the new piece: a8=Q, exd8=R+, b1=N.
Wrong: a8 alone, which names no piece, or Qa8, which is a queen already on the board.
Underpromotion uses the same form: b8=N.

Two pieces that can reach the same square

Add the departure file; the rank if both share a file; the whole square if neither is enough.

Knights on b1 and f3, both able to reach d2: Nbd2 or Nfd2.
Rooks on e1 and e4, both able to reach e3: R1e3 or R4e3.
Pawns already carry their file: exd5 or cxd5.
If one piece is pinned and cannot legally move there, no disambiguation is needed.

Draw offers, claims and illegal moves

Draw offer: play your move, offer, then press the clock. Both players write = beside the move.
Repetition or 50-move claim made by your next move: write the move without playing it and tell the arbiter. If the position is already on the board, claim at once.
Illegal move: not recorded. Write the legal move that replaces it. In standard play the opponent gets two extra minutes, and a second illegal move normally loses.
Result: 1-0, 0-1 or 1/2-1/2, then both signatures.

How the app reads a messy sheet

The app lists every legal move an unclear scan could be, checks each against the moves that follow, and shades the repair by confidence. Read your own scrawl the same way.

Key takeaways

En passant goes to the landing square.
Promotion always names the new piece: e8=Q.
Disambiguate with the departure file, then the rank.
Illegal moves are not recorded.

Frequently asked questions

How do you write a promotion with check and capture?: All three parts in order: exd8=Q+. The e-pawn captures on d8, promotes to a queen and gives check.
Which disambiguation comes first, file or rank?: File. Use the rank only when both pieces stand on the same file, and the full departure square only when neither file nor rank is enough, as in Qh4e1.
What should I write when my opponent makes an illegal move?: Nothing for the illegal move. Stop the clock, call the arbiter, and record the legal move that is then played. In standard play you normally receive two extra minutes.
How do you record a draw offer on a scoresheet?: Write = beside the move on which the draw was offered. Under FIDE rules both players record it. The offer is made after playing your move, before pressing the clock.

Practise the related tactics

The ideas behind this

UnderpromotionPromoting to a knight, rook or bishop instead of a queen.
King Safety (Castling)Castle early, then leave the pawns in front of your king alone.