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Questions tagged [annotation]

For questions about annotated chess games and the symbols used when annotating chess games.

42 questions
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5 answers

Good resource for annotated games

I'm finding annotated chess games very handy to increase my level of chess knowledge. Are there any recommendations on good online resources for annotated games? I've found a few, but the annotations are either not very good, or the ratings of the…
Cameron Castillo
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What should an arbiter do if a player has illegally stopped notating?

Situation: a standard game, 1 hour 40 minutes for the game with 10 seconds increment per move. FIDE rules. White has two minutes left and has stopped writing down his moves, as he is allowed to because he has less than five minutes. Black has an…
RemcoGerlich
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What does "+-" mean in algebraic notation?

I'm familiar with chess notation, but this has left me scratching my head. Looking at this answer, I see two games ending with moves marked as "+-" or "-+" (plus-minus or minus-plus). What does this annotation mean? Is it standard? And why are the…
Esoteric Screen Name
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11
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4 answers

Java Library for PGN parser

I would like to find a Java library that will allow me to read a PGN file that could contain several chess games, probably with comments inserted also. But, it won't be used to generate moves or play the moves in a board. I just want to read the PGN…
Chale CS
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What does it mean to win "by force"?

I occasionally see annotations/commentary where a move / line is said to make (for example) white win "by force". I am unsure if it has the general sense of "this move initiates a forcing sequence where white will come out on top" or something more…
Ani
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Is this how to annotate your own chess games properly?

I created a Lichess study of a game I played the game an hour ago and have tried to annotate it. Would anyone care to have a look and see if I'm missing the point of I annotation all together? For example, should write more or, write less and…
Patrick Moloney
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3 answers

FIDE rules regarding use of foreign languages in algebraic notation

Article 8.1a states that: In the course of play each player is required to record his own moves and those of his opponent in the correct manner, move after move, as clearly and legibly as possible, in the algebraic notation (Appendix C), on…
Brian Towers
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Benefits of studying annotated grandmaster games

I've started reading about the 1960 Tal vs Botvinnik match and I'm planning on studying many annotated games like these. I was curious about what benefits I can get out of doing this. I've already noticed that I've become more able to read the moves…
randomlad
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Why aren't early opening moves generally given exclamation marks?

As the title above, why aren't early opening moves generally given exclamation marks? I see question marks for obvious opening mistakes from time to time, e.g. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6? or 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Bg4?! But I almost never see exclamation marks for…
A. N. Other
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Comment/variation with different starting position

When annotating games, I sometimes want to add a comment which starts from a position that is different from the current position. Like: 1. d4 d5 2.c4 { Our previous game went 1.e4 c5 ...} Or: 25. Bf3 { Here I remembered a similar position from…
Baljej
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Unfamiliar with this move notation

I'm not even sure what to call this one. I'm reading Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation and Gambit System by Anatoly Karpov. In the first chapter karpov mentions a move order: e4 c6 d4 d5 f3 So far so good - the gambit system. Then he mentions…
user14142
5
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4 answers

I would like an iPad app for annotating my games

I would like an app for annotating my games and/or replay others' games. Do you have any suggestions?
JudgeProphet
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What is the purpose of editorial comments in Informants?

I was browsing an old Informant today and came across an editorial comment, marked with RR. I've seen several of them at the beginning of a game that reference another game, involving a completely different opening, by other players. What is the…
Herb
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Calculate the first N unknown moves of a chess game

Greetings fellow chess friends, Here is a quick idea that came to my mind. I am interested in writing a software that is able to calculate and/or guess the first n unknown moves of a given chess game. For example take this game: ?? ?? ?? ?? Nf3 b6…
Adrenaxus
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Why is this move into a simple forced mate annotated dubious and not a blunder?

In a recent game against a weak computer opponent on lichess, I (white) was in the following position: [FEN "Q4k1r/p1Nbbppp/1pn1p3/8/5B2/5N2/P1K1nPPP/R6R b - - 0 1"] The AI played the move Nb8 giving white a forced mate in 3, annotated by the…
nanofarad
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