Chess Tactics

Our solutions use algebraic notation (SAN) — the standard way chess moves are written in books and on Lichess. Here is a quick guide.

1. The board (coordinates)

Each square has a name from its file (letter) and rank (number), as seen from White's side:

• Files: a to h (left to right)
• Ranks: 1 to 8 (bottom to top)
• Example: bottom-left is a1, top-right is h8

2. The pieces

• K King, Q Queen, R Rook, B Bishop, N Knight (N avoids clashing with King)
• Pawns have no letter — e4 means a pawn moved to e4

3. Basic moves

Piece letter + destination square:

• Be5 — Bishop to e5
• Nf3 — Knight to f3
• e4 — Pawn to e4

4. Move numbers, periods, and …

Solutions are written as a numbered sequence. The number is the turn (one White move plus one Black move). The punctuation tells you which side just played:

• 1.then a move — this is White's move on turn 1 (period after the number).
• 1...then a move — this is Black's move on turn 1 (three dots mean “Black to play on this turn”).
• After Black plays, the turn number goes up for White's next move: 2. Nf3, then 2... Nc6, and so on.

When both sides move on the same turn, they are often written on one line: 1. e4 e5 means White played e4, then Black played e5.

On this site: numbering always starts at 1 from the puzzle diagram. Whichever side is to move in the diagram gets the first number:

• White to move → first solution move looks like 1. Qh5+
• Black to move → first solution move looks like 1... Qh4

White to move in diagram:
1. Qh8+ Kh8 2. Rh1#

Black to move in diagram:
1... Qh4 2. g3 Qxf2

Mate-in-2 solutions may add (or …) lines for other defenses — same numbering rules, starting again from the diagram.

5. Special symbols

• Capture x: Bxe5 (Bishop takes on e5); pawn captures show the starting file, e.g. exd5
• Check +: Bb5+
• Checkmate #: Qxf7#
• Castling: kingside O-O, queenside O-O-O
• Promotion: a8=Q (pawn promotes to Queen on a8)
• En passant: sometimes marked e.p.

6. Other common symbols

• ! good move, !! brilliant, ? mistake, ?? blunder
• 1-0 White wins, 0-1 Black wins, 1/2-1/2 draw

7. Full game example

In a complete game score, White and Black often share each numbered turn on one line:

1. e4   e5      ← turn 1: White, then Black
2. Nf3  Nc6      ← turn 2: White, then Black
3. Bb5  a6
4. Bxc6 dxc6