Old notations in chess refer to the system of naming each square on the chessboard according to the piece that occupies it at the beginning of the game. This system was used before the adoption of algebraic notation, which is the standard notation system used in modern chess. The old notation system was based on a combination of letters and numbers, with variations depending on whether it was white or black who moved a piece to a particular square.
In the old notation system, each square on the chessboard was given a unique name based on the piece that started the game on that square. The names were derived from the piece’s initial letter, followed by a number to indicate the rank or file on which the piece was located. For instance, the square where the white king’s pawn starts the game would be called “King’s Pawn Two” (KP2). Similarly, the square where the black queen’s knight starts would be referred to as “Queen’s Knight Eight” (QN8).
To differentiate between squares that could be reached by multiple pieces of the same type, additional letters were added to the notation. For example, if both white knights could move to the same square, they would be distinguished by adding the file letter (a-h) of their starting position. So, if the white knights started on b1 and g1, the square they could both move to would be denoted as “Knight (b/g) Five” (N(b/g)5).
The old notation system could be confusing and required memorization of the starting positions of each piece. It was also less precise than algebraic notation, as it did not provide information on captures or the movement of pieces throughout the game. However, it was widely used before the advent of algebraic notation and is still occasionally encountered in older chess literature.
In my personal experience, I have come across old notation in some vintage chess books and articles. It took some time to familiarize myself with the system and understand the logic behind it. While it may seem archaic compared to algebraic notation, it does offer a glimpse into the history of chess notation and the evolution of the game.
To summarize, old notations in chess were a system of naming each square on the chessboard based on the piece occupying it at the start of the game. It relied on a combination of letters and numbers to denote the rank and file of each square, with variations depending on the color of the moving piece. Although less precise and more cumbersome than algebraic notation, it was widely used before its adoption and can still be found in older chess literature.