ScanChess Blog
Guides on chess notation, scoresheets, PGN, and digitizing your games.
How to Read a Chess Scoresheet: A Beginner's Guide
A beginner-friendly walkthrough of how a chess scoresheet is laid out, how to read move pairs and result codes, and what every symbol means.
Chess Notation Explained: Algebraic Notation (SAN) Basics
A friendly, practical guide to reading and writing chess moves in Standard Algebraic Notation (SAN), with clear examples for captures, castling, check, promotion, and disambiguation.
What Is PGN? The Chess Game Format, Explained
PGN is the universal text format for recording chess games. Here is what the tags and movetext mean, where PGN is used, and how to open a .pgn file.
How to Convert a Handwritten Chess Scoresheet to PGN
Two ways to convert a handwritten chess scoresheet into a PGN file: typing it out by hand, or scanning a photo with AI. Here's how each works and which to pick.
FIDE Scoresheet Rules Every Chess Player Should Know
Everything tournament players need to know about FIDE scoresheet rules, from the obligation to record moves to how arbiters use scoresheets to settle claims.
How to Analyze Your Chess Games from Scoresheets
Your old scoresheets are a goldmine of improvement. Here is a step-by-step workflow to digitize them, study your own play, and turn mistakes into rating points.
How to Import a PGN into Lichess (Step by Step)
A clear, step-by-step guide to importing a PGN into Lichess, whether you paste it onto the Analysis board or load it into a Study, then turn on computer analysis.
How to Import a PGN into Chess.com
A step-by-step guide to importing a PGN file into Chess.com, plus how to turn a handwritten scoresheet into a PGN you can analyze.
What Is FEN? Chess Position Notation Explained
FEN (Forsyth-Edwards Notation) packs an entire chess position into one short line of text. This guide breaks down all six fields with real examples.
How to Fill Out a Chess Scoresheet Correctly
A friendly, step-by-step guide to filling out a chess scoresheet at a tournament: the header, the move columns, results, signatures, and the time-trouble exception.
7 Common Chess Notation Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
A field guide to the chess notation mistakes that ruin scoresheets, with before/after fixes and a way to catch them automatically when you scan.
Descriptive vs. Algebraic Chess Notation
Old chess books speak a different language. Here's how descriptive notation works, why algebraic replaced it, and how to translate between the two.
Chess Symbols and Annotations Explained (!, ?, !!, ??)
A practical guide to chess annotation symbols, including move evaluations like !, ?, !!, and ?? and position assessments like =, +/-, and -+, plus how they are stored in PGN.
From Scoresheet to Lichess Study: A Complete Workflow
A practical, step-by-step workflow for coaches and club players: photograph a paper scoresheet, scan it to PGN, and build a shareable Lichess study with a chapter per game.
How to Share a Chess Game Online (PGN, FEN, and Links)
A friendly, practical guide to sharing your chess games online: PGN files, analysis links on Lichess and Chess.com, FEN for single positions, and quick embed and GIF options.
How to Get a Clean Scan of a Chess Scoresheet (Photo Tips)
A practical photo guide for scanning chess scoresheets. Better lighting, framing, and focus mean cleaner OCR and far fewer corrections before you export.
How to Store and Archive Your Chess Scoresheets
A practical guide to preserving your chess history: digitize paper scoresheets into PGN, organize them with smart naming conventions, and back them up safely.