A scanner built specifically for chess scoresheets
Generic OCR chokes on handwritten move lists. ScanChess is purpose-built for the job: snap a photo of your paper scoresheet and our AI reads the handwriting, understands chess notation, and hands you back clean SAN moves plus a ready-to-download PGN. No retyping move by move, no squinting at faded pencil. Whether the sheet came from a club night, a tournament, or a casual game in the park, you get a digital record in seconds.
Scan a scoresheet and watch a stack of paper become searchable, replayable games.
How it works
- Upload a photo. Take a picture of your handwritten scoresheet with your phone or camera, then drop it into the scanner.
- AI reads the moves. Our recognition engine converts the handwriting into standard algebraic notation, validates each move for legality, and flags anything that doesn't add up so you can fix it fast.
- Download your PGN. Export the finished game as a PGN file, or replay it move by move in the interactive board right in your browser.
Who it's for
- Players archiving their games who want every result saved, searchable, and ready for engine analysis instead of stuffed in a drawer.
- Coaches turning a student's paper scoresheets into shareable, annotatable PGNs for review.
- Clubs and arbiters digitizing whole events — a season of scoresheets becomes a clean database without an evening of manual data entry.
If you've ever wondered how all those symbols translate, our guide on how to read a chess scoresheet breaks it down.
Why ScanChess
- Chess-aware OCR that knows the difference between Nf3 and a smudge.
- Move-legality validation with clear error flags, so transcription mistakes surface instantly.
- Downloadable PGN compatible with every major chess tool and database.
- Interactive replay to step through the game and confirm the read before you save it.
- Board photo to FEN, too — capture a position mid-game and get an exportable FEN.
- Anywhere access on the web and via the WeChat mini-program, with free starter credits to begin.
Stop transcribing, start scanning
Your games deserve better than a fading paper trail. Upload a scoresheet, let the AI do the reading, and walk away with notation and PGN you can actually use. Ready to build your archive? Learn more about how to digitize your chess games, or jump straight in and scan a scoresheet now.