Stop retyping your scoresheets move by move. ScanChess reads the handwritten notation straight from a photo, converts it into clean algebraic moves, and hands you a ready-to-use PGN. Snap, review, export — your game is digital before you've put the pen down.
Whether you're archiving a tournament win, studying a club game, or sending a position to your coach, ScanChess turns paper into playable data in seconds. It's the fastest way to scan chess notation without touching a keyboard.
From paper to PGN in three steps
- Photograph your scoresheet. Use your phone or any camera — no special scanner, no flatbed, no perfect lighting required.
- Upload the image to ScanChess. Our AI OCR reads the handwriting and transcribes each move into standard algebraic notation.
- Review and export. Check the recognized moves, fix anything the validator flags, then download your PGN with one click.
That's it. No transcription marathon, no second-guessing whether you copied move 27 correctly.
Why players use ScanChess
- Accurate handwriting recognition. Purpose-built AI reads real, messy scoresheet handwriting — not just printed text.
- Instant PGN export. Get a clean, standard file you can open in any chess app, database, or engine.
- Built-in move validation. Every game is checked against the rules, with illegal or ambiguous moves flagged for a quick fix.
- Board photo to FEN. Snap a physical board and get the position as a FEN string — perfect for capturing a game in progress.
- Interactive replay. Step through the recognized game right in your browser before you export.
- Free starter credits. Try it today; each scan simply uses credits, so you only spend on what you transcribe.
- Web and WeChat. Use ScanChess in your browser or through the WeChat mini-program — whatever's in your hand at the board.
New to recording games, or inheriting a stack of old sheets? Brush up with Chess notation explained and How to read a chess scoresheet — then let ScanChess do the reading for you.
Your games deserve better than a shoebox of paper. Photograph a scoresheet now and watch your moves become a PGN.