How is P-K4 for Black e5?

Descriptive notation counts ranks from the side of the player moving. Black's fourth rank is White's fifth, so Black's P-K4 is e5. The files are the same for both: the king file is the e-file.

What do QB, KN and the other file names mean?

Each file is named after the piece that starts on it: QR is a, QN b, QB c, Q d, K e, KB f, KN g and KR h. A book often writes only B, N or R, and the position decides which side is meant.

What happens with PxP when two pawns can capture?

The converter stops and lists both moves. A book of the time would write KPxP or BPxP, or rely on the reader; add that file and conversion goes on.

Can it read promotions and en passant?

Yes. P-K8=Q, P-K8(Q) and P-K8/Q are read as promotions; a promotion with no piece named is read as a queen, and the page says so. Write en passant as PxP e.p.

Does it work for Spanish, German or French descriptive notation?

No. It reads English descriptive notation, with the English piece letters K, Q, R, B, N (or Kt) and P. Algebraic moves that only change the piece letters, such as German Sf3 or Spanish Cf3, go in the Chess Notation Translator.

Descriptive to Algebraic Notation Converter

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Type P-K4 N-KB3, get e4 Nf3 and a PGN. Runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

English and American chess books printed games in descriptive notation until the 1970s and 1980s: P-K4, N-KB3, PxP, QxN ch. Each square is named from the side of the player moving, so White's K4 is e4 and Black's K4 is e5, and a book leaves out whatever the position makes obvious. This converter replays every move on a board as it reads it, works out which piece moved and where, and writes algebraic notation (SAN) and a PGN you can open anywhere. When a move could mean two things, such as PxP with two pawns able to capture, it says so and names both instead of guessing.

What this tool does

Read from the side to move

Ranks are counted from each player's side and files are named QR to KR, so P-K4 is e4 for White and e5 for Black.

Short forms resolved on the board

N-B3, B-N5 and PxP leave a file or a piece out. The legal moves in the position decide which one is meant, and a check sign breaks a tie.

Ambiguity reported, not guessed

If more than one legal move fits, conversion stops at that move and lists the candidates, so a wrong guess never runs on through the game.

Castling, en passant, promotion

O-O and O-O-O, PxP e.p., P-K8=Q or P-K8(Q), and the old Kt for a knight are all read. The result is a PGN for any viewer.

How to convert descriptive notation to algebraic

1
Type or paste the moves as the book prints them, for example 1. P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3.
2
Read the algebraic moves beside each descriptive one. The board shows the position after the last move.
3
If a move stops the conversion, add the missing file or piece (KPxP, QR-Q1) or fix the typo, and it continues.
4
Copy the PGN, download it, or open it in the PGN viewer to play through the game.

Frequently asked questions

How is P-K4 for Black e5?: Descriptive notation counts ranks from the side of the player moving. Black's fourth rank is White's fifth, so Black's P-K4 is e5. The files are the same for both: the king file is the e-file.
What do QB, KN and the other file names mean?: Each file is named after the piece that starts on it: QR is a, QN b, QB c, Q d, K e, KB f, KN g and KR h. A book often writes only B, N or R, and the position decides which side is meant.
What happens with PxP when two pawns can capture?: The converter stops and lists both moves. A book of the time would write KPxP or BPxP, or rely on the reader; add that file and conversion goes on.
Can it read promotions and en passant?: Yes. P-K8=Q, P-K8(Q) and P-K8/Q are read as promotions; a promotion with no piece named is read as a queen, and the page says so. Write en passant as PxP e.p.
Does it work for Spanish, German or French descriptive notation?: No. It reads English descriptive notation, with the English piece letters K, Q, R, B, N (or Kt) and P. Algebraic moves that only change the piece letters, such as German Sf3 or Spanish Cf3, go in the Chess Notation Translator.

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