Algebraic Notation - when started?

[reflectionofpower]

I was surprised to look at this early game score between Reti - Capablanca and see that it was in algebraic notation. In my mind I always thought it started much later. This shows it being used in 1924. Here is the link :

http://bit.ly/ZvleGK

[hgm]

I don't think in Europe we ever did use anything else...

[reflectionofpower]

I don't think in Europe we ever did use anything else...

I did read that it was widely in use outside the USA. It wasn't until the 70-80's it became mandatory.

[noctiferus]

I have some chess books by Bell and sons, London, dated 196something (Capablanca Alekine, Tal, Petrosian games, Nimzo book and so on), where they were stlll not using the algebraic notation.

[Ajedrecista]

Hello:

I was surprised to look at this early game score between Reti - Capablanca and see that it was in algebraic notation. In my mind I always thought it started much later. This shows it being used in 1924. Here is the link :

http://bit.ly/ZvleGK

I definitively do not come here with an answer, but I bring some examples:

First of all, take a look here:

Chess Strategy (Edward Lasker, 1915).

If you go to 'Notation' (page 21), you will see a few references to algebraic notation in page 22 and following ones. I took a look to 'A Note on the PDF Version' (pages 6 and 7) and an addition of a brief explanation of algebraic notation is not mentioned. Furthermore, I looked to this book by other sources and they have the same examples of algebraic notation.

Of course I do not say that this book is the pioneer on mentioning the algebraic notation but it should prove that at least it was somewhat used at that time.

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I have some chess books by Bell and sons, London, dated 196something (Capablanca Alekine, Tal, Petrosian games, Nimzo book and so on), where they were stlll not using the algebraic notation.

I write about three random examples of 60's and 70's:

Domination in 2,545 endgame studies (Ghenrick M. Kasparyan): Copyright of 1974. I took a look of an English traslation of the revised Russian text, with Copyright of 1980: in this edition, the used notation is algebraic. I have no reason to think that the notation was changed in the traslation though I can not prove it.

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1234 modern endgame studies (compiled by M.A. Sutherland and H.M. Lommer): Copyright of 1968. In 'List of contents' (page III), there is an entry named 'Notation and Explanation of Symbols used' that guide us up to page XIV: it shows a chessboard with names a1, b1, ... inside each correspondant square; at the same time, there is a short comparison of both algebraic and descriptive notations.

The notation used in the book is a mix of both notations: captures and promotions are written in descriptive notation while the rest of moves are written in algebraic notation; as a side note, I must comment that knight moves are recorded with the old 'Kt' abbreviation instead of the modern 'N' abbreviation.

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Finally I took a look to an edition of 'Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953' by Bronstein, translated from the Second Russian Edition by Jim Marfia. I read in the first page of the book: Original Dover (1979) publication, consisting of an English translation of the corrected, second Russian (1960) edition. 210 games in algebraic notation. 352 diagrams. So it is not clear to me if the Russian version of 1960 already used the algebraic notation or not.

I am sure that some research will bring more accurate dates and a wider group of examples. Anyway, here is my grain of salt.

Regards from Spain.

Ajedrecista.

[hgm]

I learned serious Chess from the books of IM H. Bouwmeester (first print in 1960). All in algebraic notation. I also found a book amongst my collection of Chess books summarizing the World-title match Euwe-Alekhin, published in 1937. Only algebraic notation.

Descriptive notation is of course not mentioned at all in any of those. It was never used here.

[Dan Honeycutt]

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_notation:

1614: The white king commands his owne knight into the third house before his owne bishop.
1750: K. knight to His Bishop's 3d.
1837: K.Kt. to B.third sq.
1848: K.Kt. to B's 3rd.
1859: K. Kt. to B. 3d.
1874: K Kt to B3
1889: KKt -B3
1904: Kt-KB3
1946: N-KB3
Modern: Nf3[14]

I like the 1614 notation, we should return to that.

Best
Dan H.

[JuLieN]

1614: The white king commands his owne knight into the third

I like the 1614 notation, we should return to that.

Ok, you write the parser for it.

[Dan Honeycutt]

1614: The white king commands his owne knight into the third

I like the 1614 notation, we should return to that.

Ok, you write the parser for it.

That would be a bit of a challenge

Best
Dan H.