I agree that algebraic notation reduces ambiguity. However, I think descriptive has more character. I first heard it back in the ‘60s, in, I think, a James Bond movie. I thought it sounded cool. This was around the time I bought The Fireside Book of Chess (ed Chernev/Reinfeld, 1966). Of course, I had to learn descriptive notation to read that and other chess books of that era. I actually became pretty good at the game when I was young. I felt bad, though, on one occasion, when I beat some guy who studied the game intensely. Then I got away from chess. Too busy, I guess. However, I recently sat down with my 15-year-old son, whom I thought I’d have to teach the moves. He beat me in four moves. Fool’s Mate, I think it’s called. I looked at him like that old guy looked at Beth Harmon in the Queen’s Gambit miniseries. So, I had this epiphany: Chess is tougher when you’re older. So I went back to square one (no pun intended). I was a bit dismayed that all the new books were in algebraic notation. I learned it, but it still seemed a bit cold and mechanical to me. Has anyone else had that experience? Probably older people, like me. Well, I hope to get my chess act back to some level of competence. I am from Paul Morphy’s hometown, after all. Maybe I’ll play you one day.
Well, it certainly does have more characters. Once I made the switch to algebraic, I was very glad I did.
There is however one use for descriptive denied to algebraic: you can designate a square irrespective of what side you're playing (thus KB7 instead of f7/f2).
Ive only every been exposed to algebraic notation in my life. I started on chess.com three-ish years ago though, so no wonder. I always thought other forms are too bulky and hard to use in conversation, as well as a pain to write down.
Both have pros and cons. Algebric is good if you play white, but with black it's very bad because numbers are upside down and the left is on the right. With descriptive there are no such issues, but it's confusing and much slower for replying whole games.
It need more characters, indeed. By the way, I saw Queen's Gambit in two languages and in German they used algebraic notation in comntrast to the original one.
PS: an encrypted game of mine.
Once upon a time I concocted the following. Inspired by Donner‘s weird story I published 2014 a game of mine in Donner‘s distorted style to „encrypt“ it by means of descriptive notation. Donner claimed that the US invented this type of notation that no one can follow their games.
The first move of the Whites:
The Queen's Pawn advances two Squares
The first move of the Blacks:
The King's Knight jumps to the King's Bishop's Third Square
The second move of the Whites:
The Queen's Knight jumps to the Queen's Bishop's Third Square
The second move of the Blacks:
The King's Knight Pawn advances one Square
The third move of the Whites:
The King's Pawn advances two Squares
The third move of the Blacks:
The Queen Pawn advances one Square
The fourth move of the Whites:
The King's Bishop's Pawn advances two Squares
The fourth move of the Blacks:
The King's Bishop positions himself on the King's Knight's second Square
The fifth move of the Whites:
The King's Knight jumps to the King's Bishop's third Square
The fifth move of the Blacks:
The Queen's Bishop's Pawn advances two Squares
The sixth move of the Whites:
The King's Bishop positions himself on the fifth Square of the Queen's Knight announcing echec.
The sixth move of the Blacks:
The Queen's Bishop positions himself on the Queen's second Square
The seventh move of the Whites:
The King's Pawn advances one Square
The seventh move of the Blacks:
The King's Knight jumps to the King's Knight fifth Square
The eight move of the Whites:
The King's Pawn advances one Square
The eight move of the Blacks:
The King Bishop's Pawn captures the White Pawn
The nineth move of the Whites:
The King's Knight jumps to the King's Knight fifth Square
The nineth move of the Blacks:
The Queen's Bishop captures the Black Bishop
The tenth move of the Whites:
The King's Knight captures the Black King's Pawn
The tenth move of the Blacks:
The King's Bishop captures the Black Pawn
The eleventh move of the Whites:
The King's Knight captures the Black Queen
The eleventh move of the Blacks:
The King's Bishop positions himself on the King Bishop's seventh square announcig echec.
The twelfth move of the Whites:
The King occupies the Queen's second Square
The twelfth move of the Blacks:
The King's Bishop positions himself on the King's sixth square announcig echec.
The thirteenth move of the Whites:
The King occupies the King's first Square
The thirteenth move of the Blacks:
The King's Bishop positions himself on the King Bishop's seventh square announcig echec
The fourteenth move of the Whites:
The King occupies the Queen's second Square
The fourteenth move of the Blacks:
The King's Bishop positions himself on the King's sixth square announcig echec.
These moves having thus been repeated several times, an impasse was recorded.
UTF-8 has the Carriage Return and Line Teens character too... Let's use them.
I grew up with descriptive and I still think it's far superior and more intuitive for openings and even for simple endgames but complex positions become very cumbersome.
Descriptive notation is my native chess language. I am comfortable with either system.
@Taoskier - #1 The Fireside Book of Chess is a great book, I have a copy. :]
Descriptive was used only by English speakers. The rest of the world used algebraic since ever:
https://imgur.com/Bp9CJiL
Algebraic is the only chess notation now legally allowed in FIDE events.
Weirdly chess computers in the 80's displayed English Descriptive on their screens each move. I learnt Descriptive first from Reinfeld books. But I would never use it now; Algebraic is shorter. But I suppose that Descriptive is good for reading old books.
Weirdest experience that I had was in potal correspondence chess with stamps and snail mail in the 90's; I would write in Algebraic and the other player wanted descriptive. :) Maybe we compromised and both used Algescriptive lol.
The only other chess system that I am aware of is Forsyth notation that is used to record adjourned positions; I have never seen anyone ever use that lol.
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