It's been a long time since I had this in mind and also been a long time since I've been silent and confused for all the questions asked about FEN. So I decided the next time I encounter a question about it, I'll just share the link to this forum and remain silent XD.
FEN allows us to record where the chess pieces are on the board very quickly.
For example:
FEN: 4kb1r/p4ppp/4q3/8/8/1B6/PPP2PPP/2KR4
When the above FEN is converted into a normal position:
White: a2,b2,c2,f2,g2,h2,Bb3,Rd1,Kc1
Black: a7,f7,g7,h7,Bf8,Rh8,Qe6,Ke8
But even though we see the position and check out the FEN, it is very hard to compare and understand the pattern.
Here are a few tips that might help:
1. FEN is read with respect to ranks.
2. The position is recorded rank by rank starting with the eighth rank (a8) and the ranks are separated by a "/".
3. The number in the FEN depicts the number of empty squares in the rank.
4. As we know Q is queen, K is king, N is knight, B is bishop, R is rook, P is pawn, here in FEN we use the same except that the small letters are for black and capital letters are white pieces. So q is the Black Queen and Q is the White Queen.
Thus if the whole rank contains empty squares, it is recorded as 8/
r1Bq1Rk1/ means on a8 there is a Black Rook, then an empty square (b8), a White Bishop (c8), a Black Queen (d8), an empty square (e8), a White Rook, (f8), a Black King (g8) and an empty square (h8).
FEN allows us to record where the chess pieces are on the board very quickly.
For example:
FEN: 4kb1r/p4ppp/4q3/8/8/1B6/PPP2PPP/2KR4
When the above FEN is converted into a normal position:
White: a2,b2,c2,f2,g2,h2,Bb3,Rd1,Kc1
Black: a7,f7,g7,h7,Bf8,Rh8,Qe6,Ke8
But even though we see the position and check out the FEN, it is very hard to compare and understand the pattern.
Here are a few tips that might help:
1. FEN is read with respect to ranks.
2. The position is recorded rank by rank starting with the eighth rank (a8) and the ranks are separated by a "/".
3. The number in the FEN depicts the number of empty squares in the rank.
4. As we know Q is queen, K is king, N is knight, B is bishop, R is rook, P is pawn, here in FEN we use the same except that the small letters are for black and capital letters are white pieces. So q is the Black Queen and Q is the White Queen.
Thus if the whole rank contains empty squares, it is recorded as 8/
r1Bq1Rk1/ means on a8 there is a Black Rook, then an empty square (b8), a White Bishop (c8), a Black Queen (d8), an empty square (e8), a White Rook, (f8), a Black King (g8) and an empty square (h8).