I love algebraic notation...

...it's like a secret code. From such a simple premise, such complexity and beauty can be recorded. Lucky are we, my friends, to have a pastime for which a game played can be recorded, and can last forever. A basic string of alpha-numeric symbols, so easily understood that even a non-player, given a board and a PGN printed out in Notepad could work out the game. There's an abstract beauty to it as well...

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6

Ah, the precision of it! The clearly understood definitions of capitals, lower case, numbers. As flexible as the notes on a bar of music, as simple as the alphabet itself. One of my hapless blunderings can sit alongside a Fischer masterpiece, as mere strings of numerals, equal in the eyes of the laws that built them. Capable of rendering the loveliness of chess ideas; the rarities of certain moves:

exf8=N#! for example.

It does raise a question with me. I love algebraic notation, which to a non player might seem like a peculiar thing to love. I have a theory, though. Some people may not like the smell of petrol (gasoline, for my American chums). A racing driver, however, loves the smell. Some people may not like the wind and the rain. An Ornithologist loves the outdoors, as it brings him closer to his quarry.

If you have a passion, you love the trappings of that passion; psychosomatically, as it were, as devices to bring you closer to your favourite thing.

Just thought I’d share that with you (plus, I’m board at work when I should be at home because it’s Christmas and I thought I’d waffle on in the forums for a bit. You understand).

ED.

I've actually felt the same way about FEN notation :)

i was playing otb against this older guy a little bit ago and he was using descriptive whats up with that. I honeslty dont get why algebraic isnt required by law for exerything its clear simple and like errantdeeds says we can understand but can be totally alien to anyone else. Viva la algebraic

 True, we should forbid all personal prefences.  Liberty and freedom are such bores.

 Was this a FIDE event ?  If so all you had to do was tell the arbiter as FIDE requires algebraic notation.

I love it. It makes me feel good just to understand it.

I still prefer descriptive, I think in descriptive.

It is far better for describing concepts ( or squares) that are not colour bound. I know almost everytbody disagrees, but I don't care.

And yeah, that "older guy" could easily have been me.

yoo