Editing Portable Game Notation (section)

=== Movetext ===
[[image:SCD algebraic notation.svg|right|Chessboard notation|frame]]

The movetext describes the actual moves of the game. This includes move number indicators (numbers followed by either one or three periods; one if the next move is White's move, three if the next move is Black's move) and movetext in [[Algebraic notation (chess)|Standard Algebraic Notation]] (SAN).

For most moves the SAN consists of the letter abbreviation for the piece, an <code>x</code> if there is a capture, and the two-character algebraic name of the final square the piece moved to. The letter abbreviations are <code>K</code> ([[King (chess)|king]]), <code>Q</code> ([[Queen (chess)|queen]]), <code>R</code> ([[Rook (chess)|rook]]), <code>B</code> ([[Bishop (chess)|bishop]]), and <code>N</code> ([[Knight (chess)|knight]]). The [[pawn (chess)|pawn]] is given an empty abbreviation in SAN movetext, but in other contexts the abbreviation <code>P</code> is used. The algebraic name of any square is as per usual algebraic chess notation; from white's perspective, the leftmost square closest to white is <code>a1</code>, the rightmost square closest to the white is <code>h1</code>, and the rightmost (from white's perspective) square closest to black side is <code>h8</code>.

In a few cases, a more detailed representation is needed to resolve ambiguity; if so, the piece's [[file (chess)|file]] letter, numerical [[rank (chess)|rank]], or the exact square is inserted after the moving piece's name (in that order of preference). Thus, <code>Nge2</code> specifies that the knight originally on the g-file moves to e2.

SAN [[kingside]] [[castling]] is indicated by the sequence <code>O-O</code>; [[queenside]] castling is indicated by the sequence <code>O-O-O</code> (note that these are capital Os, not zeroes, contrary to the [[FIDE]] standard for notation).<ref>{{citation|last=Burgess|first=Graham|author-link=Graham Burgess|title=The Mammoth Book of Chess|date=2000|orig-year=1997|publisher=Carroll & Graph|isbn=0-7867-0725-9|page=517|quote=The main differences from standard Algebraic are that there is both a dot and a space after each move number, and an upper case "O" is used instead of a zero in the notation for castling.}}</ref> Pawn promotions are notated by [[append]]ing <code>=</code> to the destination square, followed by the piece the pawn is promoted to. For example: <code>e8=Q</code>. If the move is a checking move, 
<code>+</code> is also appended; if the move is a checkmating move, <code>#</code> is appended instead. For example: <code>e8=Q#</code>.

An [[Glossary of chess#Annotation|annotator]] who wishes to suggest alternative moves to those actually played in the game may insert variations enclosed in parentheses. They may also comment on the game by inserting [[Numeric Annotation Glyphs]] (NAGs) into the movetext. Each NAG reflects a subjective impression of the move preceding the NAG or of the resultant position.

If the game result is anything other than <code>*</code>, the result is repeated at the end of the movetext.