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What Is the Meaning of the Numbers & Letters on a Chessboard?

The diversity of situations in the game of chess creates many opportunities for analysis. In order to analyze prior games, chess players need a system of coordinates that allows them to track piece movement. A combination of numbers and letters creates the coordinate system for chess.

Rows
- Each horizontal row on a chessboard receives a number. Rows 1 and 2 belong to the white pieces and the black pieces occupy rows 7 and 8.
Columns
- Vertical columns on a chessboard receive a letter designation. Looking at the board from the white player's perspective, the first column on the left-hand side is column A. This continues to the last column on the right-hand side labeled H.
Coordinates
- The letters and numbers designate individual squares on a chessboard. The white king starts a game on square e1, while the black queen starts on d8.
Movement tracking
- Allowing a player to track each piece during a match is the purpose of the coordinates. Players record the movement of each piece for both sides. In chess notation, a1-e5 signifies that the piece on a1 at the beginning of the player's turn moved to square e5.
Game Analysis
- Tracking piece movements allows a player to revisit the game at a later time. If the match was a victory, he can analyze his movements to decipher what led to victory. If he lost, he can search for his mistakes and develop strategies for the future.

Chess & Checkers