Notation

Movement

The movements of chess pieces can be generally described by this formula:

a(m/n)

Where m is the distance 'leaped' on one axis and n is the distance 'leaped' on the other, and a is the number possible leaps performed in a single ply in one direction. If the letter 'n' is given for any number it denotes unlimited.

The standard chess pieces can therefore be described with this notation as such:

Piece	Movement
Knight	1(1/2)
Bishop	∞(1/1)
Rook	∞(1/0)

Pieces can combine movement types as well:

Piece	Movement
Queen	n(1/1), n(1/0)
King	1(1/1), 1(1/0)

Some pieces have special conditions attached to their movements:

• i - May only be made on the initial move.
• c - May only be made on a capture.
• o - May not be used for a capture.

Additionally, some moves are restricted by direction:

• > - May only move forwards.
• < - May only move backwards.
• = - May only move sideways.

Thus the Pawn, being the most complicated standard piece, can be described as such:

Piece	Movement
Pawn	o>1(1/0), oi>2(1/0), c>1(1/1)

Capturing

Every piece in standard chess captures opponent pieces by landing on them. This is limited, however, and there are other types of captures we would like to use:

• default - Captures piece by landing on it.
• locust - Captures piece by leaping over it.
• gun - Captures piece from a distance, without moving from its original position.