Commentary symbols
When annotating chess games you can make use of a set of well-known language-independent commentary symbols. These consist of chess figurines (little piece symbols instead of letters) and evaluation symbols, all of which are given below. In ChessBase you can enter the symbols by right-clicking the notation, with the help of the annotation palette or with special keyboard shortcuts.
Hear is a list of the commentary symbols and what they mean:
! |
Good move |
|
‡ |
Zugzwang |
!! |
Excellent move |
|
” |
Centre |
!? |
Interesting move |
|
× |
Weak point. |
?! |
Dubious move |
|
™ |
Only move |
? |
Mistake |
|
ª |
with |
?? |
Blunder |
|
º |
without |
¢ |
King |
|
« |
Queenside |
£ |
Queen |
|
» |
Kingside |
¤ |
Knight |
|
v |
Endgame |
¥ |
Bishop |
|
Pair of bishops |
|
¦ |
Rook |
|
® |
Bishops of opposite colour |
§ |
Pawn |
|
¯ |
Bishops of same colour |
‚ |
Attack |
|
° |
With compensation for material |
ƒ |
Initiative |
|
± |
White has the upper hand |
„ |
Counterplay |
|
² |
White stands somewhat better |
… |
With the idea |
|
÷ |
Unclear |
† |
Space |
|
³ |
Black stands somewhat better |
“ |
Zeitnot (time trouble) |
|
µ |
Black has the upper hand |
† |
Development |
|
¹ |
Better is |
‘ |
File (line) |
|
½ |
Draw |
’ |
Diagonal |
|
þ |
Passed pawn. |