Wiktionary
n. A method for recording and describe the moves in a game of chess which employs a single uppercase letter for each piece and a letter-number coordinate for each square.
Wikipedia
Algebraic notation (or AN) is a method for recording and describing the moves in a game of chess. It is now standard among all chess organizations and most books, magazines, and newspapers. In English-speaking countries, the parallel method of descriptive notation was generally used in chess publications until about 1980. A few older players still use descriptive notation but it is no longer recognised by FIDE.
Algebraic notation exists in various forms and languages, and is based on a system developed by Philipp Stamma. Stamma used the modern names of the squares, but he used p for pawn moves, and the original file of a piece (a through h) instead of the initial letter of the piece name. This article describes standard algebraic notation (SAN) required by FIDE.
Algebraic notation can mean:
- In mathematics and computers, infix notation, the practice of representing a binary operator and operands with the operator between the two operands (as in "2 + 2")
- Algebraic notation (chess), the standard system for recording movement of pieces in a chess game
- In linguistics, recursive categorical syntax, also known as "algebraic syntax", a theory of how natural languages are structured
- Mathematical notation for algebra
Usage examples of "algebraic notation".
And because chess players used an algebraic notation to describe the 64 squares on a chessboard, each square being designated by a letter and number from A-1 in the lower left comer of the board to H-8 at the upper right corner, the conversation must have sounded like computer-generated mad- ness to non-chess players.