FEN
FEN is a compact line of text that records a chess position: the pieces rank by rank, whose turn it is, castling rights, any en passant square, and two move counters.
Also called: Forsyth-Edwards Notation
FEN stands for Forsyth-Edwards Notation. It is a software convention, not part of the Laws, but it records exactly the facts the Laws make decisive in a position. It has six fields separated by spaces. The first lists the board from rank eight down to rank one, with a slash between ranks, capital letters for White pieces, lower case for Black, and a digit for each run of empty squares. The second is the side to move, w or b. The third lists castling rights, K and Q for White, k and q for Black, or a dash when none remain. The fourth is the en passant target square, or a dash. The fifth counts half-moves since the last pawn move or capture, which feeds the fifty-move rule, and the sixth is the full-move number. The starting position reads rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1. Use it whenever you need to share a position exactly, for example to ask a coach about a puzzle or to set up a position on a board editor. A move list can lose a position; a FEN does not.
A neighboring idea is Long algebraic notation. Long algebraic notation is the fuller form of algebraic notation in which each move lists its square of departure as well as its square of arrival, so the knight move Nf3 becomes Ng1-f3 and the pawn move e4 becomes e2-e4.
It sits close to PGN. PGN is a text-file standard for chess games: header tags name the event, players and result, then the moves follow in algebraic notation, so databases, engines and websites can all import the same file.
Knowing "FEN" is the easy part; what to practice next depends on your rating, and the improvement plans by rating band list the habits worth building at each level.
Related terms
PGN is a text-file standard for chess games: header tags name the event, players and result, then the moves follow in algebraic notation, so databases, engines and websites can all import the same file.
The starting position is the fixed arrangement at the start of every standard game: pawns on the second and seventh ranks, pieces behind them, queens on their own color, and a light square at each player's right.
En passant is a pawn capture that exists for one move only: after an enemy pawn leaves its starting square by two steps and stops beside your pawn, you may take it by moving to the square it skipped.
A half-move, also called a ply, is a single turn by one side, so a full move in chess notation consists of two half-moves, one by White and one by Black.
Castling is a special king move that shelters the king and activates a rook in one turn: the king goes two squares toward an unmoved rook, which then jumps to the king's other side.
Algebraic notation is the standard system for recording chess moves, naming each square by file letter and rank number and each move by the piece letter and destination square, as in Nf3 or exd5.
Guides that go further
What to decide first, the questions to ask, what a first lesson should show and the red flags to avoid.
How much does chess coaching cost?
Published rates for private, group and subscription chess coaching, with the source and the date of each.
A game review, a read on your level and a written study plan from George Li.
Sources
- FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023), Article 2.3, read Oct 21, 2026.
- FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023), Article 9.2.3, read Oct 21, 2026.
- FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023), Article 9.3, read Oct 21, 2026.
- FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023), Appendix C.5 to C.7, read Oct 21, 2026.
Want to spot this in your own games?
A first lesson starts with your games: George reviews them and builds a study plan around what he finds.