Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2018 May 16

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May 16

Current use of descriptive chess notation (especially in films)

In chess scenes of modern films, often descriptive notation is used. Examples: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, or the animation illustrating the thoughts of young Bobby Fischer analyzing a position in Pawn Sacrifice. But descriptive notation went obsolete decades ago, and most chess friends worldwide are even unfamiliar with it. So... is it still popular in the USA? Even still better known than algebraic notation? --KnightMove (talk) 05:17, 16 May 2018 (UTC)

I don't know the situation in the USA, but offer the following consideration: most filmgoers are not active chess players, and descriptive notation (I suggest) conveys more readily understandable information to such people than algebraic notation, which has become preferred by modern chess players for other reasons (such as reductions in ambiguity and errors in recording play). I also would have thought (though I might be mistaken) that even players only accustomed to algebraic notation would be able to understand descriptive notation fairly easily, so for cinematic purposes descriptive notation serves a wider audience.

I myself was actively interested in chess in the 1970s when descriptive notation was dominant: I played my school peers, followed the Fischer–Spassky Championship and bought the book of its games, bought various other books on chess, attended lectures by Harry Golombek, etc. Subsequently I lost interest, and while I can figure out written algebraic notation, I still find written descriptive notation easier, and in particular can much more readily visualise a game described verbally with descriptive notation than with algebraic. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.221.82.140 (talk) 17:11, 16 May 2018 (UTC)

It is not still popular in the US and absolutely not more well known than algebraic notation. Algebraic didn't surpass it till not too long ago so descriptive notation books and players brought up on it are still around. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 19:53, 16 May 2018 (UTC)

If you include everyone and not just people who've read or written notation recently maybe the Fischer boom caused enough kids to be taught descriptive to make it more well known among the general public. Any club player who started-in the Fischer boom should have a better idea of this than me. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 20:08, 16 May 2018 (UTC)

Maybe this is an Anglosphere thing. I always thought "prawn to king bish three" was Holly mixing it all up... 93.136.122.45 (talk) 21:52, 16 May 2018 (UTC)

A Game of Shadows is set in 1891.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 07:21, 18 May 2018 (UTC)