Betza notation

Betza notation describes the movement powers of a piece type . It does not record one specific move from one square to another. It is especially useful for variants containing pieces that do not exist in orthodox chess.

Its basic vocabulary uses letters called atoms. W means one orthogonal step, which is one square horizontally or vertically. F means one diagonal step. N means the knight's leap. Familiar shortcuts also exist: R for a rook's sliding movement, B for a bishop, Q for a queen, and K for a king.

Finite elementary patternRepeatable power with blockers

N: finite leap

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N enables the eight leaps from d4: b3, b5, c2, c6, e2, e6, f3, and f5, without traveling through intermediate squares.

N

Canonical basic Betza dialect. N permits moving and capturing with the knight's leap, without testing or occupying intermediate squares. The knight on d4 materializes that pattern.

1. N enables the eight leaps from d4: b3, b5, c2, c6, e2, e6, f3, and f5, without traveling through intermediate squares.

Atoms written together combine possibilities. RN describes a piece that can move as a rook or a knight. Lowercase modifiers restrict the movement: c means capture only, m means a non-capturing move only, and other letters select directions such as forward or backward. Directions are read from the piece's perspective.

Compound-power piece

RB: orthogonal and diagonal union

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The horizontal line illustrates R and the diagonal illustrates B; RB combines both repeatable powers.

RB

Canonical basic Betza dialect. RB combines the repeatable orthogonal movement of R and the repeatable diagonal movement of B in one piece type. The queen on d4 provides exactly that union for movement and capture.

1. The horizontal line illustrates R and the diagonal illustrates B; RB combines both repeatable powers.

Extended Betza notation adds tools for multi-stage moves, conditional hopping, and effects on other squares. Software may implement different subsets, so complex descriptions should be exchanged with a known dialect in mind.