Endgame annotation symbol

An endgame is the phase in which fewer pieces remain and several priorities change: the king often becomes active, pawn promotion grows more important, and a single square may decide the result. No universal piece count marks its beginning.

The ⊥ sign acts as an editorial label for “endgame” or “transition to an endgame.” It may follow a simplification or introduce a variation whose outcome must be judged with endgame considerations. By itself, it means neither equality, victory, draw, nor checkmate.

Scid vs. PC includes $148 as a proposed Numeric Annotation Glyph (NAG) for this sign. It comes after the meanings assigned by the original Portable Game Notation (PGN) specification, the text format for storing games, so one program may show ⊥, another a word, and another nothing. A particular ending may still require other marks, such as material compensation or opposite-colored bishops.