Kingside annotation symbol

The kingside is the half of the board normally formed by the e, f, g, and h files, named because the kings begin on the e-file. It describes a fixed region even after a king castles queenside or moves elsewhere.

The signs ⟩, ⟫, and ⋙ represent increasing degrees of kingside-control advantage. In Portable Game Notation (PGN), the text format for games, Numeric Annotation Glyphs (NAGs) $54-$59 combine three strengths with the favored side: even values refer to White and odd values to Black. The number, rather than the glyph's shape, identifies the side reliably.

Kingside control can support an offensive, gain space, or restrict pieces, but it does not necessarily mean the enemy king is under attack. Nor does the sign prescribe a move direction. Its counterpart is the queenside symbol, which uses signs pointing the other way. An initiative may be concentrated on either wing.