user-1: What does this algebraic notation expression mean?
exd5

There is no such notation as x. There is only a, b, c, d, e, f, g, and h. I don't know how this algebraic notation works.

user7297: For those of you (like me) who use this notation (x = capture) all the time: it's good to note that the confusion probably arises from a variant which uses a colon (:) to indicate captures. I've only seen it in old books myself, but Wikipedia lists it:

A colon (:) is sometimes used instead of "x", either in the same place the "x" would go (B:e5) or at the end (Be5:), but this is not the FIDE standard.


user4418: The "x" means "captures". So, exd5 means the e pawn captures the piece on d5, which may be either a pawn or a more valuable piece.
If the piece doing the capturing is not a pawn then the letter for the piece is used, e.g. Nxc3
Here is an example from the Scotch Gambit
[fen ""]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Nxc3


-1: <p>What does this algebraic notation expression mean?</p>
<pre><code>exd5
</code></pre>
<p>There is no such notation as x. There is only a, b, c, d, e, f, g, and h. I don't know how this algebraic notation works.</p>
 7297: <p>For those of you (like me) who use this notation (x = capture) all the time: it's good to note that the confusion probably arises from a variant which uses a colon (:) to indicate captures. I've only seen it in old books myself, but <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algebraic_notation_(chess)#Captures" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wikipedia</a> lists it:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A colon (:) is sometimes used instead of &quot;x&quot;, either in the same place the &quot;x&quot; would go (<strong>B:e5</strong>) or at the end (<strong>Be5:</strong>), but this is not the FIDE standard.</p>
</blockquote>
 4418: <p>The &quot;x&quot; means &quot;captures&quot;. So, exd5 means the e pawn captures the piece on d5, which may be either a pawn or a more valuable piece.</p>
<p>If the piece doing the capturing is not a pawn then the letter for the piece is used, e.g. Nxc3</p>
<p>Here is an example from the Scotch Gambit</p>
<pre><code>[fen &quot;&quot;]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Nxc3
</code></pre>
