View source for Chess symbols in Unicode

{{Short description|Text characters representing chess pieces}}
[[File:Chess symbols.svg|thumb|300px|Font depictions of Unicode chess symbols (in the same order as the table).  1st: [[DejaVu fonts|DejaVu Sans]]; 2nd: [[GNU FreeFont|FreeSerif]]; 3rd: Quivira; 4th: Pecita.]]
[[File:GNU Chess on macOS.png|alt=A screenshot of the GNU Chess program in graphic mode showing the chessboard with Unicode characters.|thumb|243x243px|[[Software:GNU Chess|GNU Chess]] using Unicode chess characters to display a chess board in the terminal.]]
'''Chess symbols''' are part of '''Unicode'''. Instead of using [[Digital image|images]], one can represent chess pieces by characters that are defined in the [[Unicode]] character set. This makes it possible to:
* Use figurine algebraic notation, which replaces the letter that stands for a piece by its symbol, e.g.  '''♘c6''' instead of '''Nc6'''. This enables the moves to be read independent of language (the letter abbreviations of pieces in algebraic notation vary from language to language).
* Produce the symbols using a [[Software:Text editor|text editor]] or [[Software:Word processor|word processor]] rather than a graphics editor.

In order to display or print these symbols, a device must have one or more [[Font|font]]s with good [[Unicode]] support installed, and the document (Web page, word processor document, etc.) it is displaying must use one of these fonts.<ref name="alanwoodTestForUnicodeSuportInBrowser">{{cite web

 | url=http://www.alanwood.net/unicode/miscellaneous_symbols.html
 | title=Test for Unicode support in Web browsers
}}</ref>

Unicode version 12.0 has allocated a [[Chess Symbols (Unicode block)|whole character block]] at 0x1FA00 for inclusion of extra chess piece representations. This standard points to several new characters being created in this block,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1FA00.pdf|title=Chess Symbols|website=unicode.org|access-date=21 August 2023}}</ref>including rotated pieces and neutral (neither white nor black) pieces.

==Unicode characters==
In Unicode, chess symbols are in two groups:
* Regular chess symbols, the basic six pieces in black and white (as part of Unicode block [[Miscellaneous Symbols]]), and
* Uncommon and fairy chess pieces and xiangqi pieces, in a block named ''[[Chess Symbols]]''.

===The basic 12 chess pieces===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+ '''Chess Symbols'''<br />{{nobold|1=[https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2600.pdf Unicode.org chart] (PDF)}}
|-
! Name !! Symbol !! Code point !! HTML (decimal) !! HTML (hex)
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|white chess king}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|W|K}}}}||U+2654 || &amp;#9812; || &amp;#x2654;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|white chess queen}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|W|Q}}}}||U+2655 || &amp;#9813; || &amp;#x2655;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|white chess rook}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|W|R}}}}||U+2656 || &amp;#9814; || &amp;#x2656;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|white chess bishop}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|W|B}}}}||U+2657 || &amp;#9815; || &amp;#x2657;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|white chess knight}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|W|N}}}}||U+2658 || &amp;#9816; || &amp;#x2658;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|white chess pawn}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|W|P}}}}||U+2659 || &amp;#9817; || &amp;#x2659;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|black chess king}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|B|K}}}}||U+265A || &amp;#9818; || &amp;#x265A;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|black chess queen}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|B|Q}}}}||U+265B || &amp;#9819; || &amp;#x265B;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|black chess rook}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|B|R}}}}||U+265C || &amp;#9820; || &amp;#x265C;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|black chess bishop}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|B|B}}}}||U+265D || &amp;#9821; || &amp;#x265D;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|black chess knight}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|B|N}}}}||U+265E || &amp;#9822; || &amp;#x265E;
|-
|style="text-align:left" | {{smallcaps|black chess pawn}} || {{huge|{{Chess Unicode|B|P}}}}||U+265F || &amp;#9823; || &amp;#x265F;
|}

===Fairy chess pieces and xiangqi pieces===

==Chessboard using Unicode==

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:center;border-spacing:0pt;font-family:'Arial Unicode MS'; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt"
|+
|-
| style="width:12pt" | 8
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt 0pt 0pt 1pt" |<span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|R}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt 0pt 0pt 0pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|N}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt 0pt 0pt 0pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|B}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt 0pt 0pt 0pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|Q}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt 0pt 0pt 0pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|K}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt 0pt 0pt 0pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|B}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt 0pt 0pt 0pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|N}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 1pt 1pt 0pt 0pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|R}}</span>
|-
| style="width:12pt" | 7
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 0pt 1pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 1pt 0pt 0pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|B|P}}</span>
|-
| style="width:12pt" | 6
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 0pt 1pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;"><br /></span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 1pt 0pt 0pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
|-
| style="width:12pt" | 5
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 0pt 1pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;"><br /></span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 1pt 0pt 0pt" |
|-
| style="width:12pt" | 4
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 0pt 1pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;"><br /></span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 1pt 0pt 0pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
|-
| style="width:12pt" | 3
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 0pt 1pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;"><br /></span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 1pt 0pt 0pt" |
|-
| style="width:12pt" | 2
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 0pt 1pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt;" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|P}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 1pt 0pt 0pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" |<span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|P}}</span>
|-
| style="width:12pt" | 1
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1pt 1pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|R}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1pt 0pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|N}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1pt 0pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|B}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1pt 0pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|Q}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1pt 0pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|K}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1pt 0pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|B}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1pt 0pt" bgcolor="lightgrey" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|N}}</span>
| style="width:24pt; height:24pt; border-collapse:collapse; border-color: black; border-style: solid; border-width: 0pt 1pt 1pt 0pt" | <span style="font-size:150%;">{{Chess Unicode|W|R}}</span>
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==References==
<references />


[[Category:Unicode|Chess]]

{{Sourceattribution|Chess symbols in Unicode}}