Find the Square

About this drill

Reading notation is the other half of knowing the board. A coach says "knight to f3", a book prints 23.Rd7, a friend asks about the pawn on b5, and you must put your finger on the square at once. Here the coordinate is read aloud or shown, and you tap the square it names.

What you will learn

• 01 To go from a name to a square: find the file first, then count up the rank.
• 02 Squares far from the corners and the centre, such as b6 or g3, usually take longest.
• 03 To read a board flipped to Black's side without recounting from a1.
• 04 To tap a square under a clock without looking for the letters along the edge.

How the levels build

The ladder matches Name the Square, because the two drills are mirror images. Level 1 is the a1 to d4 quadrant, level 2 the a1 to h4 half, level 3 the whole board from your side.

Level 4 flips the board. Level 5 changes the orientation on every question, so the first thing to check is where a1 sits. Level 6 is the full board with five seconds per square.

The reverse direction matters because naming a lit square is recognition, while finding a named square is recall, and recall is what you use when reading a game or following a lesson.

How to practise it

This drill is tap only, so keep the device in your hand. Listen for the file letter, move your hand to that file, then to the rank. Play levels 1 and 2 quickly and spend your time on levels 3 to 5. Pass is 80 percent. If you mix up a pair such as c3 and e3 more than once, say both names aloud while looking at them, then play the level again.

Questions people ask

Is Find the Square free?

Yes, every level, with no card and no time limit.

Can I answer Find the Square by voice?

No. The answer is a square you tap, which is faster than saying a name back. The coordinate is read aloud when sound is on and shown as text.

What is the difference between Name the Square and Find the Square?

Name the Square shows a square and asks for its name. Find the Square gives the name and asks for the square. The second is the one you use when reading moves.