Syntax

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There are several standard chess diagram templates:

There are also templates for chess variants:

The syntax is basically the same for all of them.

{{Chess diagram
| <alignment> (param #1)
| <header>    (#2) 
| <a8> | <b8> | ... | <h8>  (#3 to ...
| <a7> | <b7> | ... | <h7>
...
| <a1> | <b1> | ... | <h1>  ( ... #66)
| <footer> (#67)
}}

Parameters:

  • <alignment> – defines horizontal alignment (floating) of the whole table, must be tright or tleft (or nothing)
  • <header> – the text which appears above the diagram, may be empty;
  • <a8>, <b8>, ... <h1> – define corresponding squares of the chessboard, see below;
  • <footer> – the text which appears beneath the diagram, may be empty; optional – can be left out (currently not in the other templates)

A square is defined by the name of piece or empty parameter. The names of the pieces are those given in algebraic notation:

There are also some fairy chess pieces available:

These letters are combined with either "l" for Light=White, or "d" for Dark=Black. So "kl" is White's king, and "nd" is Black's knight.

An empty square is written either using underscores, spaces, or nothing at all. Two spaces are recommended.

  •    <space> = empty square

You can also use "xx" for a cross, "xo" for a black circle on an empty square or "oo" for a white one.

  •    xx = cross/x
  •    xo = black circle
  •    oo = white circle

Numbers can also be added to squares by using "x1" for 1, "x2" for 2, ..., "x9" for 9. There is no 0.

Examples

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In the following examples the rows and columns are numbered. Because any text between "|=" and the next "|" is ignored, numbers and letters can be added without affecting output.

Standard diagram

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This diagram is recommended for common use as a main diagram in the articles on chess openings, endings, games, positions etc. See the corresponding code below.

abcdefgh
8
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
The King's Gambit
{{Chess diagram
| tright
| 

|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd|  |pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |pd|  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |pl|pl|  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|  |  |pl|pl
|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl
| The King's Gambit
}}

Diagram with both captions

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W. Langstaff, Chess Amateur 1922
abcdefgh
8
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
Mate in two.
This problem uses partial retrograde analysis method.

It may be convenient to use this in the articles on chess problems. Please note that in the header and footer you can use bolds or italics. You can also use <br> to break the lines.

{{Chess diagram
| tright
| '''W. Langstaff''', ''Chess Amateur'' 1922

|  |  |  |  |kd|  |  |rd
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |bl|  |pl
|  |  |  |rl|  |kl|pd|pl
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
| '''Mate in two.''' <br> This problem uses ''partial retrograde analysis'' method.
}}

Diagram without captions

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abcdefgh
8
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh

See the corresponding code below. If you don't want the captions, just remove them, but don't delete the second "|" pipe character for the caption above; it is possible to delete the last pipe for the longer caption below.

The diagram floats to the left to illustrate the use of the first parameter.

{{Chess diagram
| tleft
| 

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |xx|xo|xx|  |  |  |  
|  |  |pl|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |xo|  |  
|  |  |  |  |xx|xo|xx|  
|  |  |  |  |  |pl|  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
}}

Small diagram

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This one may be useful in articles with many diagrams. It uses another template named {{Chess diagram small}}.

The small diagrams can have header, too.

abcdefgh
8
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
The position after 11. Bg5.
{{Chess diagram small
| tright
| 

|rd|  |  |qd|  |rd|kd|  
|pd|pd|  |  |pd|pd|bd|pd
|  |nd|pd|  |  |nd|pd|  
|  |  |ql|  |  |  |bl|  
|  |  |  |pl|pl|  |bd|  
|  |  |nl|  |  |nl|  |  
|pl|pl|  |  |  |pl|pl|pl
|  |  |  |rl|kl|bl|  |rl
| The position after 11. Bg5.
}}

Different board size

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Chess boards of non-standard dimensions need special templates. There are templates for the following boards:

Minichess (5×5) – Chess diagram 5x5
{{Chess diagram 5x5
| tright
| 

|kd|qd|bd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl
|kl|ql|bl|nl|rl
| Gardner minichess
}}
Los Alamos chess (6×6) – Template:Chess diagram 6x6
{{Chess diagram 6x6
| tright
| 

|rd|nd|qd|kd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|ql|kl|nl|rl
| Los Alamos chess
}}
Capablanca chess (8×10)
{{Chess diagram 8x10
| tright
| 

|rd|nd|ad|bd|qd|kd|bd|cd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|al|bl|ql|kl|bl|cl|nl|rl
| Capablanca chess
}}
Grand Chess
{{Chess diagram 10x10
| tright
| 

|rd|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |rd
|  |nd|bd|qd|kd|cd|ad|bd|nd|  
|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl
|  |nl|bl|ql|kl|cl|al|bl|nl|  
|rl|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |rl
| Grand Chess
}}

Double boards

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Bughouse chess (four players)
{{bughouse chess diagram
| A1=Team 1, Board A 
| A2=Team 2, Board A 
| B1=Team 1, Board B 
| B2=Team 2, Board B
| tright
|

|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl
|rl|nl|bl|kl|ql|bl|nl|rl
|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
|rd|nd|bd|kd|qd|bd|nd|rd
| '''Bughouse setup and start position'''
}}


Team 2, Board A

               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               

Team 1, Board A

Team 2, Board B

               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               

Team 1, Board B

Bughouse setup and start position
Alice chess (two players)
{{alice chess diagram
| tright
|

|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|  |nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd|  |pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |nl|  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|  |rl
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |pd|  |  |  
|  |  |bd|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
| The position after '''1.Nf3 e6 2.Ne5 Bc5'''.
}}


               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
A
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
B
The position after 1.Nf3 e6 2.Ne5 Bc5.

Different shaped board

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Three-dimensional chess (Raumschach) – Template:Raumschach diagram
{{Raumschach diagram
| tright
|

|rd|nd|kd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|bd|sd|qd|bd|sd
|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl
|bl|sl|ql|bl|sl
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|kl|nl|rl
| Raumschach
}}
Omega ChessTemplate:Omega Chess diagram
{{Omega Chess diagram
|
| [[Omega Chess|Omega Chess]] (10x10 + 4 corners)

|wd                            |wd
|zd|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd|zd
|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl|pl
|zl|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl|zl
|wl                           |wl
| '''Omega Chess''' - start position
}}
Omega Chess (10x10 + 4 corners)
  <W4
   A

 B

 C

 D

 E

 F

 G

 H

 I
W3>
   J
 
9                     9
8                     8
7                     7
6                     6
5                     5
4                     4
3                     3
2                     2
1                     1
0                     0
     A
<W1
 B
 C
 D
 E
 F
 G
 H
 I
   J
W2>
 
Omega Chess - start position