E3E6

E3E6 is a move notation used in chess to indicate a piece moves from the square e3 to e6. It is written in long algebraic notation (LAN), which records the starting square and the destination square without specifying the piece type. The move presupposes that the moving piece can legally traverse the e-file from e3 to e6; typically the moving piece is a rook or a queen. Pawns cannot move from e3 to e6 in a single move, and bishops and knights cannot reach e6 from e3 in a straight line, so they are not candidates for this move.

In practice, e3e6 serves to remove ambiguity when documenting games or during analysis. In standard algebraic notation (SAN), the same action would be recorded as Re6 or Qe6, with additional disambiguation if more than one rook or queen could originate from different squares to reach e6; capturing would be shown as e3xe6 in LAN.

Use and implications: When a rook or queen travels to e6, it often aims to exert pressure on central files, support a counterattack, or threaten pieces on the sixth rank. The move requires clear paths on the e-file; any piece on e4 or e5 blocks the ascent. It may also be used as a tactical idea in middlegames or endgames to seize space or create threats on the opponent’s sixth rank.

History and usage: LAN notation originated in the early 20th century and remains standard in some databases, problem books, and analysis tools, though it is less common in live play where SAN is preferred.

See also: chess notation, long algebraic notation, standard algebraic notation.