Those numbers and letters represent chess notation, the universal language of chess. Each move in a game is described by a combination of letters and numbers. Once you understand this notation, you will be able to identify the moves played just by looking at them.

The chessboard is a grid composed of rows and columns, where rows are numbered 1-8 and columns are lettered a-h. Any square on the chessboard can be identified with a combination of a letter and a number. For instance, the square e4 is located at the intersection of the e-column and the fourth row:

Each chess piece is represented by a specific letter in chess notation:

When you see a move like "Be2" in chess notation, it means the bishop has moved to the square e2:

Chess notation also includes symbols for other actions on the board:

For example, "Qxg2" indicates that the queen has moved to g2 and captured a piece, while "Qg2+" means the queen moved to g2, putting the opponent in check. You can combine these symbols as needed, such as "Qxg2#" for a move where the queen captures a piece on g2 and delivers checkmate.

If multiple pieces can move to the same square, the notation includes additional details to clarify which piece moved.

Consider the position below where it's White's turn and both white rooks can capture the bishop on d5:

Simply writing "Rxd5" would be ambiguous. To clarify, we add another identifier:

Similarly, if instead both rooks were on the d file, we would give them a number to differentiate: