This is a complete set of picture words for Image Notation: a mnemonic code for memorising chess moves. (NOT Picture Notation.)

You do not need to memorise this list! At home, preparing your memory palaces, you can use this page. At the board, you need to recall the images (easy if you know how) and translate them back into chess moves (also easy).

If you spot any mistakes, please tell me.

Pawn moves

Pawn moves have one syllable and do not start with a /p/, /b/ or /s/ sound.

  • a1: toast, toad, tooth
  • a2: tent, tank, tin, ton
  • a3: thumb, dam, dime, dome, tomb
  • a4: tree, deer, dress, drill, drone, torch, train
  • a5: doll, dill, tail, (Mikhail) Tal, teal, till
  • a6: dish, ditch, thatch
  • a7: dog, duck, tongue
  • a8: dove, daft, tuft


  • b1: ant, gnat, hand, net, newt, nut, wand
  • b2: nun, (John) Nunn
  • b3: gnome, nymph
  • b4: nurse, nerve
  • b5: nail, Niall (name), Nile
  • b6: winch, Ange (name), hinge, inch, niche, notch
  • b7: neck, Nick (name), zinc
  • b8: knife, knave, nave


  • c1: moth, maid, mast, mat, moth, mouth, mud
  • c2: moon, man, mink, mint
  • c3: mime, meme, mumps
  • c4: Mir (Soviet/Russian space station), mare, moor
  • c5: mole, mail, milk, mule
  • c6: match, mash, midge
  • c7: mask, muck, mug
  • c8: (ear)muff, mauve


  • d1: heart, Earth, rat
  • d2: horn, wren
  • d3: ram, arm, rum, ruin, worm
  • d4: roar, rear, Ruhr
  • d5: earl, rail, roll
  • d6: roach, rash, rush
  • d7: rake, ark, orc, ring
  • d8: raft, reef


  • e1: lute, lathe, light
  • e2: lawn, lane, loan
  • e3: lamb, lamp, lime, loom
  • e4: lore, lair, lark
  • e5: lol, Lil (name)
  • e6: leech, latch, lash, leash, lodge
  • e7: hulk, leek, log, lung
  • e8: wolf, leaf


  • f1: jet, jade, sheath, shed, sheet
  • f2: jeans, chain, gin
  • f3: jam, gem
  • f4: shark, chair, jar, shirt, shorts, shrew, shrimp
  • f5: shell, chalk, gel
  • f6: judge
  • f7: chick, jug, shack
  • f8: chef, chaff, chief


  • g1: goat, cat, coat, cot, kite
  • g2: gun, can, cone, gown, quince
  • g3: gum, comb, game
  • g4: crab, car, crane, cream, cross, crow, crown, corn, grape, grass, Grinch
  • g5: clam, claw, clock, coal, glass, glove, glue, gold, quill, quilt
  • g6: coach, cage, cash, quiche
  • g7: cake, cog, gong
  • g8: gift, cave, cuff


  • h1: foot, vat, vest, vet
  • h2: fan, fawn, van, vane
  • h3: foam, Vim (software)
  • h4: frog, fern, fir, fridge
  • h5: flute, flag, flan, flea, flint, foal, foil, fowl, veil, vole
  • h6: fudge, fish
  • h7: fox, fax, fig, fog
  • h8: five, fife, Viv (name)

Knight moves

Knight moves have two syllables and do not start with a /p/, /b/ or /s/ sound.

  • Na1: dodo, tadpole, teapot, teddy
  • Na2: tandem, dentist, donkey, headset, tanker, tuna
  • Na3: diamond, atom, dummy
  • Na4: dragon, cider, ostrich, otter, oyster, tractor, T-rex, trumpet
  • Na5: tulip, Dalek, dolphin, toilet, outlaw
  • Na6: teacher, dodgeball
  • Na7: digger, doctor, dugong, taco, taxi, tiger, tugboat
  • Na8: diver, toffee, tofu


  • Nb1: windmill, needle, nettle, noodle
  • Nb2: ninja, nanny, onion
  • Nb3: nomad, Nemo (name), Nimrod (name), number
  • Nb4: narwhal, Nordic
  • Nb5: nylon, in-law, Nala (name), Nelly (name), Nelson (name)
  • Nb6: angel, engine, nacho
  • Nb7: necklace, hanbok, insect
  • Nb8: anvil, envoy, infant, navy, novice


  • Nc1: moped, mittens, mother, moustache
  • Nc2: monkey, manger, miner, money, monster
  • Nc3: mammoth, memo, mummy
  • Nc4: meerkat, hammer, marble, mirror
  • Nc5: mussel, mallet, milkshake, melon, muscle, omelette
  • Nc6: machine, mushroom
  • Nc7: magpie, hammock, magnet
  • Nc8: muffin, movie


  • Nd1: robot, rabbit, rooster, warthog, wizard
  • Nd2: heron, orange, rainbow, ribbon, robin
  • Nd3: Roman, armour, army
  • Nd4: robber, harbour, razor, wrapper
  • Nd5: ruler, railway, relic, royal
  • Nd6: airship, archer, Richard (name), warship
  • Nd7: rocket, iceberg, orca, organ, raccoon, racket
  • Nd8: raven, earphones, rifle


  • Ne1: lobster, ladder, laptop, lettuce, lipstick, wallet
  • Ne2: lantern, lion, linnet
  • Ne3: lemur, helmet, lamppost, lamprey, lemon, llama
  • Ne4: walrus, lawyer, leper, lorry
  • Ne5: lily, label, lilac, loophole
  • Ne6: lychee, ledger, legend, lodger, lotion
  • Ne7: locust, algae, lagoon, liger, liqueur, locket, luggage
  • Ne8: lava, lifeboat, lifeguard, liver, olive


  • Nf1: cheetah, hatchet
  • Nf2: genie, chainsaw, ginger
  • Nf3: gymnast, champagne, chimney, shampoo
  • Nf4: giraffe, cherry, shepherd, sheriff, shawarma
  • Nf5: cello, chapel, chilli, jelly, shallot, shelduck
  • Nf6: shisha, japchae, sheepshank (knot), shoji
  • Nf7: hedgehog, chicken, jigsaw, jockey, juggler, sheepdog, shekel
  • Nf8: shovel, chaffinch, Java


  • Ng1: kitten, guitar, kestrel, wicket
  • Ng2: canoe, candle, candy, conker, cannon, gibbon, kidney, wagon
  • Ng3: camel, comet, kimchi
  • Ng4: ogre, carrot, cricket, crystal
  • Ng5: eagle, cola, gazelle, igloo
  • Ng6: ketchup, cabbage, cashew
  • Ng7: cockroach, cookie, cuckoo, cupcake, goggles, kayak, quokka
  • Ng8: coffee, gopher, guava, kefir, quiver


  • Nh1: feather, father, football, voter
  • Nh2: phoenix, fountain, Venus, vinyl
  • Nh3: vampire, vomit
  • Nh4: fairy, farmer, ferry, fireman, viper
  • Nh5: waffle, flower, fossil, vessel
  • Nh6: (Mount) Fuji, (Bobby) Fischer, fishcake
  • Nh7: Viking, foghorn, vaccine, vicar
  • Nh8: fiver, viva

Bishop moves

Bishop moves have three syllables and do not start with a /p/, /b/ or /s/ sound.

  • Ba1: Titanic, detective, tapestry
  • Ba2: tangerine, dynamite, tandoori, tanzanite, tinderbox
  • Ba3: tambourine, domino, tomato
  • Ba4: astronaut, asteroid, dragonfly, terrapin, tiara, tornado, trebuchet
  • Ba5: telescope, dalmatian, telephone
  • Ba6: dishwasher, optician
  • Ba7: woodpecker, toboggan
  • Ba8: daffodil, DVD, Tuvalu


  • Bb1: anteater, antelope, centipede, nightingale
  • Bb2: nanobot, Nineveh
  • Bb3: winemaker, animal, enamel, enemy, numeral, pneumatic
  • Bb4: newspaper, anarchist, anorak
  • Bb5: Hannibal, Napoli, onlooker
  • Bb6: anchovy, engineer
  • Bb7: unicorn, nectarine
  • Bb8: inventor, envelope, infantry, invader, invention, investor


  • Bc1: mastodon, amethyst, matador, meteor, motorist
  • Bc2: manatee, ammonite, mayonnaise, Minotaur, omnibus
  • Bc3: museum, Mombasa, mummichog
  • Bc4: umbrella, emerald, maraca, marmalade, marshmallow, mercury
  • Bc5: millipede, mulberry
  • Bc6: machete, magician
  • Bc7: hummingbird, mackerel, magazine, mechanic, microphone, mosaic, mosquito
  • Bc8: amphora, maverick


  • Bd1: hairdryer, radio, risotto
  • Bd2: Robin Hood, roundabout, Uranus
  • Bd3: ramekin, armada, armoury, aroma, romantic, ruminant
  • Bd4: warrior, horseradish, raspberry
  • Bd5: relative, religion
  • Bd6: archerfish, Rajasthan, Regina, regiment
  • Bd7: harpsichord, apricot, architect, orchestra, recorder
  • Bd8: referee, Raphael (name), revolver, rifleman


  • Be1: albatross, Hollywood, ocelot, wildebeest
  • Be2: alien, lioness
  • Be3: limousine, halloumi, lemonade
  • Be4: wheelbarrow, celery, Labrador, wallpaper
  • Be5: lollipop, Lilliput
  • Be6: illusion, Elijah (name), eyelashes, logician
  • Be7: alpaca, alcohol, liquorice
  • Be8: elephant, lavender, wolverine, xylophone


  • Bf1: shuttlecock, Jupiter, chapati
  • Bf2: chinchilla, chancellor, chandelier, janitor, Shinkansen
  • Bf3: chimpanzee, chamber pot, champion
  • Bf4: chariot, chardonnay
  • Bf5: jellyfish, gelatin, jalfrezi, shipbuilder
  • Bf6: jujube, chapshoro, jajangmyeon, Joshua (name), jujitsu
  • Bf7: jaguar, cicada, shopkeeper
  • Bf8: shoveler, Chevrolet (brand), shaving foam


  • Bg1: catapult, aqueduct, cuttlefish, octopus
  • Bg2: candyfloss, canopy, canister, conifer
  • Bg3: kimono, Camelot, computer, Komodo (dragon)
  • Bg4: crocodile, acrobat, caravan, cormorant, gorilla
  • Bg5: koala, clarinet, goalkeeper, icicle
  • Bg6: kedgeree, acacia
  • Bg7: coconut, cockatrice, cockerel, cucumber, kingfisher, wobbegong, quicksilver
  • Bg8: governor, Coventry


  • Bh1: footballer, avocet, physicist, veteran, video, vitamin
  • Bh2: vinegar, fentanyl
  • Bh3: feminist, family
  • Bh4: hovercraft, firefighter, ivory, officer, overcoat
  • Bh5: flamingo, falafel, flamethrower, viola, vulture
  • Bh6: fisherman, fishmonger, vegetable
  • Bh7: Victory, factory, vicarage
  • Bh8: favela, favourite, Vivaldi, Vivian (name)

Rook moves

Rook moves have four syllables and do not start with a /p/, /b/ or /s/ sound.

  • Ra1: Tutankhamen, detonator
  • Ra2: dandelion
  • Ra3: tamarillo, automaton, automobile
  • Ra4: tarantula, motorcycle, oystercatcher, triceratops, watermelon
  • Ra5: diplodocus, television
  • Ra6: didgeridoo
  • Ra7: tapioca, taxidermist
  • Ra8: advertisement, audiophile, developer


  • Rb1: Antarctica, annuity, antagonist, Ontario
  • Rb2: nanoneedle, nanoplastic
  • Rb3: anemone, Namibia, (Ian) Nepomniachtchi
  • Rb4: (the greatly missed Daniel) Naroditsky, naranjilla, neurotoxin, norovirus
  • Rb5: Napoleon (Bonaparte), Honolulu, nobility
  • Rb6: enchilada, Nigeria
  • Rb7: anaconda, (Hikaru) Nakamura
  • Rb8: invitation, environment, infantryman


  • Rc1: meteorite, Madagascar, mathematics, Mitsubishi (brand)
  • Rc2: mahonia, Minnesota, monopoly, Montenegro
  • Rc3: (Shakhriyar) Mamedyarov, Mamma mia
  • Rc4: marionette, embroidery, (Diego) Maradona, merry-go-round
  • Rc5: melodica, Melchizedek (name)
  • Rc6: majordomo, machinery, majolica, missionary
  • Rc7: magnolia, macaroni, Makemake, magnesium, mascarpone
  • Rc8: amphetamine, amphibian


  • Rd1: rhododendron, artillery, radiator, ratatouille
  • Rd2: rhinoceros, Esperanto, uranium
  • Rd3: armadillo, Armenia, harmonica, Romania
  • Rd4: respirator, arboretum
  • Rd5: rollercoaster, railway station
  • Rd6: Argentina, Azerbaijan
  • Rd7: orangutan, asparagus, hieroglyphics, oregano, origami
  • Rd8: ravioli, Orvieto (wine)


  • Re1: lederhosen, altimeter, elderberry, El Dorado
  • Re2: jalapeño, Albania
  • Re3: Lamborghini (brand), limoncello, Olympian
  • Re4: allosaurus, celebrity, Liberia
  • Re5: hallelujah, Lilliputian
  • Re6: Algeria, zoology
  • Re7: helicopter, alligator, electrician
  • Re8: leviathan, Lavinia (name)


  • Rf1: Chateaubriand (steak), (Dmitri) Shostakovich
  • Rf2: generator, gingerbread man
  • Rf3: gymnasium, chimichurri
  • Rf4: jabberwocky, Jeremiah (name), Jerusalem
  • Rf5: shopaholic, geologist, Juliana (name)
  • Rf6: shabu-shabu, Chachapoya, shachihoko
  • Rf7: washing machine, Chicken Little, geographer, shakuhachi
  • Rf8: shaving powder, chauvinism, shaving mirror


  • Rg1: caterpillar
  • Rg2: iguanodon, economist
  • Rg3: chameleon, aquamarine, camellia, hippocampus, oximeter
  • Rg4: accordion, aquarium, carburetor, chrysanthemum, coriander, Krakatoa
  • Rg5: gladiator, calculator, kaleidoscope, ukulele
  • Rg6: cappuccino
  • Rg7: kookaburra, cucamelon, guacamole
  • Rg8: cafetière


  • Rh1: phytoplankton, afterburner, photographer
  • Rh2: ventriloquist, Vanuatu, ventilator
  • Rh3: fumigator, famotidine, feminism, vomitoxin
  • Rh4: fortepiano, frangipani, vermicelli
  • Rh5: philosopher, Floridian, flowerpecker
  • Rh6: vigilante, fisherwoman
  • Rh7: avocado, focaccia
  • Rh8: vuvuzela, Vesuvius

Queen moves

Queen moves start with an /s/ sound (and can have any number of syllables).

  • Qa1: statue, stadium, stethoscope, sitatunga
  • Qa2: stone, stencil
  • Qa3: stomach, stump, steamroller
  • Qa4: starfish, star, starship, strawberry
  • Qa5: satellite, stool, saddle, spatula
  • Qa6: stopwatch, stitch
  • Qa7: stegosaurus, stake, stag, stick, sparrowhawk, Sudoku
  • Qa8: stove, sativa, staff, stevia


  • Qb1: Santa, centaur, Cinderella, sandwich, scientist, snowdrop, sundae
  • Qb2: sin bin
  • Qb3: snowman, cinnamon, sunbeam, snowmobile
  • Qb4: snorkel, snare, spanner, scenery
  • Qb5: snail, snowball, snowplough, snallygaster
  • Qb6: sponge, snowshoe, spinach
  • Qb7: sunglasses, snake, snack, snooker
  • Qb8: sunflower, snowflake


  • Qc1: scimitar, swimsuit
  • Qc2: salmon, seaman, seminary
  • Qc3: simoom, semimetal
  • Qc4: samurai, sombrero, submarine
  • Qc5: cymbal, semolina, Somalia
  • Qc6: smashed avocado, samaj, smidgeon
  • Qc7: smokestack, smoke
  • Qc8: samovar, symphony


  • Qd1: sardine, certificate, seratonin, Sorting Hat, sourdough
  • Qd2: serpent, siren, serendipity, soprano
  • Qd3: Cyberman, ceramic, sermon
  • Qd4: sorcerer, sorority, sorrower
  • Qd5: cereal, spiral
  • Qd6: surgeon, sergeant
  • Qd7: sparkler, sorghum
  • Qd8: servant, surf, supervisor


  • Qe1: sloth, salt, solicitor
  • Qe2: saloon, Celine (name), salon, Selena (name)
  • Qe3: salamander, salami, slime
  • Qe4: sailor, slipper
  • Qe5: celluloid, salol, soliloquy
  • Qe6: sledgehammer, sledge, slush, slushie
  • Qe7: slug, sling
  • Qe8: sulphur, saliva, silver


  • Qf1: sachet (pronounced unusually with a hard t), Sajid (name)
  • Qf2: Sichuan, session
  • Qf3: sashimi, sachem
  • Qf4: Sojourner (Mars rover), seashore
  • Qf5: seashell, satchel
  • Qf6: sushi chef
  • Qf7: sashiko, saw-jig (jigsaw remixed), sushka
  • Qf8: sous-chef, sea chief


  • Qg1: squid, scooter, skittle, spaghetti
  • Qg2: scone, signalman, skin
  • Qg3: sycamore, Sigmund (name)
  • Qg4: squirrel, scar, scarf, screw, skirt, speaker, scorpion, screwdriver, secretary
  • Qg5: skeleton, skull, seagull
  • Qg6: Scotch, sketch, Saskatchewan
  • Qg7: skyscraper, Skegness
  • Qg8: saxophone, skiff, scaffolding


  • Qh1: softball
  • Qh2: sphinx, sousaphone
  • Qh3: sophomore, safe mode
  • Qh4: sapphire, sphere, saffron
  • Qh5: soufflé, Savlon (brand)
  • Qh6: savage
  • Qh7: sovkhoz
  • Qh8: safe haven

King moves

King moves start with a /p/ or /b/ sound (and can have any number of syllables).

  • Ka1: potato
  • Ka2: button, baton
  • Ka3: poppadom
  • Ka4: butterfly, butter, patrician, potter
  • Ka5: bottle, bodybuilder, paddle steamer, petal
  • Ka6: pottage, potash
  • Ka7: petticoat, pudding
  • Ka8: batfish, Batavia, (Mikhail) Botvinnik


  • Kb1: panda, bandana, pants, pint
  • Kb2: banana, banyan, panini, peninsula
  • Kb3: binman, bone marrow, Panama (hat or country), penman
  • Kb4: Pioneer (space probe), banner
  • Kb5: pineapple, pencil, Penelope (name)
  • Kb6: banjo, bench, poncho
  • Kb7: Pinocchio, beanbag, binoculars, pancreas, penguin
  • Kb8: bonfire, benefactor


  • Kc1: behemoth, biometrics, bumetanide
  • Kc2: Bohemian, Pomona
  • Kc3: biomembrane, biomimicry
  • Kc4: boomerang, Pomeranian
  • Kc5: bumblebee, pomelo
  • Kc6: bombshell, Beamish (brand), pomchi
  • Kc7: pumpkin, pomegranate
  • Kc8: B-movie, bumf, pomfret


  • Kd1: pirate, barrister, broth, paparazzi, parrot, president, protester
  • Kd2: brain, barnacle, parsnip, pepperoni, piranha, prawn
  • Kd3: pyramid, broom, pram, bromine, primrose, barometer
  • Kd4: barbarian, briar
  • Kd5: barrel, barbell, barley, bracelet, paralegal, parsley, pearl, porcelain
  • Kd6: brush, birch, broach, bridge, porch, porridge, projector
  • Kd7: porcupine, brachiosaurus, brick, broccoli, parakeet, paraglider
  • Kd8: perfume, prefect, privateer, profiterole, prophet


  • Ke1: bulldozer, belt, pilot, politician, polyester
  • Ke2: balloon, blanket, Bologna, Bolonoodle, bullion, plane, polonium
  • Ke3: blimp, palomino (horse), plum, policeman, policewoman
  • Ke4: pliosaurus, blueberry, pillar
  • Ke5: balalaika
  • Ke6: bleach, plush velvet, polish
  • Ke7: pelican, balaclava, blackberry, bulgogi
  • Ke8: bailiff, Bolivia


  • Kf1: budget
  • Kf2: pigeon, passionfruit, potion
  • Kf3: pyjamas
  • Kf4: badger, budgerigar
  • Kf5: busheler, bachelor, Beaujolais (wine)
  • Kf6: pushchair, bushchat, bushjacket
  • Kf7: pushcart, beachcart, beachcomber, bushcraft
  • Kf8: bush fowl, bushfire, push-fit


  • Kg1: baguette, bacteria, basketball, bucket, pagoda, psychiatrist
  • Kg2: Pocahontas (name), bacon, begonia, bikini, buccaneer
  • Kg3: Pac-Man (brand), Big Mac (brand)
  • Kg4: boxer, baker
  • Kg5: bagel, pickle
  • Kg6: package, baggage
  • Kg7: peacock, pickaxe
  • Kg8: Bigfoot


  • Kh1: bovid, bavette, Pavetta, pivot
  • Kh2: puffin, phone
  • Kh3: bivium, Beefmaster (cattle breed)
  • Kh4: beaver, Bovril (brand)
  • Kh5: buffalo, pavilion
  • Kh6: bee-fish, peevish
  • Kh7: bivouac, beefcake
  • Kh8: puff of…, bevy of