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.

a1

  • Pa1: toast, toad, tooth
  • Na1: dodo, tadpole, teapot, teddy
  • Ba1: Titanic, detective, tapestry
  • Ra1: Tutankhamen, Tatiana (name)
  • Qa1: statue, stadium, stethoscope, sitatunga, stud
  • Ka1: potato

a2

  • Pa2: tent, tank, tin, ton
  • Na2: tandem, dentist, donkey, headset, tanker, tuna
  • Ba2: tangerine, dynamite, tandoori, tanzanite, tinderbox
  • Ra2: dandelion, Estonia, Eswatini, Tanzania
  • Qa2: stone, stencil
  • Ka2: button, baton

a3

  • Pa3: thumb, dam, dime, dome, tomb
  • Na3: diamond, atom, dummy
  • Ba3: tambourine, domino, tomato
  • Ra3: tamarillo, automaton, automobile
  • Qa3: stomach, stump, steamroller
  • Ka3: puppet, poppadom

a4

  • Pa4: tree, deer, dress, drill, drone, torch, train
  • Na4: dragon, cider, ostrich, otter, oyster, tractor, trumpet
  • Ba4: astronaut, asteroid, dragonfly, terrapin, tiara, tornado, trebuchet
  • Ra4: tarantula, motorcycle, oystercatcher, thermometer, Triceratops, watermelon
  • Qa4: starfish, star, straw, string, starship, stroganoff
  • Ka4: butterfly, butter, patrician, potter

a5

  • Pa5: doll, tail, till
  • Na5: tulip, dolphin, outlaw, toilet
  • Ba5: telescope, dalmatian, telephone,
  • Ra5: Diplodocus, television
  • Qa5: satellite, stool, saddle, spatula
  • Ka5: bottle, bodybuilder, paddle steamer, petal

a6

  • Pa6: dish, ditch, thatch
  • Na6: teacher, dodgeball,
  • Ba6: dishwasher, optician
  • Ra6: didgeridoo
  • Qa6: stopwatch, stitch
  • Ka6: pottage, potash

a7

  • Pa7: dog, duck, tongue
  • Na7: tiger, digger, doctor, dugong, taco, taxi, tugboat
  • Ba7: woodpecker, toboggan
  • Ra7: tapioca, taxidermist
  • Qa7: stegosaurus, stake, stag, stick, sparrowhawk, Sudoku,
  • Ka7: petticoat, pudding

a8

  • Pa8: dove, Dave (name)
  • Na8: toffee, diver, tofu
  • Ba8: daffodil, DVD
  • Ra8: advertisement, audiophile, developer
  • Qa8: stevia, sativa
  • Ka8: beautification

b1

  • Pb1: ant, gnat, hand, net, newt, nut, wand
  • Nb1: noodle, Annette (name), needle, nettle
  • Bb1: anteater, antelope, centipede, nightingale
  • Rb1: annuity, Ontario
  • Qb1: Santa, centaur, Cinderella, sand, sandwich, sanitiser, scientist, snowdrop, sundae
  • Kb1: bandana, pants, pint

For annuity I imagine a pile of gold.

b2

  • Pb2: nun, (John) Nunn
  • Nb2: ninja, nanny, onion
  • Bb2: nanobot, Nineveh
  • Rb2: nanoneedle
  • Qb2: sin bin, sunniness, synonym
  • Kb2: banana, banyan, panini, peninsula

b3

  • Pb3: gnome, nymph
  • Nb3: Nemo (name)
  • Bb3: manatee, minaret, mineral
  • Rb3: anemone, Namibia, (Ian) Nepomniachtchi
  • Qb3: snowman, cinnamon, sunbeam, snowmobile
  • Kb3: Panama (hat or country)

The g in gnome is silent.

b4

  • Pb4: nurse, nerve
  • Nb4: narwhal, Nordic
  • Bb4: newspaper, anarchist, anorak
  • Rb4: (Daniel) Naroditsky, Herodotus, norovirus
  • Qb4: snorkel, snare, spanner, scenery
  • Kb4: pioneer

b5

  • Pb5: nail
  • Nb5: nylon, Nala (name), Nelly (name)
  • Bb5: Napoli
  • Rb5: Napoleon (Bonaparte), Honolulu, nobility
  • Qb5: snail, snowball, snowplough, snallygaster
  • Kb5: pineapple, pencil, Penelope (name)

b6

  • Pb6: hinge, notch
  • Nb6: angel, engine
  • Bb6: anchovy, engineer
  • Rb6: Angelina (name), Angelica (name), Nigeria
  • Qb6: sponge, snowshoe, spinach
  • Kb6: banjo, bench, poncho

b7

  • Pb7: zinc, neck,
  • Nb7: necklace, hanbok, insect,
  • Bb7: unicorn
  • Rb7: anaconda, (Hikaru) Nakamura
  • Qb7: sunglassess, snake, snack, snooker,
  • Kb7: Pinocchio, beanbag, pancreas, binoculars

b8

  • Pb8: knife, nave
  • Nb8: anvil
  • Bb8: envelope
  • Rb8: invitation, environment
  • Qb8: sunflower, snowflake,
  • Kb8: Boniface (name)

The k in knife is silent.

c1

  • Pc1: moth, maid, mast, mat, moth, mouth, mud
  • Nc1: moped, mittens, mother, moustache
  • Bc1: mastodon, amethyst
  • Rc1: meteorite, Madagascar, mathematics, Mitsubishi
  • Qc1: scimitar, swimsuit
  • Kc1: behemoth

The c in scimitar is silent.

c2

  • Pc2: moon, man, mink, mint
  • Nc2: monkey, manger, miner, money, monster
  • Bc2: Minotaur, ammonite, manatee, mayonnaise, omnibus
  • Rc2: mahonia, Minnesota, monopoly, Montenegro
  • Qc2: salmon
  • Kc2: Bohemian, Pomona

The l in salmon is silent.

c3

  • Pc3: mime, meme, mumps
  • Nc3: mammoth, memo, mummy
  • Bc3: museum, Mombasa, mummichog
  • Rc3: (Shakhriyar) Mamedyarov, Mamma mia
  • Qc3: simoom
  • Kc3: puma mom

c4

  • Pc4: Mir (Soviet/Russian space station), moor
  • Nc4: meerkat, hammer, marble, mirror
  • Bc4: umbrella, emerald, maraca, marmalade, marshmallow, mercury
  • Rc4: marionette, embroidery, (Diego) Maradona, merry-go-round
  • Qc4: samurai, sombrero, submarine
  • Kc4: boomerang

c5

  • Pc5: mole, mail, milk, mule
  • Nc5: mussel, mallet, milkshake, melon, muscle, omelette
  • Bc5: millipede, mulberry
  • Rc5: melodica, Melchizedek (name)
  • Qc5: cymbal, semolina, Somalia
  • Kc5: bumblebee, pomelo

c6

  • Pc6: match, mash, midge
  • Nc6: machine, mushroom
  • Bc6: machete, magician
  • Rc6: majordomo, machinery, majicola, missionary
  • Qc6: smashed avocado, samaj, smidgeon
  • Kc6: Beamish (village, surname, brand of beer)

c7

  • Pc7: mask, muck, mug
  • Nc7: magpie, hammock, magnet
  • Bc7: hummingbird, mackerel, magazine, mechanic, microphone, mosaic, mosquito
  • Rc7: magnolia, macaroni, Makemake, magnesium, mascarpone
  • Qc7: smokestack, smoke
  • Kc7: pomegranate

c8

  • Pc8: (ear)muff, mauve
  • Nc8: muffin, movie
  • Bc8: amphora, maverick
  • Rc8: amphetamine, amphibian
  • Qc8: samovar
  • Kc8: B-movie

d1

  • Pd1: heart, Earth, rat
  • Nd1: robot, rabbit, rooster, warthog, wizard
  • Bd1: hairdryer, radio, risotto
  • Rd1: rhododendron, artillery, radiator, ratatouille
  • Qd1: sourdough, seratonin
  • Kd1: pirate, barrister, broth, paparazzi, parrot, president, protester

d2

  • Pd2: horn, wren
  • Nd2: heron, orange, rainbow, ribbon, robin
  • Bd2: raisin, roundabout, Uranus
  • Rd2: rhinoceros, Esperanto, uranium
  • Qd2: serpent, siren, serendipidy, soprano
  • Kd2: brain, barnacle, parsnip, pepperoni, piranha, prawn

d3

  • Pd3: ram, arm, rum, worm
  • Nd3: Roman, army
  • Bd3: ramekin
  • Rd3: armadillo, harmonica
  • Qd3: ceramic, sermon
  • Kd3: pyramid, broom, pram, bromine, primrose, barometer

For Roman I imagine a Roman soldier. Don’t be tempted to treat it as an adjective, for example if you are remembering Roman ram, don’t memorise a ram pretending to be a Roman soldier. Always have two separate (but interacting) pictures: a Roman soldier and a ram.

d4

  • Pd4: roar, rear, Ruhr
  • Nd4: robber, harbour, razor, wrapper
  • Bd4: warrior, horseradish
  • Rd4: respirator, arboretum
  • Qd4: sorcerer, sorority, sorrower
  • Kd4: barbarian, briar

For roar I imagine a lion roaring.

d5

  • Pd5: earl, rail, roll
  • Nd5: ruler, railway, relic, royal
  • Bd5: relative, religion
  • Rd5: roller coaster
  • Qd5: cereal, spiral
  • Kd5: barrel, barbell, barley, bracelet, paralegal, parsley, pearl, porcelain

d6

  • Pd6: rush, roach
  • Nd6: airship, archer, Richard (name), warship
  • Bd6: archerfish, Rajasthan, Regina
  • Rd6: Argentina, Azerbaijan
  • Qd6: surgeon
  • Kd6: brush, birch, broach, bridge, porch, porridge, projector

d7

  • Pd7: rake, ark, orc, ring
  • Nd7: rocket, iceberg, orca, organ, raccoon, racket
  • Bd7: harpsichord, architect, orchestra, recorder
  • Rd7: orangutan, architecture, asparagus, hieroglyphics, oregano, origami
  • Qd7: sparkler
  • Kd7: Brachiosaurus, brick, broccoli, parakeet, porcupine, paraglider

Be careful to distinguish Brachiosaurus from Diplodocus (a5).

d8

  • Pd8: raft, reef
  • Nd8: raven, earphones, rifle
  • Bd8: referee
  • Rd8: ravioli, Orvieto (wine)
  • Qd8: servant, surf, supervisor
  • Kd8: perfume, prefect, privateer, profiterole, prophet

e1

  • Pe1: lute, lathe, light
  • Ne1: lobster, ladder, laptop, lettuce, lipstick, wallet
  • Be1: albatross, Hollywood, ocelot, wildebeest
  • Re1: lederhosen, Elizabeth (name)
  • Qe1: sloth, salt, solicitor
  • Ke1: bulldozer, belt, pilot, politician, polyester

Be careful to distinguish lobster from crab (g4).

e2

  • Pe2: lawn, lane, loan
  • Ne2: lantern, lion, linnet
  • Be2: alien, lioness
  • Re2: jalapeño, Albania
  • Qe2: saloon, Celine (name), salon, Selena (name)
  • Ke2: balloon, blanket, Bologna, Bolonoodle, bullion, plane, polonium

Be careful to distinguish plane from jet (f1).

The first letter of jalapeño sounds like an h, so we ignore it when finding the target square.

Don’t use lion if you use a lion for roar (d4).

e3

  • Pe3: lamb, lamp, lime, loom
  • Ne3: lemur, helmet, lamppost, lamprey, lemon, llama
  • Be3: limousine, halloumi, lemonade
  • Re3: Lamborghini, limoncello, Olympian
  • Qe3: salamander, salami, slime
  • Ke3: blimp, palomino (horse), plum, policeman, policewoman

e4

  • Pe4: lore, lair, lark
  • Ne4: walrus, lawyer, leper, lorry
  • Be4: wheelbarrow, celery, Labrador, wallpaper
  • Re4: allosaurus, celebrity, Liberia
  • Qe4: sailor, slipper
  • Ke4: pliosaurus, blueberry,

For lore I imagine a medieval manuscript or something that would appear in a fantasy novel.

e5

  • Pe5: lol, Lil (name)
  • Ne5: lily, label, lilac, loophole
  • Be5: lollipop, Lilliput
  • Re5: hallelujah, Lilliputian
  • Qe5: celluloid
  • Ke5: balalaika

Lol is the online shorthand for laugh out loud. I imagine a jester. For hallelujah I imagine a colourful banner.

e6

  • Pe6: leech
  • Ne6: lychee, ledger, legend, lodger, lotion
  • Be6: illusion, Elijah (name), eyelashes
  • Re6: Algeria, zoology
  • Qe6: sledgehammer, sledge, slush, slushie
  • Ke6: polish, bleach, plush velvet

For illusion I imagine a cartoon palm tree (like a stereotypical cartoon mirage).

e7

  • Pe7: hulk, leek, log, lung
  • Ne7: luggage, logo, (Judit) Polgar
  • Be7: alpaca, alcohol, liquorice
  • Re7: helicopter, alligator, electrician
  • Qe7: slug, sling
  • Ke7: pelican, balaclava, blackberry, bulgogi, pelican

e8

  • Pe8: wolf, leaf
  • Ne8: lava, lifeboat, lifeguard, liver, olive
  • Be8: elephant, lavender, wolverine, xylophone
  • Re8: leviathan, Lavinia (name)
  • Qe8: sulphur, Slovakia, Slovenia
  • Ke8: Bolivia

Be careful to distinguish elephant from mammoth (c3).

f1

  • Pf1: jet, jade, sheath, shed, sheet
  • Nf1: cheetah, hatchet
  • Bf1: shuttlecock, Jupiter, chapati
  • Rf1: Chateaubriand (steak), Shostakovich
  • Qf1: sachet (pronounced unusually with a hard t), Sajid (name)
  • Kf1: budget

Be careful to distinguish jet from plane (e2). I imagine a jet pack.

f2

  • Pf2: jeans, chain, gin
  • Nf2: genie, chainsaw, ginger
  • Bf2: chinchilla, chancellor, chandelier, janitor, Shinkansen
  • Rf2: generator, gingerbread man
  • Qf2: Sichuan, session
  • Kf2: pigeon, potion

f3

  • Pf3: jam, gem, Jim (name)
  • Nf3: gymnast, champagne, chimney, shampoo
  • Bf3: chimpanzee, chamber pot, champion
  • Rf3: gymnasium, chimichurri
  • Qf3: sashimi
  • Kf3: pyjamas

f4

  • Pf4: shark, chair, jar, shirt, shorts, shrew, shrimp
  • Nf4: giraffe, cherry, shepherd, sheriff, shawarma
  • Bf4: chariot, chardonnay
  • Rf4: jabberwocky, Jeremiah (name), Jerusalem
  • Qf4: seashore
  • Kf4: badger, budgerigar

f5

  • Pf5: shell, chalk, gel
  • Nf5: cello, chilli, jelly, shallot, shelduck
  • Bf5: jellyfish, gelatin, jalfrezi, shipbuilder
  • Rf5: shopaholic, geologist, Juliana (name)
  • Qf5: seashell, satchel
  • Kf5: busheler

f6

  • Pf6: judge, Josh (name)
  • Nf6: shisha, japchae, sheepshank (knot), shoji
  • Bf6: jujube, chapshoro, jajangmyeon, Joshua (name), jujitsu
  • Rf6: shabu-shabu, Chachapoya, Jojo Rabbit, shachihoko
  • Qf6: sushi chef
  • Kf6: pushchair

f7

  • Pf7: chick, jug, shack
  • Nf7: hedgehog, chicken, jackpot, jigsaw, jockey, juggler, sheepdog, shekel
  • Bf7: jaguar, cicada, shopkeeper
  • Rf7: washing machine, Chicken Little, geographer, shakuhachi
  • Qf7: sashiko, saw-jig (jigsaw backwards), sushka
  • Kf7: pushcart, bushcraft

f8

  • Pf8: chef, chaff, chief
  • Nf8: shovel, chaffinch, Java
  • Bf8: shoveler, Chevrolet, shaving foam
  • Rf8: shaving powder, chauvinism, shaving mirror
  • Qf8: sea chief
  • Kf8: push-off

g1

  • Pg1: goat, cat, coat, cot, kite
  • Ng1: kitten, guitar, kestrel, wicket
  • Bg1: catapult, cuttlefish, octopus
  • Rg1: caterpillar
  • Qg1: squid, scooter, skittle, spaghetti
  • Kg1: baguette, bacteria, basketball, bucket, pagoda, psychiatrist

g2

  • Pg2: gun, can, cone, gown
  • Ng2: canoe, candle, candy, conker, cannon, gibbon, kidney, wagon
  • Bg2: candyfloss, canopy, canister, conifer
  • Rg2: iguanodon, economist
  • Qg2: skin, signalman
  • Kg2: Pocahontas, bacon, begonia, bikini, buccaneer

If you dislike visualising realistic violence with a gun, you can imagine a water pistol, finger gun, or tranquilizer gun.

g3

  • Pg3: gum, comb, game
  • Ng3: camel, comet, kimchi
  • Bg3: kimono, Camelot, computer, Komodo (dragon)
  • Rg3: chameleon, aquamarine, camellia, hippocampus, oximeter
  • Qg3: sycamore, Sigmund (name)
  • Kg3: Pac-Man, Big Mac

g4

  • Pg4: crab, car, crane, cream, cross, crow, crown, corn, grass
  • Ng4: ogre, carrot, cricket, crystal
  • Bg4: crocodile, acrobat, caravan, cormorant, grasshopper, gorilla
  • Rg4: accordion, carburetor, chrysanthemum, coriander, Krakatoa
  • Qg4: squirrel, scar, scarf, screw, skirt, speaker, scorpion, screwdriver, secretary
  • Kg4: boxer, baker

g5

  • Pg5: clam, claw, clock, coal, glass, glove, glue, gold
  • Ng5: eagle, cola, gazelle, igloo
  • Bg5: koala, clarinet, goalkeeper, icicle,
  • Rg5: gladiator, calculator, kaleidoscope, ukulele
  • Qg5: skeleton, skull, seagull
  • Kg5: bagel, pickle

Be careful to distinguish gladiator from warrior (d4).

g6

  • Pg6: coach, cage, cash, quiche
  • Ng6: ketchup, cabbage, cashew
  • Bg6: kedgeree, acacia
  • Rg6: cappuccino
  • Qg6: Scotch, sketch, Saskatchewan
  • Kg6: package, baggage

Be careful to distinguish cappuccino from coffee (g8).

g7

  • Pg7: cake, cog, gong
  • Ng7: cockroach, cookie, cuckoo, cupcake, goggles, kayak
  • Bg7: coconut, cockatrice, cockerel, cucumber, kingfisher, wobbegong
  • Rg7: kookaburra, cucamelon, guacamole
  • Qg7: skyscraper, Skegness
  • Kg7: peacock, pickaxe

g8

  • Pg8: gift, cave, cuff
  • Ng8: coffee, gopher, guava, kefir
  • Bg8: governor, Coventry
  • Rg8: cafetière
  • Qg8: saxophone, skiff, scaffolding
  • Kg8: Bigfoot

h1

  • Ph1: foot, vat, vest, vet
  • Nh1: feather, father, football, voter
  • Bh1: footballer, avocet, physicist, veteran, video, vitamin
  • Rh1: phytoplankton, afterburner, photographer
  • Qh1: softball
  • Kh1: bovid, bavette, Pavetta, pivot

h2

  • Ph2: fan, fawn, van, vane
  • Nh2: phoenix, fountain, Venus, vinyl
  • Bh2: vinegar, fentanyl
  • Rh2: ventriloquist, Vanuatu, ventilator
  • Qh2: sphinx, sousaphone
  • Kh2: puffin, phone

h3

  • Ph3: foam, Vim (software)
  • Nh3: vampire, vomit
  • Bh3: family, Fumika (name)
  • Rh3: feminism, famotidine
  • Qh3: sophomore
  • Kh3: bivium

For family, I imagine a small family hugging (so that it forms one “object”). Be careful to distinguish it from majority (c6). For feminism, I imagine Mrs Banks wearing a “votes for women” sash, from the film Mary Poppins.

h4

  • Ph4: frog, fern, fir, fridge
  • Nh4: fairy, farmer, ferry, viper
  • Bh4: hovercraft, ivory, officer, overalls, overcoat
  • Rh4: firefighter, frangipani, fortepiano, vermicelli
  • Qh4: sapphire, sphere, saffron
  • Kh4: beaver

h5

  • Ph5: flute, flag, flan, flea, flint, foal, foil, fowl, veil, vole
  • Nh5: waffle, flower, fossil, vessel
  • Bh5: flamingo, falafel, flamethrower, viola, vulture
  • Rh5: philosopher, Floridian, flowerpecker
  • Qh5: soufflé
  • Kh5: buffalo

h6

  • Ph6: fish, fudge
  • Nh6: (Mount) Fuji, (Bobby) Fischer, fishcake
  • Bh6: fisherman, fishmonger, vegetable
  • Rh6: vigilante, fisherwoman
  • Qh6: savage
  • Kh6: bee-fish, peevish

h7

  • Ph7: fox, fax, fig, fog
  • Nh7: Viking, foghorn, vaccine, vicar
  • Bh7: Victory, factory, vicarage
  • Rh7: avocado, focaccia
  • Qh7: sovkhoz
  • Kh7: bivouac, beefcake

For Victory, I imagine Horatio Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory.

h8

  • Ph8: five, fife, Viv (name)
  • Nh8: fiver, viva
  • Bh8: favela, Vivaldi, Vivian (name)
  • Rh8: vuvuzela, Vesuvius
  • Qh8: sofa view
  • Kh8: puff of…, bevy of

For five I imagine a seahorse in the shape of a 5.

For puff of… I imagine a little cloud (like a cartoon puff of wind).