Chess Informant: Definition and Overview

Chess Informant

Definition

Chess Informant (originally Šahovski Informator) is a long-running, curated series of chess publications, founded in 1966 in Belgrade by grandmaster Aleksandar Matanović and Milivoje Molerović. Each volume compiles the most important recent games from top-level events, annotated primarily with a universal set of symbols instead of prose. This “language-independent” approach made it the global standard reference for opening theory and high-level analysis in the pre-internet era and remains influential today.

What it contains

Annotated master games: hundreds of top games each volume, with concise symbolic evaluations and comments contributed by leading grandmasters.
Opening classification: games indexed by ECO code (A00–E99), a system developed by the same publisher in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings.
Special sections: combinations (tactics), endgames, studies, indexes by players, openings, and events.
Awards: “Best Game” and “Best Theoretical Novelty” prizes for outstanding contributions to chess.
Cross-references: pointers to thematic lines, novelties, and theoretical surveys that map the evolution of opening ideas.

How it is used in chess

The Chess Informant is a practical toolkit for serious players and coaches:

Opening preparation: track the latest theoretical debates by ECO code, find novelties, and compare high-level assessments across games.
Model game study: use annotated classics to learn typical plans, pawn structures, and tactical motifs in a given opening (e.g., the Najdorf Sicilian).
Training material: mine the combinations and endgames sections for coaching exercises that reflect current elite practice.
Citation and research: authors and analysts often reference entries by “CI number/game” (e.g., “CI 85/170”), along with the ECO code (e.g., “C92”).

Symbol language (Informant-style notation)

Chess Informant popularized a compact symbolic language for evaluations and move-by-move commentary, adopted later by databases and engines. Core symbols include:

Move quality: ! good move; !! brilliant; ? mistake; ?? blunder; !? interesting; ?! dubious.
Position evaluation: = equal; += White is slightly better; =+ Black is slightly better; +/- winning (decisive) advantage for White; -/+ winning advantage for Black; ∞ unclear/complex.
Theory marker: N denotes a theoretical novelty (a new move in established theory).

Because these symbols transcend language, a game annotated in Belgrade can be instantly understood in Buenos Aires, Moscow, or Tokyo—a key reason for the series’ global reach.

Historical significance

Before ubiquitous databases and engines, Chess Informant was the definitive source for cutting-edge theory and elite games. World champions and challengers—Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov, Anand, and others—studied and contributed to it. Its disciplined format helped standardize opening classification (via ECO), normalized symbolic annotation across the chess world, and set the template for modern chess publishing and software. Even in the engine era, Informant’s curated grandmaster perspectives remain valuable as a human “filter” on the deluge of computer analysis.

Examples

Example 1: Informant-style evaluation in a mainline Ruy Lopez (C92). After standard developing moves, the position is often assessed as equal (=) or balanced with chances for both sides:

Ruy Lopez, Closed (C92):

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4

Typical symbolic summary around move 10: “= with balanced play; both sides maneuver behind their pawn chains.”

Example 2: A Najdorf tabiya where multiple plans collide and theory evolves rapidly (often marked ∞/unclear in Informant when the position is objectively complex):

Sicilian Najdorf (B90–B99):

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O Nbd7 10. g4 b5

Informant-style note: “∞ dynamic play for both sides; the evaluation hinges on precise move orders and novelties (N) in critical lines.”

Notable usage and anecdotes

Many legendary games—such as Kasparov vs. Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999—were featured and widely discussed in Informant volumes, influencing how players approached related openings for years.
Grandmasters frequently annotated their own games, offering a rare, concise window into elite thinking using symbols rather than long prose.
The Informant’s awards for “Best Game” and “Best Theoretical Novelty” became badges of honor; winning one signaled a true impact on chess aesthetics or theory.
The series has published over 150 volumes, transitioning from print-only to also offering digital/database formats while preserving its iconic symbolic style.

How to read and cite an Informant game

ECO code: e.g., “C92” identifies the opening family (Ruy Lopez, Closed).
Game reference: “CI 85/170” means Chess Informant volume 85, game number 170.
Annotations: look for evaluations like “+=” or “∞” at key junctures, and “N” marking where a novelty enters.
Cross-check: use the opening index to find all recent games with the same ECO code for broader context.

Strategic impact

By compressing grandmaster insight into a precise symbolic language and organizing it with robust indices, Chess Informant made it practical to survey entire opening families, compare evaluations across multiple top games, and track the birth and fate of novelties. Its approach shaped how generations of players prepare, publish, and even think about chess analysis—an influence that persists in modern databases and engine annotation styles.