ROTN - Readable Ordered Text Notation: An Open Human-Readable Complement to FEN for Blind Chess Players

This paper introduces ROTN (Readable Ordered Text Notation), an open-source, EBNF-specified, human-readable chess position format designed as a complement to FEN for blind players using screen readers like NVDA and JAWS. While FEN is optimized for engines, ROTN explicitly lists White and Black piece positions (W: / B:) from the player's perspective, reducing cognitive load and enabling vocal reading, teaching and book transcription. FEN for engines, ROTN for humans. Author: Rosario TurcoSpec: https://redyouman.github.io/blog/2026/07/02/specifica-rotn.htmlLicense: CC-BY 4.0