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The same two characters in opposite orders, meaning noticeably different things.
Whichever mark comes first carries the weight. !? leads with approval — an enterprising move worth attention; ?! leads with doubt — probably inaccurate, though not refutable.
Same two characters, opposite order, opposite emphasis: !? is broadly favourable, ?! broadly sceptical.
| Interesting move (!?) | Dubious move (?!) | |
|---|---|---|
| Character order | Exclamation then question | Question then exclamation |
| Overall verdict | Broadly favourable | Broadly sceptical |
| What it invites | Look at this move | Be careful of this move |
| Defined by | Convention, not the Laws | Convention, not the Laws |
| Relationship (from Symbolwise's records) | Commonly confused with Dubious move (?!) — Same two characters, opposite order, opposite emphasis: !? is broadly favourable, ?! broadly sceptical. | Commonly confused with Interesting move (!?) — The same two characters reversed. Whichever comes first carries the weight. |
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-08-02
Tertiary reference. Cited for how a mark is written and read in ordinary practice, and for conventions no governing body issues. Never cited for a claim that a rule says something — the rulebooks below carry those.
Both arms sweeping forward means play continues and no kick is coming. One arm straight up means a kick is coming and cannot score directly. Confusing them changes whether players expect a stoppage.
The plain black flag excludes the competitor: their race is over. The black flag with an orange disc reports a mechanical problem that endangers others and sends the driver to the pits to have it fixed, after which they may rejoin. Both are shown with a number board, both are black, and confusing them costs a competitor a race they could have finished.
A cross means all ten pins fell to the first ball; a forward slash means it took two. The cross carries two deliveries of bonus and the slash only one, which is why three strikes are needed for a frame to reach thirty.
The exclamation mark praises a move, the question mark criticises it. Neither is defined by FIDE: unlike the rest of chess notation these are publishing convention, and two annotators may disagree about the same move.