CHESMAYNE

Fairy Chess

Fairyland Chess Set. All figurines are handpainted in cold cast resin. The Kings height is 3¼” and the chess board is 15” x 15”. This chess board is finished in a brilliant high gloss coating. The stained wood veneers and gloss lacquer finish go together to create this beautiful showpiece.

See ‘Taxonomy’

Fairy chess pieces and problems index - link

01 Henry Tate (1873-1926) used the term ‘fairy chess’ in The Australasian in 1914.

02 FIDE use the term ‘heterodox chess’.

02A Helpmates.

02B Retrograde Analysis.

02C Selfmates.

02D Retractors.

03 Fairy problems with invented MPs/mps, boards, rules etc are also used.

04 In Irish folklore, Angus Mac Og was one of the ‘Tuatha de Danaan’ or fairy race, his home said to be the 6,000 year old neolithic mound at New Grange in Meath (Bruigh na Boinee). He was called Mac Og (‘Young Son’) and given power over time and a magic cloak of invisibility.

05A French: Echecs feeriques.

05B German: Feenschach.

05C Italian: Bizzarie.

05D Spanish: Problemas fantasia.

06 Fairies: the word derives from ‘Fays’ meaning the Fatae or Fates and are equivalent to the Irish Sidhe dwellers, bestowing gifts of prophecy and music and originate from the angels of the Fall. Fir Chlis/Leprachaun.

07 Mab: QU of Faery and may be associated with Maeve or the Welsh ‘mab’ for baby, since she is called the ‘fairies midwife’.

08 Tylwyth Teg (Welsh): The Fair Family (euphemistic name for the Fairies).

09 Irish: Leprechaun (Cluricaune): the fairie’s shoemaker.

10 A diminutive supernatural being of human shape, with magical powers.

11 Banshee (Irish Folklore): a woman of the Fairies.

12 The butterfly is the symbol associated with the Faery People (Celt) and the Ivy month (see ‘Astrology’).

13 Fairy MPs/mps include Nightriders, Balloons, Vaos, Edgehogs, Camels, Fers, Wazirs, Imitators and Grasshoppers etc.

Unexpected Party

The Piececlopedia

See also: List of fairy pieces, compiled by Frank Truelove. On the Chess Variant Pages Home page of Hans Bodlaender Feedback WWW page by Hans Bodlaender. Contributions by Ben Good, David Howe, and others.

This part of the Chess Variant Pages is a starting collection of information on fairy chess pieces: pieces used in chess variants and fairy chess problems, with information on their origins and movement. The Piececlopedia just started and is very incomplete, but hopefully it will grow with time. Nicer movement diagrams are also planned for the future. Readers are invited to contribute!

A

Alfil. Jumps two diagonally.
Amazon. Can move as queen or as knight.
Antelope. Makes (3,4)-jump.
Archbishop. Moves as bishop but can make reflection at side of board.

B

Berolina Pawn. Pawn variant that takes straight and moves diagonally forward.
Bishop. Moves arbitrary number of unobstructed squares diagonally.
Bishopper. Moves along diagonal line to first square after jumped over piece.
Bison. Makes (1-3)-jump or (2-3)-jump.
Bowman. Moves as knight, and takes a piece that is an additional knightsmove in same direction away.

C

Camel. Makes (1,3)-jump.
Cardinal. Moves as bishop or as knight.
Chameleon.

Chameleon (1). Take a piece in the way that piece is taking.
Chameleon (2). Change movement abilities after every movement.

Champion. Moves one orthogonally or jumps two orthogonally or diagonally.
Chancellor. Moves like rook or as knight.
Contragrasshopper. Moves as queen but must always jump first.
Coordinator. Takes in ‘coordination' with king.

D

Dabbabah. Jumps two orthogonally.
Dragon. Combines pawn and knight movement.

E

Empress. Can move as queen or as knight. Also called amazon.

F

Ferz. Moves one diagonally.
Flamingo. (1,6)-jumper.
Friend. Moves as any friendly piece that guards it.

G

Giraffe. Makes (1,4)-jump.
Gnus. Makes (1-2)-jump or (1-3)-jump.
Grasshopper. Moves along queenlines to first square after jumped over piece.

H

I

Immobilizer. Pieces standing near an immobilizer may not move.

J

Joker. Moves like last piece moved by the opponent.

K

King. Royal piece moving one in arbitrary direction.
King Battler. King usually moves as a queen.
Knight. Makes a (1,2)-jump.

L

Lion. Powerful piece from Shogi variant.
Murray Lion. Jumps two orthogonally or diagonally or captures on neighboring square.
Long Leaper. Moves as queen, but takes by leaping.

M

Mao. Moves as knight but cannot jump.
Mimics. Several pieces that can imitate the movement of other pieces.
Murray Lion. Jumps two orthogonally or diagonally or captures on neighboring square.

N

Nightrider. Can make one knightjump, or more knightjumps in the same direction.

O

Orphan. Moves like a piece that attacks it.

P

Pao. Moves like rook, but must jump when taking.
Pawn. Moves straight forward, takes diagonally forwards, and can promote.
Pincer Pawn. Moves as rook, and takes by enclosing.

Q

Queen. Moves across unobstructed orthogonal or diagonal line.

R

Rook. Moves across unobstructed orthogonal line.
Rose. Can make consecutive knightmoves in a circle.

S

Sissa. Move exists of moving a number of squares as rook and an equal number of squares as bishop.
Soucie. Moves on queen-lines exactly as many squares as there are pieces on that line.
Squirrel. Jumps two orthogonally, two vertically, or like a knight.

T

Taxonomy. Categorizing several types of pieces.

U

Ubi-Ubi. Can make arbitrary many knightmoves in one turn.

V

W

Wazir. Moves one square orthogonally.
Windmill. Moves around piece.
Withdrawer. Takes by moving away.
Wizard. Moves one diagonally or makes (1,3)-jump.

X

Y

Z

Zebra. 2-3-jumper.

Aesthetics of chess

Outside of the joys of winning or losing, my real interest in chess has for many years been in the aesthetics of the game. My main contribution in this field was as joint author (along with David Friedgood) of Secrets of Spectacular Chess (Batsford, 1995. 224 pp, 184 diagrams. ISBN 0-7134-7721-0).

Extracts from Secrets of Spectacular Chess:

Our purpose in writing the book

Importance of chess aesthetics

Fantasy and motivation

A brief history of beautiful chess ideas

Philosophy of aesthetics in chess:

Paradox, geometry, depth and flow

Limitations of the method

Contents of book

These are all taken from the mainly textual introduction... The rest of the book is full of examples!

Reviews of Secrets of Spectacular Chess

Someday I hope to write a sequel to ‘Secrets’, outlining further thoughts and ideas. Each of the four elements (Paradox, Depth, Geometry and Flow) deserves its own book. I’m busy saving up spectacular examples! Since publication of the book in 1995 I have written several articles in connection with aesthetics. Perhaps the most significant of these was a joint article with Sir Jeremy Morse, one of England’s leading problem composers. Anybody interested in problems might wish to check out:

The Aesthetics of Task Problems

Feedback about chess aesthetics is most welcome. What do you think of the theory outlined in ‘Secrets’? Do you have a better theory? Want to show me a spectacular example? E-mail me! I do try to reply.

E-mail

If you are interested in purchasing a signed copy of ‘Secrets’ or any of my other books, click here

Top of this page Main page

“La novella degli Scacchi e della Tavola Reale”

(“The story of Chess and Backgammon”)

Review by Gianfelice Ferlito

A new critical edition of the Pahlavi text “Wizarisn i catrang ud nihisn i new-ardaxsir” (WCNV) by Prof. Antonio Panaino, 1999, Milan. Prof Antonio Panaino lives in Milan. Associate Professor at the University of Bologna for Iranian philology he reads at the Faculty of Cultural Assets Preservation in Ravenna. He is an outstanding scholar of pre-Islamic Iran, with marked attention to religion (Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Christianity in Central Asia) and to the evolution of sciences or pseudosciences of antiquity, especially in regards of astronomy and astrology. He has publìshed already several monographs and one hundred essays.

Worth mentioning are two studies about Tistrya, the god of the star Sirius. He published “Tistrya I. The Avesta Hymn to Sirius” (Rome, 1990) and “The Iranian myth of the star Sirius.” (Rome, 1995). These two books earned him in 1998 the “R. et T, Ghirsham” prize from the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres of Paris. Now he proposes to all chess scholars and to a greater public a new critical edition and translation of an anonymous Pahlavi text on catrang (chess) and new-ardaxsir (backgammon) known by the title “Wizarisn i cotrang ud nihisn i new-ardaxsir” (WCN in short). It is interesting to learn from Panaino that this title was probably added in 1897 by the Editor Jamasp-Asana who presented the old story on chess and backgammon in a new edition following the manuscripts MK, JJ and TD, among which the most indisputable and oldest is the Ms MK which was copied in India in 1322 A. D. The old story (WCN) sometimes has different titles, such as “Catrang namak” or “Madayan i catrang” (H. J. R. Murray), but at the outset the story had no title at all. The Jamasp-Asana title in English reads “The explanation of catrang (chess)and the set up or new-ardaxsir (backgammon)”. This old story is basically the oldest document where catrang (chess) and the shapes of the catrang pieces are described for the first time ever. Thus it is of paramount importance for the history of the game. Panaino’s book, 8¾” x 5½”, printed with 20 black and white historical illustrations, consists of 268 pages. The price in Italy is 35.000 lire (around £13), (1). An up to-date Bibliography of 26 pages gives a full panorama of the vast chess and backgammon literature and of studies related to the Sassanian period and to Persian epics and literature.
At the end of the book there is a summary of 3 pages in English and an English translation of the Pahlavi text plus an useful Index of names, places and a Lexicon of Pahlavi words used in the WCN. The book consists of two Parts. The first Part, 16 pages, gives a brief account of the old story (Chapter I), the written tradition of the various MMS of the WCN (Chapter lI) and the transliteration, translation and comments of the Pahlavi text (Chapter III).

The second Part, 104 pages, deals with the probable dating of the text as reported by the more accurate manuscripts called MK, JJ, TD (Chapter I), the question whether the story is fictitious or historical (Chapter II), the historical research on the leading characters, i.e. Tataritos - the Indian ambassador (Chapter III), Wuzurgmihr - the semi-legendary Persian sage who explained what was the catrang and how to play it and Burzoy - the doctor of the Iranian king Xusraw I (Chapter IV), the story as presented by Firdawsi (Chapter V), the panorama of past interpretations of the Pahlavi words related to the shapes of catrang pieces and the Panaino’s new explanation for two of them (Rook and Queen) (Chapter VI) and finally the description and the symbolic significance of the game “New-ardaxsir” (backgammon) (Chapter VII).

The book is of great interest for all chess scholars, and it has a great deal of notes which gives a mine of quotations and references in the vast field of research done in centuries of investigation. Part I describes in detail the intellectual confrontation between two kings, the great Persian “king of the kings” Xusraw I (531-579 AD) and the (fictitious) Indian king Dewisarm.
The Indian king challenges the great Persian monarch to explain the “rationale” of (1)... one set of catrang (and) 16 pieces made of emerald and 16 made of red ruby to test the intelligence and the wisdom of lords”.   The puzzle was presented by the Indian delegate Tataritos” (2)... with a caravan of 1200 camels loaded of gold, silver, jewels, pearls and garments, and 90 elephants.   The challenge to the Persian king was “Explain catrang or send us a tribute”. The story tells us that the Persian King asked for 3 days of time.

    At the end of the third day, Wuzurgmihr, a Persian sage, “...(5) rose to his feet” and explained, by “(15)....his innate wisdom, ... easily and simply” the meaning of catrang (9) ...Dewisarm made this catrang on purpose like a battlefield, (10) And he made the kings like two overlords, the minister like the left and right flank(s), the general like the commander of the warriors, the elephant (s) like the commander of the (royal) bodyguards, the horse (s) like the commander of the cavalry, the pawn (s) like those same infantrymen at the front of the battle) and showed not only how to play it but furthermore defeated the same Tataritos in 3 consecutive games.   The story goes on because the wise Wuzurgmhir not only was able to explain catrang but also devised a new game which he called nev-ardaxsir in honour of king Ardashir (c. 224-241 AD) “(19) ...the most active and the wisest among the rulers” and proposed to his King to send the new game to Dewisarm to test this time the Indian wisdom.   The caravan was prepared and Wuzurgmhir was appointed commander.   When king Dewisar saw the game asked for 40 days of time but unfortunately for him “(35) ....there was nobody among the Indian sages who knew the rationale of that new-ardaxsir”.

          In Part 2, we find many interesting chapters. But the most controversial to many chess scholars will be Chapter VII in which Prof. Panaino refashions the interpretation of the Pahlavi words about the original shapes of two important chess pieces, the Rook and the Queen. But let us proceed from the beginning of Part 2.

          First of all the dating of WCN.   It remains highly conjectural. Some scholars (Nöldeke, Christensen, Grignaschi) thought with some hesitation that the work could be dated around VII-IX century.   A. Pagliaro (1941) thought that the WCN was datable around the VII century at the latest but recognised that the last two chapters of the WCN (37-38) were certainly later additions.   Prof. Panaino is of the opinion that the dating of WCN is even earlier, i.e. between the VI and the VII century, supporting the idea however that some additions were made later on to the Pahlavi Sassanian text.   According to Prof. Panaino the anonymous Persian author was, with good probability, a secular literate at the court of the Sassanian King.
The WCN is “a didactic and delightful little booklet for young people of good Iranian society”, and it “has little social and religious merit. The plot of the story is obviously anti-Indian - which is understandable in a climate of political and cultural révanche which was peculiar to the period of Xusraw I (p. 86-88). According to Prof. Panaino a further proof against a later dating and in favour of the relative antiquity of the WCN could arise from the paintings of the VIII century found at Panjikent in Central Asia where two men are playing at a table game in front of a king.   The game board does not seem to be adequate for chess or backgammon (only 36 squares) but we do not know if the painter made some artistic modifications to it.
In chapter II, Prof. Panaino examines the possibility of having an historical identification for the Indian king Dewisarm.   The most important attempts were those made by Marquart-de Groot (1915) and Olaf Hansen (1935) who identified the Indian king with Yasodharman who is historically known for an inscription dated 533 A D.   But to this identification Prof. Panaino, with many other scholars, objects for reasons too complicated to explain here.   In reality, according to Panaino, we are not in a position to identify the Indian king who seems to be a fictional figure.

Even more complex is the identification of Tataritos. We do not know anything about him. Many learned suggestions have been advanced but all unconvincing. The book analyses (Chapter IV) also the other protagonist of the story, i.e. the wise Wuzurgmhir. Panaino writes: “This man cannot be associated the famous Burzoy, the physician of the time of Xusraw I, who translated the Pancatantra and other Sanskrit fables in the Kalilag ud Dinnag but is an independent person; in addition there are some arguments against the identification of W. with the homonymous astrologer, who translated the Anthologies of Vettius Valens in Pahlavi” (p. 246). A short chapter (V) is dedicated to “the literary comparison of the narrative structure of the WCN with those offered by Firdawsi and the Arabic historian Tha’alibi where some original elements of the Pahlavi version are underlined (p. 246). One of the most important sections of the book, for chess scholars, is in my opinion Chapter VII where the transliteration, transcription and translation of catrang pieces (chap. 10 of WCN) is analysed in detail and depth. Apparently there are philological problems for the catrang pieces we now for chess call “Rook” and “Queen”. The other 4 pieces are clearly described, i.e. the King, the elephant (= Bishop), the horse (= Knight), the foot-soldier (= pawn) and they do not present problems.

In the Pahlavi text the passage of the “Rook” is rather deteriorated and therefore actually difficult to read. The author remarks that any reading of the text is based upon an interpretation of the Pahlavi letters which complete the edition for making some emendation. The transliteration is “m’ tgd’ [n] l’n OL W dsnk” which transcription is, according to Panaino and with the support of MacKenzie, “madayaran o hoyag ud dasnag homanag” and the translation is “the ministers (madayaran) as the right and left flank (rox)”. Many scholars gave their own interpretation, for example m’tgd’ [n] I’n was transcribed by Salemann (1887) and by Tarapore (1932) as “madiyavaran” (“essentials”), by Sanjana (1885) as “madyawaran” (“regulating, keeping with bonds”), by West (1898) as “val madigan - i Rukhon” (“with essential of Rukhs”), by Pagliaro (1940) as “matikan raxw” (“the chariot ... for showing selected troops”), by Nyberg (1974) as “matak-var” (“administrator”), by De Blois (1997) as “madayaran rox o hoyag ud dasnag” in “the castles are as selected troops on the right and left flank”.

According to Panaino there is no definitive interpretation but the most convincing translation for him is “Deputies of the king (= ministers) at left and at right flank(s)”. It is most likely that these ministers, in real battles of Sassanian period, were transported on carts together with their guards. Thus the possibility to have historically some pieces represented by carts later on (see Aphrosiab chariot) and not ministers as the Pahlavi words may indicate. But military speaking it is well known that war chariots were already obsolete at the time of Sassanian battles. The other philological puzzle regards the piece we call “Queen” in chess. The transliteration of the Pahlavi passage is “hwm’n’ k plcyn OL Ityst’I’n’ srd’ I” and the transcription according to Panaino is “frazen o artestaran-salar homanag” which translates as “the general like the commander of the warriors”. Pagliaro (1951) read the word “frazen” as “parzen”, meaning of which, he said, should be derived from “mask i (a)parzen”, i.e. “tent (mask) of the command”. So according to him the Queen in catrang was represented by a tent. Instead according to Panaino, on MacKenzie’s suggestion (1997), the “plcyn” should be read “fra-zen” which translated means “guard” or as suggested by Brunner (1978) “general/protector”.
As we can see the old story reveals a lot of surprises even today.

[Pubblicato su The Chess Collector, April 1999, Vol. VIII, n. 2, pp. 14-16].

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Chess Variant Construction Kit

FAIRY CHESS:

The Chess Variant Construction Kit.

To change color (white/black) of a chessman click on the man and select “turn piece over”. Orthodox men can be changed into fairy men by selecting “rotate piece”.

Some notable examples of fairy men and their powers of movement include: The Grasshopper-may be moved any distance along ranks, files, and diagonals to occupy, or capture on, a square immediately beyond an intervening man of either color; it may not be moved unless it hops, nor may it hop over more than one man.

The Grasshopper is most often represented by an inverted Queen symbol. The Nightrider-can make in one move, one Knight’s move or more in a straight line. On an otherwise empty board a nightrider at a1 could be moved to c2, e3, or g4, or on another line, to b3, c5, or d7; it can be obstructed only by men on those squares where it touches down on its journey.

The Nightrider is most often represented by an inverted Knight symbol. The Empress-combines the powers or Rook and Knight. It may be moved at will in the manner of a Rook or a Knight.

The Empress is also known by a wide variety of other names and may be represented by an inverted or rotated Rook symbol. The Princess-combines the powers or Bishop and Knight. It may be moved at will in the manner of a Bishop or a Knight.

The Princess is also known by a wide variety of other names and may be represented by an inverted or rotated Bishop symbol. The Camel-is moved a fixed distance in a single leap for which the coordinates are 1 and 3 and it cannot be obstructed on its way. If placed on d4 it would attack a3, a5, c7, e7, g5, g3, e1, and c1.

The Camel is commonly represented by a Knight symbol rotated 270 degrees. The Zebra-is moved a fixed distance in a single leap for which the coordinates are 2 and 3 and it cannot be obstructed on its way. If placed on d4 it would attack a2, a6, b7, f7, g6, g2, f1, and b1.

The Zebra is commonly represented by a Knight symbol rotated 90 degrees. Some less commonly employed but still fairly well known variant or fairy men include the Amazon, which combines the powers of Queen and Knight; the Dabbaba, which moves exactly 2 squares on a rank or file and may leap over any intervening men; The Alfil, which moves exactly 2 squares diagonally and may leap over any intervening men; The Wazir, which moves one square on a rank or file; the Fers, which moves one square diagonally; and the Mann, which combines the powers of Wazir and Fers.

Rotating the chessmen is also useful in the playing of variants designed for more than 2 persons.

The most commonly used boards in chess variants known as “Great Chess” are the 10 x 10, the 12 x 12, and the 14 x 14 boards. These are included along with smaller boards such as the 4 x 4, the 6 x 6, and, of course, the 8 x 8. The boards of dimensions from 16 x 16 to 32 x 32 are included for variants which require the use of more than one smaller board. The board masking tiles included in the “markers” may be used to alter the given boards to create boards of other dimensions, boards with grid lines, or boards of irregular shapes. Spare chessmen are also included as a “marker group” so that one doesn’t run out of them.

Virtually any chess variant or fairy problem that one encounters in a book can be easily set up and played. In case all this still isn’t enough for you, the CyberBoard Designer may be used to create additional figurine tiles and any chessboard designs not already included. It is recommended, however, that you create a back-up copy of these files before using Cyberboard Designer.

To download the .zip file, click here. This is a Windows based utility and will not work on a Macintosh.

References on “fairy chess” and chess variants can be found here.

http://www.chessvariants.com/

References on how to use CyberBoard can be found here.

http://www.execpc.com/~d-larson/cyberboard.html

Cyberboard is the creation of Dale Larson.

The Chess Variant Construction Kit is the creation Jim Wickson.

Written by Jim Wickson. Web page posted by David Howe.

Haynie’s high power fairy chess 64

Billy Haynie invented the following chess variant.

Rules

The game is played on an 8 by 8 chess board. Some pieces are replaced by others: rooks are replaced by intrepids, knights by amazons, bishops by wazirs, and queens by chimeras.

   i a w c k w a i

   p p p p p p p p    black

   . . . . . . . .

   . . . . . . . .

   . . . . . . . .

   . . . . . . . .

   P P P P P P P P     white

   I A W C K W A I

I: Intrepid: has combined moves of ferz and rook. A ferz moves one square diagonally.

A: Amazon: has combined moves of queen and knight.

W: Wazir: moves one square orthogonally.

C: Chimera: has combined moves of queen, nightrider, camel, and zebra. A nightrider can make one or more knight moves in the same direction, only the last of these possibly capturing. A camel makes a stretched knights-jump, going three squares in one orthogonal direction and one in the other (a (3,1)-jump); and a zebra makes similarly a (3,2)-jump.

All other rules are as in usual chess. Pawns move as usual, but promote to intrepid, amazon, wazir or chimera.

Comments?

Billy Haynie welcomes comments on this variant. Contact him at nightrider79@hotmail.com.

Written by Hans Bodlaender, based on email of Billy Haynie.

List of fairy pieces

The list below was compiled by Frank Truelove. It contains many fairy chess pieces.

Listings marked GFC refer to the book A Guide to Fairy Chess by A. Dickins. Other listings refer to the Encyclopedia of Chess Variants by Pritchard.

Aanca [Gryphon] — Grand Acedrex

Absolute Queen — Amazon Ch.

Absorber — Bogart’s Ch.. Acquires powers of captured pieces.

Achilles — Troy

Activist, Political — International

Adjutant — [between Dai Shogi and Empress Ch. II]; Camps, Grosses Konigs-spiel, Kaiserspiel, Sultan’s Game

Adjutant-General — Seven-Handed Xiangqi

Admiral — Kaiserspiel, Universal Ch.

Advancer — Royal Fury

Advancing Damate — Damate

Aeroplane — Atomic Ch., Novo-Schaakspel, Russian Ch. II, Victrix

Aircraft — Chess-Battle, Cr-isis, Universal Ch.

Airplane — Airplane Ch., Cu-bono

Alfil — Attama, Betza’s Ch., Cubic Ch. I, Escalation, GFC, Kriegsfeld Ch., Parton Ch., Talkhand’s Ch., Timur’s Cubic Ch.

Alfil-Rider — Escalation, GFC.

Alfil-Rider-Hopper — GFC.

Amazon — Amazon Ch., Empress Ch. II, GFC, Riga Ch., Shataranja, Troy

Anankova — Madagascan Ch. [Samantsy]

Angel — Angel Ch.

Anti-Aircraft — Space Hexchess

Antipawn — Allthought Ch.

Ape — Chakra, Congo

Aphrodite — Enchantment

Archbishop — Bates’ Game, Capablanca Ch., Carrera’s Ch., Chesquerque, Galactic Ch., GFC, Haffner’s [sp.?] Ch., Lillputian [sp.?] Ch., Quatrochess, Supercapablanca Ch.

Archer — Archer Ch., Falcon-Hunter Ch., Fantasy Ch., Spanish Ch.

Ares — Troy

Arms, Small — International

Army, Chief Of — Baroda Ch.

Arrow Bishop — GFC.

Arrow Pawn — Arrow Pawn Ch., GFC, Three-Man Ch.

Arrow Rook — GFC.

Artillery — Brinkmanship, Gerard Ch., Strategie, Victrix, Wehr-Schach

Artillery Colonel — Victoire

Assassin — Assassin Kriegsspiel

Asva, Cavalry, Horse — Chaturangan m

Atlantosaurus — GFC.

Atomic Bomb — Atomic Ch., GFC

Attacker — Chessball

Attendant — 2000 AD

Aviator — Aviation

Axe — Rotary

Axial — Ludus Chessunculus

Ballista — Xiangqi

Balloon — GFC.

Balloon-Hopper — GFC.

Bandersnatch — Jabberwocky Ch.

Bandmaster — Baroda Ch.

Banker —

Banner — Three-Handed Xiangqi

Bannerman — Three-Handed Xiangqi

Barrier —

Barrier Pawn — Kristensen’s Game

Bastion — Reform Ch. I, Siege d’Anvers

Basy [‘Gun’] — Madagascan Ch. [Samantsy]

Bat — Cuban Chaturang

Battery — Prussian National Ch.

Battery, Artillery —

Battleship — Cr-isis

Bear — Bear Ch., Great Ch.

Beastmaster, Beast-Master — Vincere Mori

Behique — Cuban Chaturanga

Berlin Pawn — GFC.

Berolina Pawn — Allthought Ch., GFC, Lion Ch., Tactical Ch.

Biok — Semi-Queen Ch.

Bishop —

Bishop, Arch- — See Archbishop

Bishop, Arrow — GFC.

Bishop, Cyclic — GFC.

Bishop, Demi- — GFC.

Bishop, Grand- — GFC.

Bishop, Great- — Chezz

Bishop, Reflecting — Edgehog Ch., GFC

Bishop/Rook Hunter; Falcon — GFC.

Bishop-Mover/Rook-Capturer; Schutze; Sniper — GFC.

Bishopper — GFC.

Bishroo — Thinktank Ch.

Biskni — Thinktank Ch.

Block — Lodus Chessunculus

Blockade —

Blood-Brother — Blood-Brother Ch.

Blue Queen — Neuter Queen Ch.

Boat — Cambodian, Chaturaji

Boatmen, Ship — 2,2 Chaturangan Leaper

Bomb — Bombalot, Bomb Ch., Renaissance Ch., Siege d’Anvers, Suttles Ch.

Bomb Carrier — Beirut Ch.

Bomb, Atomic — Atomic Ch., GFC

Bomber — Wehr-Schach

Bomber Unit — Space Hexchess

Borogove — Jabberwocky Ch.

Boy Scout — GFC.

Brigadier — Siege d’Anvers

Brontosaurus — GFC.

Bull — Timur’s Great Ch.

Butter — Best Decimal Butter

Butterfly — Chaos I

Butterfly, Monarch — Chaos I

Cacique Nerey — Cuban Chaturang

Cadet — GFC.

Caïssa, Queen — Game of Caïssa

Camel — Attama, Baroda Ch., Betza’s Ch., Bird’s Ch., Cavalry Ch., Decimal Oriental Ch., GFC, Great Ch., Mongolian Ch., Persian Ch. III, Quatrochess, Sava’s Game, Timur’s Great Ch., Wildebeest Ch.

Camel-Rider — Five-Rider Ch., GFC

Camel-Rider-Hopper — GFC.

Cannibal — Absorption [Ch.]

Cannon — Betza’s Ch., Camps, Changgi, Decimal Oriental Ch., Guerre I, Kriegsfeld Ch., Prussian National Ch., Silberschmidt’s Game, Xiangqi

Cap — Capapranka

Capricorn — Capricorn Ch., Royal Fury, 2000 AD

Captain — Occupation, Victoire

Capturing Pieces — GFC.

Cardinal — Airplane Ch., Grand Ch., Tri-Ch. IV, Valentine’s Ch.

Carnivore — Carnivore Ch.

Carriage — Burmese Ch.

Carrier — Ch. Football, Loonybird Ch.

Carrier, Bomb — Beirut Ch.

Carrier, Plague- — Plague Ch.

Cassandra — Cassandra Ch.

Castle — Mideast Ch., Pacific Ch.

Cat — Cat Ch.

Cat, Cheshire — Cheshire Cat Ch.

Catalyst — Nuclear Ch.

Catapult — Xiangqi

Caterpillar — Caterpillar Ch.

Cavalier — Mideast Ch.

Cavalry — ‘Asva’ in Chaturanga, Chess-Battle, Gerard Ch., Strategie, Victrix

Cavalry Colonel — Victoire

Cavalry Piece — Cavalry Ch.

Cavalry, Great — Gerard Ch.

Centaur — Carrera’s Ch.

Centaur Royal — Centaur Royal

Centurion — Arch Ch. I, Pinsard’s Ch.

Chain Reaction — Nuclear Ch.

Chakra — Chakra

Chameleon — Bogart’s Ch., Chameleon Ch., GFC, Ultima

Champion — Carrera’s Ch.

Chancellor — Almost Ch., Bird’s Ch., ‘Davidson’ in Capablanca Ch., Carrera’s Ch., Chancellor Ch., Grosses Konigs-spiel, Legler’s Ch., Quatrochess, Sava’s Game, Supercapablanca Ch., Tri-Ch. IV

Chancellor, Grand — Valentine’s Ch.

Chancellor, Lord —

Chaplain — Grosses Konigs-spiel

Chariot — Changgi, Chaturanga, Decimal Oriental Ch., Great Ch., Mongolian Ch., Shataranja, Xiangqi

Chemical Weapons — International

Cheshire Cat — Cheshire Cat Ch.

Chevalier — Mideast Ch.

Chief Constable — Tournoi

Chief Minister — Baroda Ch.

Chief Of Army — Baroda Ch.

Chief Of HQ — Victrix

Chief Of Police —

Chief, Police —

Child — Mongolian Ch., ‘Zaza’ in Samantsy

Chimæra — Chimæra Ch.

Chimærine — Chimæra Ch.

Circe — Circe Ch., GFC

Citizen — Baroda Ch.

Colonel — Drapeaux, Grosses Konigs-spiel, Occupation

Colonel, Artillery — Victoire

Colonel, Cavalry — Victoire

Colonel, Engineer — Victoire

Colonel, Infantry — Victoire

Commander — Baroda Ch., Cr-isis, Decimal Oriental Ch., Emperor Ch. I, Sava’s Game

Commander-In-Chief — Victrix

Commando — Brinkmanship

Commoner — Checkers

Concubine — Duke of Rutland’s Ch.

Conquistador — Mounted Swordsman. < Mexican Ch.

Constable, Chief — Tournoi

Cook — Cheskers

Coordinator — Renaissance Ch., Ultima

Co-Pieces — Simoco

Counselor — Chaturanga, Courier, Great Ch., Grosses Konigs-spiel, Xiangqi

Count — Riga Ch.

Courier — Diagonal rider; term for Bishop. Fil and Courier co-existed in Europe (1200-1500 AD). Fil did not survive “period of Muslim Ch..” [0750-1500 AD]. < Courier, Grosses Konigs-spiel

Courtesan — Chakra

Courtier — Mideast Ch.

Cowboy — GFC.

Crab [Foza] — Madagascan Ch.

Cripple —

Crocodile — Congo, Grande Acedrex, Timur’s Great Ch.

Crown —

Crown Prince — Shataranja

Crowned Rook — Duke of Rutland’s Ch.

Cuirassier — a mounted soldier wearing a cuirass or breastplate. Guerre I, Prussian National Ch., Silberschmidt’s Game

Currier [‘Courier’] — Courier

Cyclic Bishop — GFC.

Cyclic Pieces — GFC.

Dabbaba — Betza’s Ch., Citadel, Cubic Ch. I, Escalation, Full Ch., GFC, Great Ch., Parton Ch., Shataranja, Timur’s Cubic Ch., Timur’s Great Ch.

Dabbabante — Dabbabante Ch.

Dabbaba-Rider — Betza’s Ch., Escalation, GFC

Dabbaba-Rider-Hopper — GFC.

Dama Cacica — Cuban Chaturang

Damate — Damate

Damate, Advancing — Damate

Damate, Diagonal — Damate

Damate, Major — Damate

Damate, Minor — Damate

Damate, Orthogonal — Damate

Dame — Braithwaite’s Game, Dreadnought Ch., Mephisto, Mexican Ch., Schachdame

Damka [King] — Byelorussian Cheskers

Damsel [Type Of Pawn] — Enchantment

Daughtsman — Byelorussian Cheskers

Davidson [Chancellor] — Capablanca Ch.

Day — opposite of Knight, moves to any sq. a Knight can’t reach.

Deacon — Bates’ Game

Death — Enchantment

Decurion — Arch Ch. I

Defender — Chessball

Defenses — Gerard Ch.

Demi-Bishop — GFC.

Demi-Gorgon — Demigorgon Ch.

Demi-Queen — GFC.

Der — Ethiopian Ch. [Senterej]

Detonator — Bombalot

Devaratha [Chariot Of God] — Gosai Ch.

Devil — Mad

Diagonal Damate — Damate

Dinosaur — Megasaur Ch.

Dinosaurus — GFC.

Diplomat — GFC, Seven-handed Xiangqi

Division, Tank — Victrix

Dog — Cuban Chaturang

Don — A Spanish nobleman or gentleman. ?

Donnacavallo — Amazon Ch.

Double Knight — GFC.

Double Knight Pawn — Ulti-matem

Double Zombie — Zombie Ch.

Double-Grasshopper — GFC.

Double-Move Queen — GFC.

Dragon — Camps, GFC, Kriegsfeld Ch., Royal Fury, 2000 AD

Dragoon — heavily armed mounted trooper. Guerre I, Strategie

Draughtsman — Chesica, Jesskers

Dreadnought — Dreadnought Ch.

Duellist — Duellist Ch.

Duke — Capablanca Ch., Greater Ch., Valentine’s Ch., Vincere Mori

Dummy Pawn — GFC.

Dwarf — Tournoi

Earl — Valentine’s Ch.

Edgehog — Captures, moves and checks as Q, but only from/to square on edge of board. < Edgehog Ch., GFC

Elephant — Baroda Ch., Burmese Ch., Cambodian Ch., Chaturaji, Chaturanga, Ciccolini’s Game, Congo, Decimal Oriental Ch., Great Ch., Korean Ch. [Changgi], Persian Ch. III, Shataranja, Xiangqi

Elephant, Fil — 2,2 Shadranji Leaper.

Elephant, Gaja — Chaturangan t

Elf [Alfil] — Maharajah II

Emperor — Chakra, Emperor Ch., Enchantment, Sic ‘em Europe

Empire — Mad

Empress — Amazon Ch., Bates’ Game, Carrera’s Ch., Chakra, Empire Ch., Empress Ch. II, GFC, Legler’s Ch., Sic ‘em Europe, 2000 AD

Engineer — Gerard Ch.

Engineer Colonel — Victoire

Ensign — Enlarged and Improved Ch., Falcon-Hunter Ch., Siege d’Anvers

Equerry — Bird’s Ch., Carrera’s Ch.

Equigrasshopper — GFC.

Equihopper — Hops over one man of either color to a square beyond that man so that man is the mid-point of line joining centers of initial and final squares of Equihopper’s move. Equihopper has color disadvantage and there are 48 squares on an 8 x 8 board it can never visit. < GFC, Jelliss’ Game

Escort — Gerard Ch.

Esquire —

Exchanger — Exchanger Ch.

Falcon — Decimal Falcon-Hunter, Falcon-Hunter Ch.

Falcon; Bishop/Rook Hunter — GFC.

Faras — Shadranji War Horse = m.

Farmakia — Game of Empire

Farmer — Conversion II

Fate — The Fates (The Moirae) — Three powerful goddesses who determined the lives of men. Clotho wove the thread of life, Lachesis measured it out, and Atropos cut it off with her scissors of death. < Enchantment.

Favourite — See Bar-Centaur.

Feresenya — Ethiopian Ch. [Senterej]

Fers — Attama, Betza’s Ch., Burmese Ch., Cubic Ch. I, Decimal Ch. II, Escalation, Ethiopian Ch. [Senterej], Galactic Ch., GFC, Modern Courier Ch., a Parton in Parton Ch., Quatrochess, Talkhand’s Ch., Timur’s Cubic Ch.

Fers-Rider — Escalation

Fighter — Wehr-schach

Fighter Unit — Space Hexchess

Fil — Shadranji Elephant. 2,2 Leaper. See also BISHOP; Courier.

File-Hopper — A Rook-hopper confined to one file. GFC.

File-Rider, Filerider — Rook’s movement Handicapped to one file. GFC.

First Proletarian Leader — International

Firz — 1,1 piece; Shadranj. Cf. Mantri, Counselor.

Firzan — Byzantine Ch., Shatranj

Fischer — Liberation Ch.. Leaps with 4-square radius

Fish — Cambodian

Five-Leaper — Moves: 0-5 Leap, 3-4 Leap. GFC.

Five-Rider-Hopper — "Five-Hopper." GFC.

Flag — Camps, Cu-bono, Drapeaux

Flagcar — Great Ch.

Fool — Courier, Great Ch.

Fool, Schleich, Sneak, Spy — Courier, Modern Courier Ch.

Footman — Apocalypse

Fortress — Pacific Ch.

Four, Ranger — Rangers Ch.

Fox — Wolf Ch.

Foza [Crab] — Madagascan Ch.

Fury — Royal Fury, 2000 AD

Fusilier — soldier armed with fusil [light flintlock musket]. Camps, Guerre, Prussian National Ch., Siege d’Anvers

Gaja — Chaturangan Elephant

Gala — Gala

Gazelle — Great Ch.

General — various, including Q+N [‘Amazon’]. < Brinkmanship, Burmese Ch., Ciccolini’s Game, Cu-bono, Das Kaiserspiel, Emperor’s Game, GFC, Korean Ch. [Changgi], Occupation, Paulovits’ Game, Seven-Handed Xiangqi, Sultan’s Game, Supercapablanca Ch., Victoire, Xiangqi; Military Ch [III], Novo-Schaakspel

Genius — Genius I

Gentleman — Riga Ch.

Ghost — GFC, Ghost Ch., Phantom Ch., Vanishing Ch.

Ghostrider — Ghostrider Ch.

Giraffe — Congo, Cubic Ch. I, GFC, Grande Acedrex, Great Ch., Quatrochess, Timur’s Cubic Ch., Timur’s Great Ch.

Giraffe-Rider — GFC.

Giraffe-Rider-Hopper — GFC.

Gnu — GFC.

Goalkeeper — Chessball

Gold General — Betza’s Ch.

Golem — Bogart’s Ch.

Gorgon — “Grim Ones”. They were three monstrous daughters of the sea god Phorcys and Ceto. They could change men to stone at a glance. The Gorgons faces and figures were truly beautiful but they were terrifying, dragon-like creatures, covered with golden scales and having hissing snakes for hair. Two of the Gorgons, Stheno (strength) and Euryale (wide sea), were immortal; Medusa however could be killed. Perseus killed Medusa and brought back her head, with the help of Hermes and Athena. From Medusa’s blood sprang Pegasus, her ‘son’ by the god Poseidon. [Their triplet sisters, the Graeae, guarded the way to the Gorgon’s home beyond the sea, almost at the end of night; The three “old women” or “gray ones”. They are the daughters of Phorcys (a son of Gaia and Pontus) and Ceto (his sister). The Graeae are the sisters and guardians of the Gorgons. They were gray-haired from birth and have only one eye and one tooth between them. They are Enyo (“horror”; coincidentally ‘Raiding Falcon’ in Shogi Variants), Deino (“dread”) and Pemphredo (“alarm”).] Gorgons < Gorgon Ch., Royal Fury, 2000 AD. There are no ‘Graeae’ in Chess.

Gorgon, Demi- — Demigorgon Ch.

Gorgona — Demigorgon Ch., Gorgon Ch.

Government — Space Hexchess

Governor — Baroda Ch., Xiangqi

Grand Bishop — GFC.

Grand Chancellor — Valentine’s Ch.

Grand Queen — GFC.

Grand Vizier — ‘Grosswesir’ in Wesirspiel

Grasshopper — GFC, Grasshopper Ch. I, Jelliss’ Game, Scorpion Ch.

Grasshopper n — GFC.

Grasshopper, Double- — GFC.

Grasshopper, Halma- — GFC.

Great Cavalry — Gerard Ch.

Great Queen — Great Ch.

Great-Bishop — Chezz

Great-King — Chezz

Great-Knight, Poppeian — Chezz

Great-Knight, Savian — Chezz

Great-Queen — Chezz

Great-Rook — Chezz

Greek — Troy

Grenadier — Drapeaux, Siege d’Anvers

Griffin — GFC.

Griffon — GFC.

Gryphon — ‘Aanca’ in Grande Acedrex; Gryphon Ch. GFC

Guard — Bird’s Ch., Carrera’s Ch., Decimal Oriental Ch., Enlarged & Improved Ch., Falcon-Hunter Ch., Korean Ch. [Changgi], Pacific Ch., Silberschmidt’s Game, Xiangqi. See also Counselor; Mandarin

Guard, King’s — Guerre I

Guard, Queen’s — Bird’s Ch.

Guard, Royal — [listing between Silberschmidt’s Game and Space Hexchess], Silberschmidt’s Game

Guardian — Decimal Ch. II, Fourth Dimension

Gulag — Mad

Gun — Chess-Battle, Cu-bono; ‘Basy’ in Madagascan Ch. [Samantsy]

Halma-Grasshopper — GFC.

Harpy — Royal Fury

Hatter — see Rettah

Hauptfigur — Wehr-Schach

Hausfrau — Neunerschach

Hector — Troy

Herald — Grosses Konigs-spiel

High Pawn — Reform Ch. II [Oberbauer]

Hippogriff — Ecila, GFC

Hippopotamus — GFC.

Hipposaur — Megasaur Ch.

Hopper — Linear Ch.

Hopper, Alfil-Rider- — GFC.

Hopper, Balloon- — GFC.

Hopper, Bishop; See Bishopper — GFC.

Hopper, Camel-Rider- — GFC.

Hopper, Dabbaba-Rider- — GFC.

Hopper, Equi- — GFC.

Hopper, File- — GFC.

Hopper, Five-Rider- — GFC.

Hopper, Giraffe-Rider- — GFC.

Hopper, Night- — GFC.

Hopper, Night-Rider- — GFC.

Hopper, One- — Ludus Chessunculus

Hopper, Rank- — GFC.

Hopper, Rook- — GFC.

Hopper, Root-50-Rider- — GFC.

Hopper, Two- — Ludus Chessunculus

Hopper, Unicorn- — GFC.

Hopper, Victory- — GFC.

Hopper, Zebra-Rider- — GFC.

Horn — Mad. "Drop"?

Horsa — Gala

Horse — Baroda Ch., Betza’s Ch., Burmese Ch., Cambodian Ch., Chaturaji; ‘Asva’ in Chaturanga; Korean Ch. [Changgi]; a ‘Farasy’ in Madagascan Ch., Shataranja, Xiangqi

Horseman — Apocalypse, Camps, Military Ch [III], Riga Ch.

Hova — Madagascan Ch. [Samantsy]

HQ — Chess-battle

HQ, Chief Of — Victrix

Hunter — Rook/Bishop Hunter. Moves forward as Rook, backward as Bishop. < Decimal Falcon-Hunter, Falcon-Hunter Ch., GFC, Loonybird Ch.

Hussar — Guerre I, Prussian National Ch., Reform Ch. I, Silberschmidt’s Game, Strategie. member 15^th C., Hungarian-style light cavalry unit.

Hydra — GFC.

Imitante Queen — a combined piece or a Capturing HANDICAP. < Imitante Queen Ch.

Imitator — cannot check, obstruct, capture or be captured. Can be obstructed. Traditionally Neutral. may take Leaping Power. < Bombalot, GFC, Imitator Ch., Renaissance Ch.

Imitator Queen — moves as Imitator. May also move independently.

Immobilizer — Bombalot, Immobilizer Ch., Renaissance Ch., Ultima

Immortal, The — Indian games

Infantry — Brinkmanship, Chaturanga, Gerard Ch., Strategie, Victrix, Wehr-Schach

Infantry Colonel — Victoire

Infantry Unit — Space Hexchess

Infantry, Light — Grosses Konigs-spiel

Infantryman — Brinkmanship, Military Ch [III]

Invisible Man — GFC, Invisible Ch. I

Jabberwocky — Jabberwocky Ch.

Janus —

Jekyll-And-Hyde Pieces — Norwegian Ch.

Jibber — GFC.

Joker — GFC.

Joker King — GFC.

Judge — Decimal Ch. I, Great Ch., Mock Ch. I

Juggernaut — Chaos I

Jumper — Linear Ch., Royal Fury

Kamikaze — Any piece that is removed when it captures. GFC

Kampa — Gala

Kangaroo — GFC.

King — A ‘Wazir+Fers’, with Royalty HANDICAP. Regional Variations: Rajah [Chaturanga], Shah [Shadranj], etc.

King — GFC.

King, Great- — Chezz

King, Joker — GFC.

King, Letzen — GFC.

King, Nostalgic — GFC.

King, Protean — GFC.

King, Vaulting — GFC.

King; Damka — Byelorussian Cheskers

King’s Guard — Guerre I

King’s Pawn [Pion Du Roi] — New Ch. II

Kinglet — Kinglet Ch.

Knibis — Thinktank Ch.

Knight — 1,2 (2,1) leaper. "Moves direct from one square to another, as if they were adjacent." Representative of Cavalry. [Cf., Chaturangan Asva, Cavalier, Horse, Shadranji Faras, etc.

Knight — GFC.

Knight, Double — “Knight that may continue with 1 more Kt-leap in outward direction, but not to square that a Nightrider may visit. It captures an adverse man standing on its final landing square”. “A Knight that, after its first normal leap, may continue with one more leap to any of the 7 available Kt-tour squares excluding switchback to its original square. [Appears to be a Hydra.] Differs from Griffon in not having color HANDICAP and in not permitting switchback”. GFC

Knight, Great-, Poppeian — Chezz

Knight, Great-, Savian — Chezz

Knight, Master —

Knight, Pocket — Pocket Knight Ch.

Knight-Mover/Rook-Capturer; Schutze; Sniper — GFC.

Knightrider — Knightrider Bouncy

Kniroo — Thinktank Ch.

Korna — Gala

Kotwal[a] [‘Police Chief’] — Atranj, Shataranja

Kulak[s] — International

Lady — Rigu[?] Ch.

Lama — Tibetan Ch. III

Lambeth — Capablanca

Lancer — Partnership Four-Hand Ch.

Laser Piece — GFC.

Latent Pawn — GFC.

Leader —

Leader Of Proletariat — International

Leaper — Renaissance Ch.

Leaper, Five- — GFC.

Leaper, Root-50- — GFC.

Leaper, Victory — GFC.

Leo — Akenhead’s Ch., GFC, Lion Ch.

Letzen King — GFC.

Liaison Officer — Seven-Handed Xiangqi

Lieutenant — Occupation

Light Infantry — Grosses Konigs-spiel

Lion — Congo, GFC, Grande Acedrex, Great Ch., Jelliss’ Game, Timur’s Great Ch.

Locust — Edgehog Ch., GFC

Longleaper — Baroque, Bogart’s Ch., Ultima

Lord Mayor — Mock Ch. I

Lord, Time — Fourth Dimension

Lunette — Siege d’Anvers

Machinegun — Chess-Battle, Victrix

Magic Piece — GFC.

Magnetic Queen — GFC.

Maharajah — Maharajah I

Major — Drapeaux, Grosses Kongis-spiel, Occupation

Major Damate — Damate

Mammoth — GFC.

Man — Counselor. Moves as King. < Courier, Modern Courier Ch., Sjakti

Man, Double-Move —

Man, Invisible — GFC, Invisible Ch. I

Man, Old —

Man, Red Cross — GFC.

Mandarin — Xiangqi

Mann — Quatrochess

Mantri; Counselor —

Mao — Akenhead’s Ch., GFC, Lion Ch.

Marine — Cr-isis

Marquis — Vincere Mori

Mars — Enchantment

Marshal[l] — ‘Lambeth’ in Capablanca Ch., Carrera’s Ch., Grand Ch., Grosses Kongis-spiel, Neunerschach, Siege d’Anvers, Sultan’s Game

Masterknight I — Chezz

Masterknight II — Chezz

Mayor, Lord —

Mechanical Weapons — International

Medeq — Ethiopian Ch. [Senterej]

Mermaid — GFC.

Mimic — Mimic Ch. I

Mimotaur — a Minotaur that mimics. < Mimotaur Ch., Royal Fury, 2000 AD

Minister — Airplane Ch., Decimal Oriental Ch., Great Ch., Shataranja, Xiangqi

Minister, Chief — Baroda Ch.

Minister, Prime — Modern Ch. II

Minor Damate — Damate

Minotaur —

Minotaurus — GFC.

Missile — Cu-bono, Galactic Ch., Missile Ch., Stratomic

Monarch — Chaos I, Vincere Mori

Monarch Butterfly — Chaos I

Monk — Chakra, Valentine’s Ch.

Monkey — Monkey Ch.

Mortar — Strategie

Moslon — <Mad. Apparently a Piece and a Game.

Mother Nature — Enchantment

Mother Unit — Invisible Ch. I

Motor Vehicle — Russian Ch. II

Movable Wall — Maze Ch.

Moveless Pawn — GFC.

Mpanjaka — Madagascan Ch.

Mummy — Mummy Ch.

Narwhal — Ecila

Nature, Mother — Enchantment

Negotiator — Cr-isis

Negus — Ethiopian Ch. [Senterej]

Nemesis — Nemesis Ch.

Nerey, Cacique —

Neutral Pawn — GFC.

Neutralizer — Unorthodox Ultima

Night —

Nighthopper — “must hop over man of either color at distance of 1,2 (2,1) to a landing square at a distance of 2,4 (4,2). It is equivalent of Equihopper Handicapped only to one Kt-type hop; or of Night-Rider-Hopper Handicapped only to its first hop”. Night-Rider-Hopper Handicapped to arriving at the second leap of its riding-line. “moves with multiple Knight Leaps always in same line as first leap until it is stopped by block or by edge of board”. “A N that may continue its Knight-leaps, always in same direction, until it captures or is blocked”. < GFC

Night-Rider — Betza’s Ch., Decimal Falcon-Hunter, Edgehog Ch., Escalation, Five-Rider Ch., GFC, Jelliss’ Game, Nightrider Ch., Wolf Ch.

Night-Rider-Hopper — GFC.

Noble — Peasant’s Revolt I

Nobleman — Pacific Ch.

Nostalgic King — GFC.

Nuisance — Nuisance Ch. - neutral man

Oberbauer [‘High Pawn’] — Reform Ch. II

Octopus — Bird’s Ch.

Officer — Drapeaux, Tetra-Schach

Officer, Liaison — Seven-handed Xiangqi

Official — Cambodian Ch.

Old Man —

Omnipotent Queen — GFC.

One, Ranger — Rangers Ch.

One-Hopper — Ludus Chessunculus

Onewocky — Jabberwocky Ch.

Opting Pawn — Jelliss’ Game

Ordnance — Gerard Ch.

Original Pawn — Timur’s Great Ch.

Orix — See Equigrasshopper. GFC.

Orphan — immobilized and powerless unless attacked, when it assumes powers of attacking man.

Orthogonal Damate — Damate

Overrunner — GFC.

Page — Puzzo, Tournoi

Pallas Athene — Troy

Panzer — Wehr-Schach

Pao — Akenhead’s Ch., GFC, Lion Ch.

Paratrooper — Brinkmanship, Conversion II

Parton, Alfil — Parton Ch.

Parton, Dabbaba — Parton Ch.

Parton, Fers — Parton Ch.

Parton, Wazir — Parton Ch.

Pasha — Paulovit’s Game

Pawn — Foot soldier. Also Baidaq, Pedati, etc. In Shadranj, promotes only to Firz.

Pawn — GFC.

Pawn [Damsel] — Enchantment

Pawn [Serf] — Enchantment

Pawn Of Pawns — Chezz

Pawn, Anti- — Allthought Ch.

Pawn, Arrow — Arrow Pawn Ch., GFC, Three-Man Ch.

Pawn, Barrier — serves as Block. moves as K. Captures men of its own color. Immune from capture except by its own king or enemy Barrier Pawn. < Kristensen’s Game

Pawn, Berlin — GFC.

Pawn, Berolina; Berlin Pawn — Moves diagonally but captures orthogonally, both forwards. It may capture another Berolina Pawn, e.p., and promotes normally on reaching promotion rank of board. ...moved forward diagonally one square at a time [or 2 for its first move], captures on/attacks the square directly ahead on file. < Allthought Ch., GFC, Lion Ch., Tactical Ch.

Pawn, Damsel — Enchantment

Pawn, Double Knight — Ulti-matem

Pawn, Dummy — GFC.

Pawn, High — Reform Ch. II [Oberbauer]

Pawn, Latent — GFC.

Pawn, Moveless — GFC.

Pawn, Neutral — GFC.

Pawn, Opting — Jelliss’ Game

Pawn, Original — Timur’s Great Ch.

Pawn, Poison —

Pawn, Promotable — GFC.

Pawn, Protean — GFC.

Pawn, Retreatable — GFC.

Pawn, Reversible — GFC.

Pawn, Super- — Cincinnati Four-Way, GFC, Superpawns Ch.

Pawn, Taxi — Taxi Ch.

Pawn, Tetra- — Tetra-Schach

Pawn, Turkish? — In Turkish Great Ch., Pawn cannot double first move and they can only promote to Queens.

Pawns, Pawn Of — Chezz

Paymaster — B+N

Peasant — Peasants’ Revolt I

People, The — International

Piece, Cavalry — Cavalry Ch.

Pieces Listing —

Pikeman — Grosses Konigs-spiel

Pilot — Universal Ch.

Pincher — Renaissance Ch.

Plague-Carrier — Plague Ch.

Pocket Knight — Pocket Knight Ch.

Police — Baroda Ch.

Police Chief —

Policeman — Mock Ch. I

Political Activist — International

Polyp — Immobile Capturing Piece on Queen Lines. GFC.

Poppeian Greatknight — [listing between Chess-Battle and Chu Shogi]

Priestess — Vincere Mori

Prime Minister — Modern Ch. II

Prince — various, including Q+N. < Baroda Ch., Great Ch., Madagascan Ch. [Samantsy], Sic ‘em Europe, Three-Dimensional Ch., ‘Adventitious King’ in Timur’s Great Ch.

Prince, Crown — Shataranja

Princess — B+N. Carrera’s Ch., Duke of Rutland’s Ch., Empire Ch., GFC, Sic ‘em Europe, Three-Dimensional Ch.

Private — Occupation

Promotable Pawn — GFC.

Protean King — GFC.

Protean Pawn — GFC.

Puller — Renaissance Ch.

Pusher — Renaissance Ch.

Pyramid — Non-capturable piece. Cannot Capture or Move. GFC.

Queen — GFC.

Queen — see also Begum

Queen Caïssa — game of Caïssa

Queen, Absolute — Amazon Ch.

Queen, Blue — Neuter Queen Ch.

Queen, Demi- — R + Demibishop. GFC

Queen, Double-Move — GFC.

Queen, Grand- — R + Grandbishop. GFC

Queen, Great- — Chezz, Great Ch.

Queen, Imitante — Imitante Queen Ch.

Queen, Imitator - —

Queen, Magnetic — GFC.

Queen, Omnipotent — Q+N. GFC

Queen, Semi- —

Queen, Tetra- — Tetra-Schach

Queen’s Guard — Bird’s Ch.

Rajah — Chaturaji, Chaturanga

Ranger — Fourth Dimension

Rangers One Thru. Four — Rangers Ch.

Rank-Hopper — Rook-hopper confined to one rank. GFC.

Rank-Rider — Rook’s movement Handicapped to one rank. GFC.

Reaper — Vincere Mori

Red Cross — Novo-Schaakspel

Red Cross Man — Piece moves only to interpose check by quickest possible route. GFC.

Reflecting Bishop — Edgehog Ch. GFC.

Regent —

Repeller — Unorthodox Ultima

Reserves — Gerard Ch.

Resurrector — Renaissance Ch.

Retreatable Pawn — GFC.

Rettah — Decimal Rettah Ch., Rettah Ch.

Reversible Pawn — GFC.

Rhino — Great Ch.

Rider — Fantasy Ch.

Rider, Alfil- — Escalation, GFC

Rider, Camel- — Five-Rider Ch., GFC

Rider, Dabbaba- — Betza’s Ch.

Rider, Fers- — Escalation

Rider, File- — GFC.

Rider, Giraffe- — GFC.

Rider, Night- — Betza’s Ch., Escalation, Five-Rider Ch., GFC

Rider, Rank- — GFC.

Rider, Root-50- — GFC.

Rider, Wazir- — Betza’s Ch., Escalation, GFC.

Rider, Zebra- — Five-Rider Ch., GFC

Rider-Hopper, Alfil- — GFC.

Rider-Hopper, Camel- — GFC.

Rider-Hopper, Dabbaba- — GFC.

Rider-Hopper, Five- — GFC.

Rider-Hopper, Giraffe- — GFC.

Rider-Hopper, Night- — GFC.

Rider-Hopper, Root-50- — GFC. "Root-50-Hopper."

Rider-Hopper, Zebra- — GFC.

Riding Wazir —

Rifleman — Gerard Ch.

Ritter — Schachdame

Rocket — Cr-isis

Roobis — Thinktank Ch.

Rook — Boat, Castle, Gaja [Chaturangan Elephant], Ratha [Chariot], Rocco, Rukh [Armed Chariot], Tower, War Chariot and Wazir- Rider [‘Riding Wazir’]

Rook — GFC.

Rook, Arrow — GFC.

Rook, Crowned — Duke of Rutland’s Ch.

Rook, Great- — Chezz

Rook, Hopping — Rook-hopper.

Rook/Bishop Hunter — GFC.

Rook-Capturer, Bishop-Mover/; — GFC.

Rook-Capturer, Knight-Mover/; Schutze; Sniper — GFC.

Rookhopper — GFC, Jelliss’ Game

Rookni — Thinktank Ch.

Root-50-Leaper — GFC.

Root-50-Rider — GFC.

Root-50-Rider-Hopper — GFC.

Roshop — Semi-Queen Ch.

Rotary — Rotary

Row-Runner — Chaos I

Royal Guard — Silberschmidt’s Game

Royal, Centaur — Centaur Royal

Ruhbird — Great Ch.

Rukh — Shadranji t

Runner — Linear Ch.

Saba — Ethiopian Ch. [Senterej]

Samurai — Chakra

Sapper — ‘military specialist in field fortification work and/or who lays, detects and disarms mines.’ < Siege d’Anvers, Victrix

Satel — Mad

Savian Greatknight — [listing between Chess-Battle and Chu Shogi]

Schleich, Fool, Sneak, Spy — Courier, Modern Courier Ch.

Schutze; B-Mover/R-Capturer; Kt-Mover/R-Capturer; Sniper — GFC.

Scout — Mafeking Kriegsspiel

Scythe — Rotary

Semi — Cuban Chaturang

Sentinel — Timur’s Great Ch.

Serf [Type Of Pawn] — Enchantment

Sergeant — Wolf Ch.

Serpent — GFC.

Shah — Shadranji l; Shadranj.

Shatra — Shatra

Ship — Russian Ch. II

Ship, Boatmen — Chaturangan 2,2 Leaper.

Simopieces — Simochess

Small Arms — International

Snatch — Jabberwocky Ch.

Sneak, Fool, Schleich, Spy — Moves like a Wazir. Courier, Modern Courier Ch.

Sniper; B-Mover/R-Capturer; Kt-Mover/R-Capturer; Schutze — GFC.

Soldier — Burmese Ch., Chaturagji, Drapeaux, Grosses Konigs-spiel, Korean Ch. [Changgi], Silberschmidt’s Game, Xiangqi

Spartan — Troy

Spear — Courier

Spearman — Fantasy Ch.

Springer — Unambiguous Three-Symbol Ch.

Sputnik — Sputnik Ch.

Spy, Fool, Schleich, Sneak — Assassin Kriegsspiel, Courier, Modern Courier Ch., Novo-Schaakspel

Squire — Arch Ch. II, Bates’ Game, Capablanca Ch., Valentine’s Ch.

Squirk — Double King Ch. I

Squirrel — Arch Ch. I, Bear Ch., Betza’s Ch., Cincinnati Four-Way, GFC

Stag — Great Ch.

Stepper — Linear Ch.

Submarine — Cr-isis, Novo-Schaakspel

Superpawn — Cincinnati Four-Way, GFC, Superpawns Ch.

Switcher — Chaos I

Sword — Chakra

Taino — Cuban Chaturang

Talia — "Moves diagonally but not to nearest diagonal square; it leaps." May be "missing link" between Fil and Bishop. Also called a Ski-Piece. Other Ski-Pieces could be invented. < Timur’s Great Ch.

Tank — Atomic Ch., Bombalot, Brinkmanship, Chess-Battle, Cu-bono, GFC, Novo-Schaakspel, Russian Ch. II, Suttles Ch.; Tank Ch. I-III; Universal Ch.

Tank Division — Victrix

Tank Unit — Space Hexchess

Taxi, Taxi Pawn — Pawn that may play 1-3 steps forward from initial position, and also 1 step backwards [but not back beyond initial array rank.] On reaching its 8th rank it may promote or remain a Taxi and play backwards to its initial array rank [but it no longer has the right to a 2- or 3-step forward 1st move]. Captures as Pawn. May capture another Taxi e.p. after latter’s 3-step move [Xa2-a5, Xb5 x a4]. The normal e.p. capture is also available [Xa2-a4,Xb4 x a3]. Symbol: X. < GFC, Taxi Ch.

Temdek — Shatra

Templar — Valentine’s Ch.

Terror — GFC.

Tetra-Pawn — Tetra-Schach

Tetra-Queen — Tetra-Schach

Three, Ranger — Rangers Ch.

Threewocky — Jabberwocky Ch.

Thurrow — Thurrow Ch.

Time — Enchantment

Time Lord — Fourth Dimension

Tove — Jabberwocky Ch.

Transporter — Transporter Ch.

Triangle — Chaos I

Trident — Rotary

Trizebra — GFC.

Trojan — Troy

Tweedledee — Twin Orthodox

Tweedledum — Twin Orthodox

Tweke — Bombalot

Twin — Gemini I

Two, Ranger — Rangers Ch.

Two-Hopper — Ludus Chessunculus

Twowocky — Jabberwocky Ch.

Udtabegum [‘Flying Queen’] — Atranj

Unicorn — Cubic Ch. I, GFC, Grande Acedrex, Great Ch., Six-Dimensional Ch., Triangular Ch. I, 2000 AD

Unicorn-Hopper — GFC.

Unit, Bomber — Space Hexchess

Unit, Fighter — Space Hexchess

Unit, Infantry — Space Hexchess

Unit, Mother — Invisible Ch. I

Unit, Tank — Space Hexchess

Urdabeg [< Udtabegum] — Atranj

Vahoaka — Madagascan Ch.

Vampire — Cuban Chaturang

Vao — Bishop "but captures only by hopping over one man of either color to any square beyond." Leo Family. < Akenhead’s Ch., GFC, Lion Ch.

Vaulting King — GFC.

Vehicle, Motor — Russian Ch. II

Victory Hopper — GFC.

Victory Leaper — GFC.

Victuals — Gerard Ch.

Viscount — Valentine’s Ch.

Visier, Vizier — Firz, Firzan, Vizir - Bates’ Game, Persian Ch. IV, Reform Ch. I; In Turkish Great Ch. = B+N.

Vizier, Grand — ‘Grosswesir’ in Wesirspiel

Vorona — Madagascan Ch.

Vulnerable, The — Astral Battle

Wall — Maze Ch.

Warrior — Chess-Battle, Fourth Dimension

Wazir — Betza’s Ch., Courier, Decimal Ch. II, Escalation, Galactic Ch., GFC, Great Ch., Parton Ch., Quatrochess, Shataranja, Timur’s Great Ch.

Wazir-Rider — Betza’s Ch., Escalation GFC.

Weapons, Chemical — International

Weapons, Mechanical — International

Wesir [Wazir] — Wesirspiel

Wildebeest — Wildebeest Ch.

Withdrawer — Renaissance Ch., Ultima, Withdrawer Ch.

Wizard — Fantasy Ch., Valentine’s Ch., Wizard Ch.

Wolf — Wolf Ch.

Wyvern — Ecila, Wyvern Ch.

X-Forward/Y-Back Pieces —

Ximæra — 2000 AD

Ximera — Royal Fury

X-Mover, Y-Capturer Pieces — R-B, B-R, etc.

Zaza [Child] — Samantsy

Zebra — Cavalry Ch., Congo, GFC

Zebra, Tri- — GFC.

Zebra-Rider — Five-Rider Ch., GFC

Zebra-Rider-Hopper — GFC.

Zek[s] — Game of Empire

Zeppelin — GFC.

Zero — ‘Stationary move.’ Cannot check, capture; can be captured. < GFC, Ms. Alice Ch.

Zombie — Reincarnation Ch., Zombie Ch.

Zombie, Double — Zombie Ch.

Zurafa — Shataranja

See also:

The Piececlopedia.

Written by Frank Truelove. Improvements on this list are planned.

A List of Novelty Pieces

Below is a list of interesting pieces sent in by Wayne VanWeerthuizen. Game designers might find some of his ideas for novelty pieces useful.

Prince: Moves like a King. King can be removed from game at any time (whether or not King is in check or what would otherwise be checkmate) to promote prince to King, as long as Prince is not itself in check at that time. (e.g. Prince is a backup king if King is in danger of checkmate.)
Carrier: Moves like queen. May never capture. Friendly pieces may move on top of it, and are moved with carrier as it moves. If captured, piece on top is also captured. Piece on top can make its normal movements including a capture to disembark.
Rapid Destroyer: Moves like queen or knight. When capturing moves as a queen or knight multiple times in one move to capture unlimited pieces as long as each captured piece is not under attack by any other pieces friend or foe before the capture. Can only ever capture undefended pieces. Can capture unlimited pieces in one turn. Can capture either friendly or enemy pieces.
Teleporters: Moves like King. Any pieces (friend or foe) adjacent to teleporter can be moved to any place adjacent to the same or any other like color teleporter. Pieces cannot capture during teleport.
Wide Blocker: Moves as King. Enemy pieces can not move over adjacent squares (8, including nearest diagonal squares), but can move onto nearest adjacent square or capture it.
Swapper: Moves and captures like a pawn. Can swap positions with any friendly piece, except pawns.
Shapeshifter: Can move as any adjacent piece could, and has same special abilities as any adjacent piece. Can not move at all if no pieces are adjacent.
Eternal pawn: Moves as pawn, but cannot be promoted. If moved to final rank or captured, may immediately be placed on any unoccupied square on own second rank.
Assassin: Can move and capture as Queen or Knight or move to any undefended square. But can move/capture only in the direction towards enemy king. (Every move it makes MUST bring it closer to the enemy King. Assassin is unable to retreat.)
Resurection: Moves as king. Remove from board to return any captured piece back to its starting square (or the starting square of any other piece of the same type and color.)
Mind Controller: Moves as King or knight. Can not capture. Allows player to control any adjacent enemy piece.
Trampoline: Knight with special ability: Any other piece that is moved to the square occupied by this piece must either capture it or immediately be moved again.

Written by Wayne VanWeerthuizen. From ‘Chess Variants’ web page.