CHESMAYNE

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Taxonomy

AZ Monogram Table - Piececlopedia Index

 

This is a start at categorizing various chess variant MPs/mps.   John William Brown, in his book Meta-Chess, does a fine job both naming and categorizing chess MPs/mps by extending and expanding on the normative moves from existing and historical chess games.   He also introduces the idea of a novelty piece, that is, any piece with movement capabilities (or other abilities), which fall outside the Meta-Chess graphic conventions.   There are many such pieces (perhaps an infinite number), and it is possible to categorize them to some extent.   Below I have attempted to create categories that describe the various capabilities of such chess variant MPs/mps.   I’ve tried to keep descriptions as general as possible, and provide specific examples where available. 

This document is by no means complete or comprehensive.   I would encourage an effort to build on this, so that a more complete resource would be available to Chess Variant designers or problemists.

KI   QU   RO   BS   KT   KM   PA   GU   BE

Cardinal  Dabbabah  Ferz  Grasshopper  Joker  Lion  Mao, Pao, Vao  Wazir-Wizard

Ultima Pieces  Lion-02  Alfil  Bishopper  Bison  Bowman  Camel  Champion

Contragrasshopper  Coordinator  Eqihopper  Friend  Giraffe Gnus  Immoblizer

Leo  Long Leaper  Moa  Nightrider  Non Stop Equhopper  Orphan  Rose

Scorpion  Sissa  Squirrel  Ubi-Ubi  Withdrawer  Zebra  Prince Pawn  Soucie

Amazon/Empress  Archbishop  Chancellor  Dragon  Mimics Windmill

 

MPs/mps used in chess: 

Chatrang: 

Chaturanga: 

Shatranj:  KI,

Western Chess Level-01: KI, QU, RO, BS, KT and PA

Chesmayne Level-02:  KI, QU, RO, BS, KT and GU

Chesmayne Level-03:  KI, QU, RO, BS, KT, PA and GU 

German Chess: KI, QU, RO, BS, KT and BE

Chinese Chess:  GE, RO, CN, AD, KN

Mongolian: 

Burmese: 

Cambodian: 

Thai: 

Korean: 

Shogi 9 x 9:  KI,

Tori Shogi:

Chu Shogi: 

Dai-Dai Shogi:

 

 

Size

The size of a MP/mp measures how many cells (or positions) the piece occupies on the board. 

     Mono-positional.

A MP/mp that occupies one and only one position.

     Multi-positional.

A MP/mp that may occupy more than one position.   When another MP/mp displaces one or more of the positions occupied by the multi-positional piece, the entire multi-positional piece is captured.

Continuous - a multi-positional piece that occupies an area of adjacent positions.   A rectangular piece is a continuous piece that occupies a rectangular set of positions.   Such pieces may be said to have a span, which is an indication of the height and width of the rectangular area they cover. 

Distributed - a multi-positional piece that does not necessarily occupy one continuous area of positions.

Synchronous - all components of piece move together. 
Asynchronous - different components can move independently. 

The span of a piece represents the number of cells (or positions) the piece occupies.   Ortho-Chess pieces all have a span of 1 x 1, or simply 1 cell.   The Wall from Ganymede Chess, is a multi-positional piece which is rectangular and has a span of 1 x 2, that is, it occupies a 1 cell high, by 2 cells wide area.   MPs/mps with a span of more than 1 x 1 typically can capture more than one piece on a turn, but are also more easily attacked since a displacement on any of their occupied cells results in their capture. 

Another piece, the ooze (my own invention), is a multi-positional, continuous piece that moves like a KI.   However, it may also ‘ooze’ instead of moving.   An ooze move is simply growing the piece by one adjacent position.   Oozing to a cell occupied by an enemy piece captures that piece.   The ooze is an example of a multi-positional piece, which is of variable size. 

Complexity

The Complexity of a piece describes how many ways the piece can move, and possibly how those different moves are combined.   There are two basic categories here:

 

Simple

A piece which has only one (primitive) type of move.   Examples of this type of piece are the Bishop, Rook and Knight of orthodox chess. 

Compound

A piece which has a movement capability that is a combination of 2 or more simple pieces.   This term was coined in Meta-Chess.   Here, however, I intend to expand on this term.   There are two flavors of Compound pieces:

Exclusive: An Exclusive Compound piece has the option, on any one move, of moving as one and only one of it’s component piece moves (eg. a Cardinal may move either as a Bishop or as a Knight). 

Pieces which have a different way of capturing than they have of moving without capturing, we might call Divergent (after Divergent Chess, where such pieces are used exclusively. 

Inclusive: An Inclusive Compound piece has the option, on any one move, of moving as one or more of its component piece moves.   Such pieces tend to be extremely powerful and should be used with care. 

eg. a Super Cardinal may move either as a Bishop or as a Knight, or may move first as a BS followed by a KT move (in the same direction), or may move first as a KT followed by a BS move (in the same direction). 

 

Variability

The variability of a piece describes how the capabilities of a piece vary (or don’t vary) over the course of a game.   Generally, pieces are assigned a movement capability which they keep throughout the entire game.   However there are many pieces which have movement capabilities which change throughout a game. 

 

Static

A piece that does not change it’s movement capabilities during the course of a game (eg. Rook, Bishop, Knight and Queen from orthodox chess). 

Dynamic

A piece that changes its movement capabilities during the course of a game.

Mimic: A detailed discussion of Mimics can be found here.  An example of a Mimic would be the Joker or Orphan.

Alternator: An Alternator has two (or more) movement capabilities, alternating between them according to some pattern (eg. Flip chess pieces or Chameleon used in Fairy Chess problems).

Adaptor: An Adaptor changes its movement capabilities based on where it is on the board.   For examples of Adaptors, see Big Outer Chess.

Promoter: A Promotor becomes another piece (typically more powerful in some way) after meeting some predefined condition (eg. Pawn).

Singular: A singular piece has one special move that may be taken once per game (eg. a PAs double cell move  (FMO) or KIs Castling - %K, %Q).

 

Movement

Movement/Capture properties.   Some of the following terms are taken from D. B. Pritchard’s Encyclopedia of Chess Variants.

 

Rider

Moves from its current cell to a destination cell given a specified path (typically in a straight line), which must be clear of pieces.  We might call Riders that move in a straight line, Straight Riders, and other riders that do not, Curve Riders.   An example of a Curve Rider is the Rose, or the Windmill.   Straight Rider examples are: Rook, Bishop and Nightrider. 

Leaper

Moves from its current cell to a destination cell given a specified path.  Pieces along the path do not necessarily block it. 

eg. Knight, Camel

Leapers may be further subdivided into the following:

Generic Leapers: may leap over both friendly and hostile pieces.
Friendly Leapers: may leap over friendly pieces only.
Enemy Leapers: may leap over hostile pieces only. 

Hopper

Moves from its current square to a destination cell given a specified path (typically in a straight line).   There must be a certain number of intervening pieces between the source and destination cells. 

eg. Cannon, Grasshopper

Directional

A Directional piece is restricted based on which direction it is attempting to move.   Such restrictions may apply to how far it may move, what type of move it may make, or even whether it may capture or not. 

eg. the orthodox chess PA, or the Spearman from Centennial Chess.   Also take a look at the various “Spear” pieces used in Pick-the-team Chess.

 

Kinetics

Kinetic pieces are able to effect other pieces in some way other than capturing.  The number and types of Kinetic pieces are only limited by the imagination, so the following classifications are not even close to covering all the possibilities. 

Kinetics may be latent or active.  A latent Kinetic piece may effect other pieces without having to take any action, whereas an active Kinetic requires the some sort of move to be made with the piece. 

Restrictor

Restricts the movement of pieces that are in a certain relative position.   The Immobilizer from Ultima is an example of a Restrictor.

Mobilizer

Changes the positions of other pieces. The Mobilizer may be further subdivided into:

Attractor: Pulls other pieces towards itself.   For an example of an Attractor, see the game Magnetic Chess.   In this game, practically all the pieces are Attractors (and Repulsers too). 

Repulser: Pushes other pieces away from itself.  For an example of a Repulser, see the Ox piece in Dragons, Archers & Oxen.

Spinner: Rotates other pieces around itself.   For an example of a Spinner, see the Spider piece in Ben 39. 

Transposer: Swaps places with another piece.   For an example of such a piece, see the Humming Bird of Typhoon.

Transporter

This is a piece which enables other pieces to move in ways they normally could not move.   Transporters typically are able to cohabitate a position with another piece.

Teleporters are Transporters which work in coordination with other Transporters to allow other pieces to move between the positions of two or more of the Transporters. 

For an example of a Teleporter type piece, take a look at the Transporter piece in Dragons, Archers & Oxen.   Also see Ben 39 and its Wizard piece. For an example of a Transporter that is not a Teleporter, see the Disk in Vyrémorn Chess.   Another interesting piece is the Dervish from Scirocco.

 

Capturing

Displacer

A Displacer captures a piece by occupying the cell that the captured piece occupies.   All orthodox chess pieces are Displacers. 

Displacers can further be broken down into Singular and Multiple.  Multiple Displacers are able to capture more than one piece in a single turn (eg. the Cicada from Typhoon).

Implicator

An Implicator captures in some other way than moving onto the cell of an enemy piece.   Pieces from the game Ultima tend to fall into this category. 

Detonator: Captures by “exploding”.  This results in one of more pieces in certain relative positions being captured.  Typically the piece itself is also captured. (eg. the Bomb from Bomberman Chess). 

Ranger: Captures at a distance (eg. the Bowman, or the Archer in Jester Chess).

Coordinator: captures by forming (in concert with other pieces) a pattern relative to the piece to be captured.  (eg. the Pincer pawn or Coordinator from Ultima). 

Overtaker: captures by leaping over an enemy piece in some way (eg. the Long Leaper from Ultima).

Relator: captures by changing its position relative to an enemy piece in a certain way (eg. Withdrawer from Ultima).

Converter: is able to convert an enemy piece to a friendly piece (eg. the Cuckoo from Typhoon).

 

 

 

 

Index:   A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

 

A

§         Alfil.   Jumps two diagonally.

§         Alibaba.   Jumps two orthogonally or 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

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

·         Vao moves like bishop but must jump when taking.  

W

X

Y

Z

 

See also:  List of fairy pieces, compiled by Frank Truelove.   Contributions by Hans Bodlaender, Ben Good, David Howe, and others.   Provide feedback on this page!


The ‘keywords’ below may be found in this dictionary

PEOPLE

ABRAHAMS GERALD........................22:01

ABU ‘L-FATH AHMAD AS-SINJARI...........22:02

ADAMS MICHAEL..........................22:03

ADIANTO UTUT...........................22:04

ALADDIN................................22:05

AL-‘ADLI AR-RUMI.......................22:06

ALEKHINE ALEXANDROVICH.................22:07

ALEXANDER CONEL HUGH O'DONEL...........22:08

ALFONSO THE WISE.......................22:09

AL-ALDI................................22:10

ALLGAIER JOHANN BAPTIST................22:11

ANDERSSEN ADOLF........................22:12

AR-RAZI................................22:13

AR-SULI................................22:14

ASPERLING..............................22:15

ATWOOD GEORGE..........................22:16

AVERBAKH YURI LVOVICH..................22:17

BACHMANN LUDWIG ERNST AUGUST...........22:18

BARCZA SYSTEM..........................22:19

BARDELEBEN CURT VON....................22:20

BENKO GAMBIT...........................22:21

BENONI DEFENCE.........................22:22

BERGER JOHANN NEPOUMUK.................22:23

BERTIN JOSEPH..........................22:24

BIRD HENRY EDWARD......................22:25

BLACKBURNE JOSEPH HENRY................22:26

BLEDOW LUDWIG ERDMANN..................22:27

BODEN SAMUEL STANDIDGE.................22:28

BOI PAOLO..............................22:29

BOLESLAVSKY ISSAK YEFREMOVICH..........22:30

BOTVINIK MIKHAIL MOISEYEVICH...........22:31

BOURDONNAIS LOUIS CHARLES DE LA........22:32

BROINSTEIN DAVID IONOVICH..............22:33

CAMPOMANES FLORENCIO...................22:34

CAPABLANCA JOSE RAOUL..................22:35

CARRERA PIETRO.........................22:36

CARO-KANN..............................22:37

CAXTON WILLIAM.........................22:38

CERIANI LUIGI..........................22:39

CESSOLE JACOPO DA......................22:40

CESSOLIS JACOBUS DE....................22:41

CHERON ANDRE...........................22:42

CHICCO ADRIANO.........................22:43

CHIGORIN MIKHAIL IVANOVICH.............22:44

CLARKE RICHARD WILLIAM BARNES..........22:45

COOK EUGENE BEAUHARNAIS................22:46

CROSSKILL ALFRED.......................22:47

CZERNIAK MOSHE.........................22:48

DAMIANO................................22:49

DAWSON THOMAS RAYNER...................22:50

DE GROOT...............................22:51

DESCHAPELLES ALEXANDRE.................22:52

DE VERE CECIL..........................22:53

DILARAM’S ++CM (FIRDEWSI AT-TAHIHAL)....22:54

DUFRESNE JEAN..........................22:55

DURAND PHILIPPE AMBROISE...............22:56

DUCHAMP MARCEL.........................22:57

LESECHECS AMOUREUX (JOHN LYDGATE)......22:58

EON (CHEVALIER D’EON)..................

22:59

ERCOLE DEL RIO DOMENICO................22:60

EUGENE DE BEAUHARNAIS..................22:61

EUWE MACHGIELIS MAX....................22:62

EVANS WILLIAM DAVIES...................22:63

EVERGREEN GAME (ANDERSSEN-DUFRESNE)....22:64

EZRA ABRAHAM BEN MEIR IBN..............22:65

FENG-HSIUNG HSU........................22:66

FISCHER BOBBY..........................22:67

FORSYTH NOTATION (DAVID FORSYTH).......22:68

FRANKLIN BENJAMIN......................22:69

GAME OF THE CENTURY (BOBBY FISCHER)....22:70

GELLER YEFIM PETROVICH.................22:71

GOLOMBEK HARRY.........................22:72

GRINGMUTH NOTATION (D.A. GRINGMUTH)....22:73

GRUNFELD ERNST.........................22:74

HARUN AR-RASHID........................22:75

HIPPARCHUS.............................22:77

HOBSON’S CHOICE........................22:78

HOMER..................................22:79

HOUYHNHNM (SWIFT)......................22:80

HYDE THOMAS............................22:81

ICTINUS................................22:82

KARPOV ANATOLY.........................22:83

KASPAROV GARY..........................22:84

KEENE RAYMOND..........................22:85

KEMPELEN BARON WOLFGANG................22:86

KERES PAUL.............................22:87

KIESERITZKY LIONEL.....................22:88

KIPPING CYRIL..........................22:89

KORCHNOI VIKTOR........................22:90

KRYLENKO NIKOLAI.......................22:91

LANGE MAX..............................22:92

LASKER EMANUEL.........................22:93

LEIBNIZ WILLIAM GOTTFRIED..............22:94

LE JOUEUR D'ECHES (RAYMOND BERNARD)....22:95

LEVY DAVID.............................22:96

LOPEZ RUY..............................22:97

LOUIS XIV..............................22:98

LUCENA LUIS RAMIREZ....................22:99

MENCHIK VERA...........................22:100

MILES ANTHONY..........................22:101

NAPOLEON...............................22:102

NIEMEIJER MEINDERT.....................22:103

NIMZO-INDIAN (ARON NIMZOWITSCH)........22:104

PAULSEN LOUIS..........................22:105

PETROSIAN TIGRAN.......................22:106

PHIDIAS................................22:107

PHILIDOR FRANCOIS-ANDRE................22:108

POLGAR JUDITH..........................22:109

QUEEN OF SHEBA.........................22:110

ROXELANA...............................22:111

SALADIN................................22:112

SAMSON.................................22:113

SAMURAI................................22:114

SARRATT HENRY..........................22:115

SCHEHERAZADE...........................22:116

SCHIFFERS EMANUEL......................22:117

SCHMID LOTHAR..........................22:118

SELENUS GUSTAVUS.......................22:119

SHAKESPEARE............................22:120

SHANNON CLAUDE.........................22:121

SOLOMON................................22:123

SPASSKY BORIS..........................22:124

SPEELMAN JON...........................22:125

STAMMA PHILIP..........................22:126

STAUNTON HOWARD........................22:127

STEINITZ WILHELM.......................22:128

TAL MIKHAIL............................22:129

TAMBURLAINE............................22:130

TARRASCH SIEGBERT......................22:131

TIMMAN JAN HENDRIK.....................22:132

TIMUR..................................22:133

TINSLEY MARION.........................22:134

TRADITIONAL CHESS......................22:135

TURING ALLEN...........................22:136

UEDEMANN CODE (LOUIS UEDEMANN).........22:137

VIDA MARCO GEROLAMO MARCUS.............22:138

VON....................................22:139

WENCESLAUS.............................22:140

WINDSOR................................22:141

WOMEN..................................22:142

WORLD CHAMPIONS........................22:143

XIE JUN................................22:144

XP.....................................22:145

YAHWEH YHWH............................22:146

ABELARD-HELOISE - LORD-LADY............22:147

ALEXANDRIAN............................22:148

ANAND VISWANATHAN......................22:149

BLIND CHESS............................22:150

BOYER JOSEPH...........................22:151

BOTVINNIK MIKHAIL......................22:152

BUCHOLZ BRUNO..........................22:153

CHAMPOLLION FRANCOIS JEAN..............22:154

CHIGORIN MIKHAIL.......................22:155

CLEOPATRA..............................22:156

COOK EUGENE BEAUHARNAIS................22:157

DALAI LAMA.............................22:158

DUCHAMP MARCEL.........................22:159

EFIM BOGOLYUBOV (1889-1952)............22:160

EINSTEIN...............................22:161

FEMME FATALE...........................22:162

GATES BILL.............................22:163

GILGAMESH..............................22:164

HAILE SELASSIE.........................22:165

HOYLE..................................22:166

IGNATIUS LOYOLA SJ.....................22:167

IMHOTEP................................22:168

INTEL GRAND PRIX.......................22:169

JOSEPHUS FLAVIUS.......................22:170

JUNG...................................22:171

KING MARTIN LUTHER JUNIOR..............22:172

LANCE..................................22:173

LAU. H.T...............................22:174

LORDS versus COMMONS...................22:175

MAGI...................................22:176

MAIMONIDES.............................22:177

MARSHALL FRANK.........................22:178

NEFERTARI (Queen)......................22:179

NIMZOWITSCH ARON.......................22:180

PEOPLE.................................22:181

SARAH..................................22:182

SULEYMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT..............22:183

TATTERSALL.............................22:184

TUTANKHAMUM............................22:185

ZUSE KONRAD............................22:186

ABSOLUTE CHAMPION......................22:187

ALLEN GEORGE...........................22:188

ARCH PRIEST OF THE HYPERMODERNS........22:189

GREEK ALPHABET.........................22:190

HYPERMODERN............................22:191

ISRAEL.................................22:192

KMOCH JOHANN JOSEPH....................22:193

LIVING CHESS...........................22:194

MEREDITH...............................22:195

MIAMI CAPABLANCAS......................22:196

NATIONAL CHESS DAY.....................22:197

NATIONAL MASTER........................22:198

RUSSIA.................................22:199

VERA MENCHIK CLUB......................22:200

 

 

 

 

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