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Alfaerie Variant Chess Graphics

The following is my own attempt to come up with some graphics for chess variant (or fairy chess) pieces. The desirability of such designs are almost always a matter of personal preference, so I'm not trying to imply that any of the pre-existing graphics are lacking. I really like the Chess Alpha font (designed by Eric Bentzen), so naturally I wanted a set of graphics that would match up well with that font.

The graphics shown below constitute a set of chess variant pieces which I have somewhat pretentiously named the Alfaerie collection. I've made an effort to be keep the pieces simple and have them match up well with the existing Alpha Chess font. The "Animal" pieces are all profiles facing left, with only the head and neck shown. Due to my limited artistic abilities, they do not look as nice as the Knight, but I've tried to come close.

The intent here is not to assign graphics to certain pieces. For example, the piece that looks like a Unicorn could be used as a Bishop+Nightrider, or as some other piece such as a 3D unicorn piece. Or the piece that's a graphical combination of Nightrider and Bishop could be used as a Bishop+Nightrider. The name or graphic used for a piece in this set does not necessarily correlate to a particular piece or movement capability.

This collection is admitedly geared toward those comfortable with western style chess pieces. I will be attempting to add more pieces as time permits.

You may download and use the Alfaerie graphics if you wish. The .zip file contains bitmaps for using the pieces with Zillions of Games, and also GIF files with transparent backgrounds. It also includes various Zillions of Games rules files and some web pages documenting these games. Please remember to check the 'use folder names' checkbox when you extract the files, and extract them to your zillions folder (if you have one). download alfaerie.zip

Colors
King

King

King

King

Dark square

Light square

Queen

Queen

Queen

Queen

Rook

Rook

Rook

Rook

Bishop

Bishop

Bishop

Bishop

Knight

Knight

Knight

Knight

Pawn

Pawn

Pawn

Pawn

Chess
King

Queen

Rook

Bishop

Knight

Pawn

King

Queen

Rook

Bishop

Knight

Pawn
Inverted
King

Queen

Rook

Bishop

Knight

Pawn

King

Queen

Rook

Bishop

Knight

Pawn

Bishop + Knight

Rook + Knight

Bishop + Knight

Rook + Knight

Historical
Wazir

Ferz

Ship

War Machine

Elephant

Camel

Wazir

Ferz

Ship

War Machine

Elephant

Camel

Animal Forms
Camel

Giraffe

Lion

Snake

Crocodile

Bird

Camel

Giraffe

Lion

Snake

Crocodile

Bird

Gryphon

Squirrel

Unicorn

Grasshopper

Ram

Ox

Gryphon

Squirrel

Unicorn

Grasshopper

Ram

Ox

Dragon

Rhino

Zebra

Pegasus

Bird 2

Dragon

Rhino

Zebra

Pegasus

Bird 2

Tiger

Kangaroo

Tiger

Kangaroo

Riders
Nightrider

Elephant Rider

War Machine Rider

Camelrider

Nightrider

Elephant Rider

War Machine Rider

Camelrider

Queen + Nightrider

Rook + Nightrider

Bishop + Nightrider

Queen + Nightrider

Rook + Nightrider

Bishop + Nightrider

Composite
King + Knight

Queen + Knight

Rook + Knight

Bishop + Knight

Pawn + Knight

Camel + Bishop

King + Knight

Queen + Knight

Rook + Knight

Bishop + Knight

Pawn + Knight

Camel + Bishop

King + Bishop

King + Rook

Knight + Camel

Elephant + War Machine

Bishop + Pawn

Rook + Pawn

King + Bishop

King + Rook

Knight + Camel

Elephant + War Machine

Bishop + Pawn

Rook + Pawn

Knight + Ferz

Knight + Wazir

Pao + Vao (Leo)

Knight + Ferz

Knight + Wazir

Pao + Vao (Leo)

Composite
Forward/Backward

Fwd King + Bwd Knight

Fwd Bishop + Bwd Knight

Fwd Bishop + Bwd Rook

Fwd Knight + Bwd King

Fwd Knight + Bwd Queen

Fwd Knight + Bwd Bishop

Fwd King + Bwd Knight

Fwd Bishop + Bwd Knight

Fwd Bishop + Bwd Rook

Fwd Knight + Bwd King

Fwd Knight + Bwd Queen

Fwd Knight + Bwd Bishop

Fwd Knight + Bwd Rook

Fwd Queen + Bwd Knight

Fwd Rook + Bwd Bishop

Fwd Rook + Bwd Knight

Fwd Knight + Bwd Rook

Fwd Queen + Bwd Knight

Fwd Rook + Bwd Bishop

Fwd Rook + Bwd Knight

Leapers /
Hoppers

Zebra

Grasshopper

Cannon

Vao

War Machine

Elephant

Zebra

Grasshopper

Cannon

Vao

War Machine

Elephant

Modern
Tank

Airplane

Rocket

Bulldozer

Gun

General

Tank

Airplane

Rocket

Bulldozer

Gun

General

Miscellaneous
Fool / Jester

Guard / Prince

Crooked Bishop

Crooked Rook

Moon

Champion

Fool / Jester

Guard / Prince

Crooked Bishop

Crooked Rook

Moon

Champion

Stone

Block

Fortress

Banner / Flag

Archer

Windmill

Stone

Block

Fortress

Banner / Flag

Archer

Windmill

Minister

Duke

Mage

Chancellor

Cardinal

Man

Minister

Duke

Mage

Chancellor

Cardinal

Man

Prince

Princess

Falcon

Paladin

Reflecting Bishop

Nightknight

Prince

Princess

Falcon

Paladin

Reflecting Bishop

Nightknight

Thief / Assassin

Spearman (North)

Spearman (Northwest)

Spearman (Northeast)

Thief / Assassin

Spearman (North)

Spearman (Northwest)

Spearman (Northeast)

Pawns
Knight pawn

Berolina pawn

Weak pawn

Quick pawn

Steward

Knight pawn

Berolina pawn

Weak pawn

Quick pawn

Steward

Diminished
Half Queen

Half Rook

Half Bishop

Halfling Rook

Halfling Bishop

Half Queen

Half Rook

Half Bishop

Halfling Rook

Halfling Bishop

Narrow Knight

Wide Knight

Crab

Barc

Narrow Knight

Wide Knight

Crab

Barc

Chinese
Horse

Elephant

Cannon

Vao

Chinese Pawn

Horse

Elephant

Cannon

Vao

Chinese Pawn

Japanese
Gold General

Silver General

Horse

Lance

Pawn

Gold General

Silver General

Horse

Lance

Pawn

Dragon King

Dragon Horse

Promoted Silver General

Promoted Lance

Promoted Horse

Promoted Pawn

Dragon King

Dragon Horse

Promoted Silver General

Promoted Lance

Promoted Horse

Promoted Pawn

Ultima
Pincer Pawn

Coordinator

Withdrawer

Immobilizer

Long Leaper

Chameleon

Pincer Pawn

Coordinator

Withdrawer

Immobilizer

Long Leaper

Chameleon

Chess With
Different Armies
Colorbound
Clobberers

Bishop + War Machine

Elephant + Wazir

Elephant + Ferz + War Machine

Bishop + Knight

Bishop + War Machine

Elephant + Wazir

Elephant + Ferz + War Machine

Bishop + Knight
Remarkable
Rookies

Half Rook

War Machine + Wazir

Great War Machine + Ferz

Rook + Knight

Half Rook

War Machine + Wazir

Great War Machine + Ferz

Rook + Knight
Nutty
Knights

Forward Rook + Backwards Prince

Narrow Knight + Ferz

Forward Knight + Backwards Prince

Forward Chancellor + Prince

Forward Rook + Backwards Prince

Narrow Knight + Ferz

Forward Knight + Backwards Prince

Forward Chancellor + Prince

Notes


Written by David Howe.
WWW page created: 11 July 2001.