DISCLAIMER: The ideas expressed on this page are the creative work of its author, Charles Gilman, and they might not be shared by others responsible for this website. They do not represent any convention, consensus, or standard regarding piece names.
Index D to Man and Beast
Each entry starts with the name or prefix in capitals, linked to the Piececlopedia page if an established piece, followed by the plural in plain text if irregular. Then comes the geometry, with a link to the Man and Beast page - square also covers cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism, all covers those plus 2d hex and 2d/3d pentagonal ones, and hex covers xyrixa/hex-prism. Then comes the definition in plain text. The name's origin, if more than random and neither a Piececlopedia piece nor obvious, is in italics. Compounds of two oblique leapers always have one of a set of endings designed to avoid duplicate names for mixed-range and part-symmetric versions. Unless specified as royally-restricted a piece is capturable. The phrase "capturing as" means exclusively unless prefixed with "also". When a move can be "repeated" it means without capturing on any but the last instance. DQR stands for Defaulting to Queen (square) or Rook (hex). Names combining component names are marked ¢. FO pieces' symmetric counterparts are marked §.
New in 2016 under this letter: Daydreamer, Debate, Diamnondback, Dropinon
New in 2015 under this letter: Dishcloth, Doretaker
The acknowledgments, overview, and glossary to the series can be found here.
Pieces
 | DABBABA or DABBABAH square symmetric 2:0 leaper or (more rarely) stepper. |
 | DABCHICK square FO symmetric 2:0 leaper or (more rarely) stepper, from Dabbaba § with the idea of a chick as a diminutive. |
DACHA cubic/hex Dabchick+Lurch ¢.
DACORUM cubic Fortnight+Hemel, as a district whose main town is Hemel Hempstead.
DACTYL xyrixa/hex-prism dual of FO 11:6:1 leaper, FO 2:root 75 leaper, as a mythical creature from Anatolia where the Medes § were a real people.
DADAIST, DADBUCK, DADCHICK hex-prism Dabbaba+Drummer, Dabbaba+Eunuch+Drummer, Dabchick+Drumstick ¢.
DAJJ cubic Nimel+Ultimatum, extrapolated from Hajj.
DALEK hex-prism Poker+Tippler.
DALLIER xyrixa dual to the cubic Dancer, as one moving less energetically than a dancer.
DAMBUSTER hex-prism Rook+Launcher, in refernce to aircraft launching bombs at a dam.
DAMOCLES hex 90° Crooked Viceroy-Trebuchet alternator, in conjunction with other names of historic figures ending in -es for 90° orthogonal-ND Crooked alternators.
DANCER cubic symmetric 6:2:1 leaper, hex-prism symmetric 2:root 37 leaper, common second half for piece sharing SOLL 41 with 4:4:3 Rotcer.
DANDYMAN Dandymen, DARDNESS, DARDSHIP cubic xyrixa Disguise+Dump, FO 8:7:7 leaper, Dump+Daste, extrapolated from Handyman, Hardness, Hardship.
DARLING, DARLINGSTONE cubic/hex Sling+Dabbaba, Slingstone+Dabchick ¢.
DART square Arrowhead+Dabchick, from Dartgun §.
DARTBOARD cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Headrest+Dabchick, from Dartgun/Dart.
DARTEBEEST cubic Nimelranker+Ninjafiler, extrapolated from Hartebeest.
DARTGUN square Arrow+Dabbaba, as machine firing arrowhead-like projectiles.
DARTSMATCH cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Arbalest+Dabbaba, from Dartgun/Dart.
DARWIN cubic Rotcer+Dancer ¢.
DASTE cubic FO 7:4:4 leaper, extrapolated from Haste.
DASTARD hex-prism Paker+Clerk.
DATAPOOL cubic Dancer+Roper ¢.
DAWDLER hex-prism Dabchick+Key+Drumstick, from Dadbuck § and Antler.
DAWN- hex-prism adds Host move to symmetric orthogonal pieces, adds Wazir moves to Hostwise pieces, and makes orthogonal component of Spokesmanwise pieces symmetric, in conjunction with names of other environments and natural phenomena.
DAWNGENERAL, DAWNRIDER, DAWNRULER hex-prism Wazir+Host, Rook+Mediator, General+Host.
DAY- hex-prism adds single-step move on remaining forward radials to FO pieces, from the daytime half, at any one time, of the world §.
DAYDREAMER hex Wastrrider restricted to moving two steps, as another idler like the Wastrel but starting with the same two letters as Dabbaba.
DAYGENERAL, DAYRIDER hex-prism Point+Cross+Saltire+Rumchick, Wing+Mitre+Horn+Dilemma.
DAZZLER cubic/hex Dabbaba+Zombie ¢.
DBARON xyrixa Wferz+Viceroy, adding initial of Duke.
 | DEACON square symmetric 8:7 leaper with the 7 specifically orthogonal, in conjunction with other church titles below Bishop for n+1:n leapers. |
DEAFENER hex-prism Alibarider+Drummer, from the deafening effect tha tdrumming can have.
DEALING hex-prism Vine+Drag ¢.
 | DEAN square Picket+Dabbaba, in conjunction with other church titles below Bishop for enhanced Pickets. |
 | DEBATE cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Horn+Cross, as a device used by a Heretic §. | |
 | DEBTOR square Dabbaranker+Nightfiler ¢, in conjunction with Knave. |
DECKER hex-prism Piker+Drumstick ¢.
DEFACE cubic Den+Plea ¢.
DEFILER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Dabchick+Hurler ¢.
DEFT- square, hex restricts radial moves to forward direction but indefinitely repeated in the same direction, including part-repeats, from the deftness of makers of ships' figureheads, as suggested by the Deftcarpenter bringing the radial move all forward compared to the standard Carpenter.
DEGU cubic xyrixa Guineapig+Grumbler, a rodent name ending in -u.
DEIST xyrixa Disguise+Stake ¢.
DELAY xyrixa dual to the cubic Grace, as attribute of Dallier §.
DELEGATOR hex-prism Eunucrider+Alderman, from image of official "riding" his underling.
DELEPHANT xyrixa Elephranker+Dabbafiler, extrapolated from Brook.
DELICOPTER cubic Ninja+Nimel+Ultimatum+Lumel, extrapolated from Helicopter.
DELIVERY hex-prism Vump+Drag ¢.
DELK xyrixa Delephant+Eunuch, adding initial of Dybbuk.
DELTA square Dual-inclusive Yawing Wing, from Omega Chess.
DEMEL square symmetric 15:1 leaper dual to the Deacon, extrapolated from Camel.
DEMI- hex-prism downward Fore- plus upward Hind-, plus whole of any same-level component.
DEMOISELLE cubic Rector+Dancer ¢.
DEMOTING piece any one whose move can cause another piece to become weaker, especially a promotee to revert to its unpromoted form.
DEN cubic FO 8:5:5 leaper, as place where Tinkerer § might tinker.
 | DENETHOR square royally-restricted piece moving as Steward, from Tolkien's ruling steward of that name. |
DENTICLE hex-prism Doker+Antler ¢.
DENTIST hex-prism Eniv+Drag ¢.
DENTURE cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Packpocket+Tusk, as teeth that can be packed into pocket.
DENUDER cubic FO 6:5:4 leaper, Tetrahderal/hex-prism dual of FO 9:8:3 leaper, FO 4:root 61 leaper, from selected letters of Dunnart § reversed.
DEPARTMENT hex-prism Scrooge+Drummer, in conjunction with other collective names for such compounds.
DEPICTER hex-prism Paker+Drumstick ¢.
DERIVATIVE hex-prism Midwife+Drynurse ¢.
DESDEMONA hex-prism Dicorn with first 2 steps replaced by Wazir ones, in conjunction with other Shakespearean names.
DESERT- 3d/hex adds Princeling move to symmetric HD pieces, adds Rumbaba moves to Princelingwise compounds, and makes HD component of Spokesmanwise pieces symmetric, in conjunction with names of other environments and natural phenomena.
DESERTGENERAL, DESERTRIDER 3d/hex Rumbaba+Princeling, Dicorn+Princess.
DESPERADO cubic/hex Dabbaba+Spear ¢.
DESPOT cubic Nimel+Propounder, as one who imposes on a country what he propounds.
DESTROYER hex a rotatable Glinski Forerook, from Stations.
DETONATOR cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Dabbaba+Spearthrower ¢.
DEVOTEE cubic Countess+Cross, as person holding religious symbol, and in allusion to a Dowager § growing devout.
DGOVERNOR xyrixa Rbishop+Unicorn, adding initial of Duchess.
DHOLLENGER cubic/xyrixa Oddfellow capturing as Dormouse, extrapolated from Challenger.
DHOW, DHOWHEAD cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Duchess+Arrow, Countess+Arrowhead ¢.
DIACOGAMEWARDEN square Cogamewarden+Quitter, as colourbound and rankswitching dual of colourswitching Endgamewarden.
DIALUP hex-prism Ring+Fate, punning on the "ring" of a telephone.
DIAMONDBACK pentagonal-prism Rattlesnake+Urotheca, as snake sharing Duchess' initial.
 | DIARCH cubic Queen+Viceroy, as joint head of state, as one of the pair is usually female. |
 | DICORN hex-prism piece moving any distance through empty intermediate cells along all hybrid diagonals, from having twice as many directions as the Unicorn on the same geometry. |
 | DICTATOR hex-prism Bishop+Unicorn+Dicorn, in conjunction with other unelected modern offices for pieces in those directions. |
DIETER cubic 55° Viceroy-Bitrebuchet alternator, EMD Slimmerwise.
DIGGER, DIKDIK hex-prism Poker+Clerk, Doker+Key.
 | DILEMMA hex-prism piece moving any distance through empty intermediate cells along forward hybrid diagonals, from Dicorn § and Horn via the metaphor "horns of a dilemma". |
DIMMING xyrixa piece moving twice as far as the Divider in the same directions, extrapolated from Lemming.
DINER cubic 35° Viceroy-Commuter alternator, EMD Feasterwise.
DINGO cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Unicorn with first and last steps replaced by Ferz ones, extrapolated from Wolf and Fox.
DIPLOMAT xyrixa Tesselator+Divider ¢.
DIRECTOR cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Nag+Pathfinder.
DISCARDER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Dybbuk+Spear ¢.
DISCIPLINARIAN hex-prism Eunucrider+Drummer, as a man "drumming" the message into his servants.
DISGUISE cubic FO 2:2:1 leaper, xyrixa dual to cubic Dump, as an attribute of the Ninja §.
DISHCLOTH hex-prism FO 1:root 75 leaper, as a device wielded by a Scullion §.
DISMANTLER hex-prism Unicorn+Resonator, from the effect on a bridge of the resonance of marching in step.
DISPARU square Deacon+Demel ¢.
DISPERSER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Rook+Spearthrower, from Distaff and Spearthrower.
DISRUPTER hex-prism Packpicket+Drumstick.
DISSENTER, DISSENTRESS hex-prism Point+Saltire+Rumchick, Wing+Horn+Dilemma, as masculine/feminine pair in conjunction with other rebellious rôles for pieces in those directions.
DISTAFF square Rook+Spear, as emblem for actor playing a woman corresponding to spear for playing a man.
DISTRIBUTOR cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Arrow+Dybbuk ¢.
DISTURBER hex-prism Bellman+Tippler, from the image of a drunken man ringing a bell at an inopportune time.
DITCHER cubic/hex Duke+Trebizond, from Duke and -switcher.
DITHERER hex-prism Doker+Thief.
DIVA hex-prism Queen+Rumbaba, as a woman who sees herself as a goddess.
DIVIDER xyrixa dual of symmetric 9:3:2 leaper, from sharing Tesselator's SOLL.
DOCKET hex-prism Dicorn restricted to moving at least two steps, extrapolated from Pocket and Dicorn.
DODDERER cubic symmetric 8:5:4 leaper, from having thrice the Oddfellow's SOLL.
DODGER hex-prism Doker+Dabchick ¢.
DOGMATIST xyrixa/hex-prism Doweller+Aria ¢.
DOLLINGUP xyrixa Doubt+Oump ¢.
DOMINATOR, DOMINATRIX hex-prism Unicorn+Rumbaba, Duchess+Rumbaba, as masculine term, feminised for its Rook compound.
DOOR square Mitre+Key, as something that may have mitred joints and be opened with a key.
DOORMAT hex-prism Fanatic+Dormouse ¢.
DORETAKER cubic/xyrixa Quirk capturing as Sleep, extrapolated from Caretaker.
DORMOUSE cubic symmetric 6:5:3 leaper, xyrixa dual to cubic Oddfellow, in conjunction with other rodent names.
DOTSPUR cubic Disguise+Daste, extrapolated from Hotspur.
DOUBLE Alternator or Bent piece any has all combinations of unprefixed, Contra-, and Mirror pieces, from Double Rhino.
 | DOUBLESCOUT square Girlscout+Bolyscout. |
DOVERCRAFT cubic Ninja+Ultimatum, extrapolated from Hovercraft, for which vessels Dover (in England) has been a major port.
 | DOWAGER cubic Duchess+Ferz, as the title of a peer's widow such as a dowager duchess. |
DOWN-PITCHING piece cubic one turning 90° so that forward moves become downward, downward backward, backward upward, and upward forward.
DOWNCAST xyrixa Dump+Stake ¢.
DOWNHILL cubic NBerve+Plea, borrowing the starting letter of Den, which shares the SOLL of Nerve and Plea.
DOWRY xyrixa/hex-prism Pamper+Doweller ¢.
DRACONID hex-prism Stork+Drynurse ¢.
DRAG hex-prism FO 1:root 28 leaper, from Travesty § being a contraction of transvestite.
DRAGON as Falcon-style piece square 45° Wazir-Ferz 5-stepper, from this game.
DRAGON or DRAGOON as a divergent piece square Knight+Pawn, from dragoon regiments having both cavalry and infantry skills.
DRAGONHORSE, DRAGONKING square Literal translations of the Japanese names for the Primate and Chatelaine, but harder to extrapolate to names for pieces in other geometries.
DRAINING, DRAMATIST hex-prism Gift+Dryrun, Birth+Dryrun ¢.
DRAWOUT square Zebra+Antelope, in conjunction with Bringin.
DRAY hex FO pure-hex root-73 leaper, by analogy to Tray, alongside Higgler to Huckster §.
DREAD cubic/hex-prism Rite+Fate ¢.
DREADNAUGHT hex a rotatable Brigadier, from Stations.
DREAMER hex-prism Piker+Tippler.
DRIBERYL cubic symmetric 8:6:3 leaper, hex symmetric root-109 pure-hex leaper, Lyrebird for symmetric 10:3 reversed.
DRONE cubic xyrixa/hex-prism piece moving twice as far as the Dormouse in the same directions, extrapolated from Crane.
DROOP cubic FO 7:6:5 leaper, from Ducker §.
DROPINON pentagonal-prism Haver+Cross, as use of moving sharing Debate's initial.
DROPTHRU cubic xyrixa Oddfellow+Dormouse ¢.
DRUDGE xyrixa/hex-prism dual to the cubic Ducker, symmetric 4:root 39 leaper, from same first two letters as Ducker.
 | DRUID hex-prism Bishop+Rumbaba, in conjunction with other religious titles for Bishop compounds. |
DRYAD cubic Blotch+Hctolb, as a spirit of trees, which are tall.
DRYNURSE, DRYRUN hex-prism symmetric and FO 7:2 leaper with the 7 specifically hex-oblique, from having same SOLL as Midwife, in conjunction with Wetnurse.
DUAL-INCLUSIVE piece all one that can rotate by odd as well as even multiples of 45°, switching to dual moves when it does.
 | DUCHESS cubic/hex Rook+Unicorn, by analogy to Queen. |
 | DUKE 3d/hex Wazir+Viceroy, by analogy to Prince. |
 | DWARF Dwarfs or Dwarves cubic 55° Viceroy-Dabbaba alternator, EMD Elfwise. |
 | DYBBUK cubic/hex Dabbaba+Eunuch ¢. |
This 'user submitted' page is a collaboration between the posting user and the Chess Variant Pages. Registered contributors to the Chess Variant Pages have the ability to post their own works, subject to review and editing by the Chess Variant Pages Editorial Staff.
By Charles Gilman.
Web page created: 2011-05-10. Web page last updated: 2011-05-10