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.
Suffix Index to Man and Beast
I start each entry with the suffix in capitals, linked to the Piececlopedia page if there is one. 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. 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.The acknowledgments, overview, and glossary to the series can be found here.
Pieces
Unless otherwise specified, if the unsuffixed piece's name exceeds 5 letters the suffix is added to the first 5. Where first steps are mentioned, prefixing the full name with Contra- substitutes last steps.-ABSTRACT hex-prism a radial linepiece's compound with its -urchin.
-ALTERNATOR after angle (rounded to nearest degree on these pages) and full name of 2 pieces square hex a piece whose move's odd stages are those of the first, and even ones those of the second, piece, each in one direction. An alternator can be prefixed MIRROR to start with the second-named piece, CONTRA- to end with the first-named piece (and start with either), MIRROR CONTRA- to end with the second-named piece (and start with either), and DOUBLE that to be free to start or end with either.
-ANGLER cubic can indefinitely alternate m:n leaps between two directions such that two-leap moves are 2m:n:n and 0:n:n ones.
-AXE hex-prism a radial linepiece's compound with its -hedge.
-BANTE square/hex can indefinitely repeat twice-coprime moves in the same direction, from Dabbabante Chess.
-BASE 3d rotates a FO or Part-symmetric piece by 90° to point down, which base means in heraldry. Can itself be suffixed so that Brassbaserider=Rook+Hornbase.
-BITCH square a Double-Bent piece's Queen compound, as feminisation of -hound.
-BLINKER all -ranker capturing as -filer, after blinkered horses.
-BRANCHER, -BREEDER hex-prism -rider plus -climber, a square-cell oblique leaper's compound with the pieces replacing each of the orthogonal components with the corresponding ND ones.
-CHARGER, -CHICK square/hex -rider, -lander restricted to forward directions, first so named for its advancing long-range character, second so named for its weakness. Thus Marshcharger=Wing+Helmrider.
-CHIEF 3d rotates a FO or Part-symmetric piece by 90° to point up, which chief means in heraldry. Can itself be suffixed so that Steelchiefrider=Bishop+Hornchief.
-CLIMBER hex-prism can indefinitely repeat a doubly oblique leap in directions with the same hex-prism coordinate, with a specifically hex-prism EMD.
-CLUBBER cubic -rider plus -cuber.
-COILER Pentagonal replaces a Rook component with the Nadder, in reference to a snake coiling in on itself.
-COLUMNER 3d restricts pieces to move more columns forward/backward/sideways than levels up/down.
-COMBER hex-prism can indefinitely repeat an oblique leap in directions with the same hex-prism coordinate, but alternating between plus and minus the interhex coordinate, so that it alternates between hex planes, so named for the planes' resemblance to honeycombs.
-CONTRABLINKER all -filer capturing as -ranker, after blinkered horses.
-COWARD all rotates a FO or Part-symmetric piece by 180° so that it retreats into its own camp. Can itself be suffixed as -cowar- so that Goldcowarrider=Rook+Mitrecoward.
-CUB square/hex restricts radial moves of radial+oblique compounds to odd numbers of steps and all moves to forward directions - that is, Pandacub/Bearcub/Raccooncub/Skunkcub moves.
-CUB after full name all restricts Crooked pieces to forward directions.
-CUBER cubic can indefintely alternate m:n leaps between two directions such that its two-step moves are m:m:2n and m:m:0 ones.
-DECIMIGRADE after full name of 2 radial linepieces square hex moves up to 10 steps as first, or 10 or more as second.
-DEMON hex restricts certain non-symmetric radial pieces to moves of exactly 2 steps. From the Moordemon, whose movement is a subset of the Dybbuk's.
-DEXTER all rotates a FO or Part-symmetric piece by 90° clockwise to point right, which dexter means in Latin and heraldry. Glinski pieces have Wellisch dexters and vice versa. Can itself be suffixed as -dexte- so that Silverdexterider=Bishop+Wingdexter.
-DICER hex-prism replaces a radial linepiece's first 2 steps with those of a different Revolutionary component.
-DIEM all can indefinitely repeat a move in the same direction, including part-repeats of its non-coprime radial move. Thus Pocket+Nightrider is Carpediem, which is Latin for "seize the day" and thus the inspiration for the suffix.
-DIVER hex-prism can indefinitely repeat a doubly oblique leap in directions with the same hex-prism coordinate, but alternating between plus and minus the interhex coordinate, so that it alternates between hex planes.
-DOG 3d replaces a radial linepiece's first and last steps with those of a different Archduke component.
-DOVE square/hex allows Shogi-style generals to indefinnitely repeat their forward moves, as a generalisation of -pigeon.
-DRAGON after full name minus -general square/hex a part-symmertic -general's -rider with one-step moves added in the remaining directions of the type used by the forward-only component(s), from Ryu Shogi.
-DRAGONNADE cubic/hex -dragon with any other remaining Archduke moves added.
-DUELLER square can indefinitely alternate leaps between 2 directions at right angles, so that even moves are in the direction of the leper's dual.
-DUGONG square/hex adds to part-symmetric two-or-more-step pieces the one-step move in their forward directions, as a generalisation of -manatee.
-EQUAL, -ESCAPER, -EX hex-prism a radial linepiece's compound with its -wafer, -rider plus -prisoner, a radial linepiece's compound with its -dicer.
-EXPERT all -rider plus -lady, in allusion to the Ace.
-FARMER square/hex coprime radial+oblique piece, or -bante of non-coprime one, with oblique restricted to -ranker directions.
-FILER all restricts pieces to move more files sideways/up/down than ranks forward/backward.
-FISHER square/hex coprime radial+oblique piece, or -bante of non-coprime one, with radial restricted to -ranker directions.
-FLANKER square/hex -rover restricted to forward directions, so named as the oblique moves flanking the radial one when it is orthogonal. Thus Marshflanker=Point+Helmrider.
-FLYER square hex can indefinitely alternate oblique leaps between directions so that even destinations are in an orthogonal line - the interhex one in hex-prism cases - with the start of the move, in allusion to the Rook as bird and as Flying Chariot.
-FORK hex-prism a Double-Bent piece's Dicorn compound, from the horns of a dilemma.
-FRONT after full name hex-prism restricts the move of certain general-radial pieces to forward directions but adds the same move along forward hybrid diagonals. As this can be applied to weapon-named Hopping pieces such as Cannonball+Swordpoint=Cannonfront, the suffix fits the image of weapons lined up on the front in battle. Using the symmetric piece's name avoids giving the FO markers -ball, -cub, -head, -point, and -shot (listed directly under pieces) a further suffix.
-GENERAL after full name of a set of directions all the single-step piece in the specified, usually part-symmetric, set of directions. Gold and Silver ones are in the Piececlopedia.
-GOURMET square/hex adds to Shogi-style generals the two-step move in their forward directions, as a generalisation of -pig.
-GROUPER cubic -rider plus -turner.
-GUIDE square limits a radial move to a single step or leap, but can indefinitely alternate an oblique one between directions at 90°, in contradistinction to -scout.
-HARRIER cubic/hex directs radial moves along a Curved path, but can indefinitely repeat oblique ones in the same direction, so named from the real bird name Marshharrier for Finch+Nightrider.
-HEDGE hex-prism replaces a radial linepiece's first 2 steps with those of a different Dictator component.
-HEXER cubic/hex can indefintely alternate an m:n leap between two directions at 60°.
-HOPPER all substitutes a Hoppered, Canonised, or Beatified move for a radial line-move where no distinctive piece name is forthcoming.
-HOUND square a Double-Bent piece's Bishop compound, via Foxhound and Wolfhound from the Bishop as runner.
-HOUSER hex-prism -rider plus -tower.
-ID 3d adds to a piece making 1- and 2-step moves in different kinds of Empress direction the 3-step move in the third. Chosen to be just as suitable for adding to a consonant - Wazir+Elephant+Zombie=Wafflid - or a vowel - Ferz+Eunuch+Trebuchet=Fezzoid. Can itself be suffixed so that Wazzoidrider=Rook+Eunucrider+Treburider.
-JOINER, -KEEPER hex-prism -rider plus -first -planer, in refernce to carpentry, second -comber, in refernce to beekeeping.
-LADY square/hex -flyer plus -sidler, in allusion to the Queen.
-LANDER all restricts radial and oblique components to a single step/leap, so named from the real word Marshlander for Wazir+Knight.
-LEFTBLINKER square restricts noncapturing moves to the back-right to front-left axis and captures to the back-left to front-right axis.
-LEVELLER 3d restricts pieces to move more levels up/down than ranks forward/backward or filestacks sideways.
-LINE after full name hex-prism adds to certain general-radial pieces the same move along hybrid diagonals. As this can be applied to weapon-named Hopping pieces such as Cannon+Sword=Cannonline, the suffix fits the image of weapons lined up on the front in battle, and Picketline also works well.
-MALLOW square/hex restricts radial components to a single step/leap and extends oblique ones in a Curved path, so named from the real plant name Marshmallow for Wazir+Rose.
-MAMMOTH square/hex adds to part-symmetric even-step long-range pieces the one-step move in their forward directions, as a generalisation of -mastodon.
-MANATEE, -MASTER, -MASTODON square/hex -bante applied to -master, a symmetric non-coprime leaper's compound with the leaper going half the distance in its forward direction(s), -on applied to -master, master being a generalisation of the [Mem-]Sahib.
-MISER hex restricts certain non-symmetric radial pieces to moves of 2 or more steps. From the Moormiser, whose movement is a subset of the Scrooge's.
-MIXER square/hex an alternator between a radial+oblique compound's components.
-MONSTER after full name of 2 radial linepieces square hex a piece making the first piece's move followed by the second piece's in an outward direction, as a generalisation of the Fury, Gorgon, Gryphon, Harpy, Hydra, Lamia, Manticore, Simurgh, and Sphinx.
-NONIGRADE after full name of 2 radial linepieces square hex moves up to 9 steps as first, or 9 or more as second.
-OFFICER all -rider plus -flier, in allusion to the Marshal.
-OCCUPIER square/hex adds to part-symmetric two-step pieces the one-step move in their forward directions, as a generalisation of -master.
-OCTAVIGRADE after full name of 2 radial linepieces square hex moves up to 8 steps as first, or 8 or more as second.
-ON all a non-coprime move can be indefinitely repeated in the same direction, including part-repeats.
-PACIFIER all a divergent piece can indefinitely repeat its noncapturing move in the same direction.
-PAINTER, -PIG, -PIGEON, -PIGMENT square/hex adds to Shogi-style generals indefinnitely repeatable two-step moves in their forward directions, a symmetric leaper's compound with the leaper going twice the distance in its forward direction(s), -on applied to -pig, -bante applied to -pig, pig being a generalisation of Sow and Boar.
-PLANAR after angle (rounded to nearest degree on these pages) and full name of 2 pieces square/hex moves to a cell only if it all its routes to that cell mixing a direction each of the named pieces is unblocked, from Gavin Smith's Prince.
-PLANER hex-prism can indefinitely alternate square-board leas between the starting direction and that opposite to that giving the -supporter, so that even destinations are in a square plane with the start of the move.
-PLEX cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism a radial linepiece's compound with its -sack, as more complex a structure than the -plus.
-PLUNGER hex-prism -rider plus -diver.
-PLUS 3d a radial linepiece's compound with its -sheath.
-POTAMUS square, a 45° m:n - m+n:m-n alternator, where m:n is the leap of the original piece, with m greater than 2, from Hippoptamus for the 45° Knight-Camel alternator.
-POTENTATE all a symmetric leaper's compound with the leaper going twice the distance in the same directions, as a generalisation of the Pasha family of pieces.
-PRELATE square -rider plus -sidler, in allusion to the Cardinal.
-PRISONER hex-prism can indefinitely alternate square-board leaps between the starting direction and that opposite to that giving the -tower, so that even destinations are in plane specific to the prism, as well as suggesting imprisonment in the tower.
-PUPPETEER after full name of 2 pieces hex moves as the first in, or closest to, the straight forward and both half-backward directions and as the second in, or closest to, both haldf-forward and the straight backward ones.
-QUADRANTE square/hex can indefinitely repeat 4-times-coprime moves in the same direction. For a purely non-coprime -bante and -rider imply the same destinations, although blockability may vary, extrapolated from -bante.
-QUADRUPLET 3d can repeat a move over a cycle of 4 directions.
-QUARTERER hex restricts an oblique piece's move to the 4, or in the case of an FO piece, 2 directions furthest from those of the Peacock.
-QUARTET cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism -rider plus -quadruplet.
-QUARTIGRADE after full name of 2 radial linepieces square hex moves up to 4 steps as first, or 4 or more as second.
-QUASAR hex -quarterer plus -reservist.
-QUINTIGRADE after full name of 2 radial linepieces square hex moves up to 5 steps as first, or 5 or more as second.
-QUINTRANTE square/hex can indefinitely repeat 5-times-coprime moves in the same direction. For a purely non-coprime -bante and -rider imply the same destinations, although blockability may vary, extrapolated from -bante.
-RACER cubic -rider plus -hexer.
-RAIDER square/hex -on restricted entirely to fowrard directions.
-RANGER square/hex can indefinitely repeat moves, radial ones in the same direction and oblique ones - or the more limited moves of the named piece is a mixed-range radial one in a Curved path.
-RANKER all restricts pieces to move more ranks forward/backward than levels up/down or filestacks sideways.
-RIDER square/hex (all pages but 01) can be indefinitely repeat leaps in the same direction. In the case of single-step pieces it extends the moves of the piece as suffixed with -general. In the case of numbers it extends the moves of the piece as suffixed with -leaper. To Curved linepieces it adds the move of the corresponding Straight linepiece. Night and Zebra ones are in the Piececlopedia.
-RIEVER square/hex -diem restricted entirely to forward directions.
-RIGHTBLINKER square restricts noncapturing moves to the back-left to front-right axis and captures to the back-right to front-left axis.
-RINGER square/hex can indefinitely repeat moves, non-coprime ones in the same direction, including part-repeats, and oblique one on a Curved path.
-ROAMER square/hex can indefinitely repeat radial moves any odd number of times in the same direction, and oblique ones any number on a Curved path.
-ROVER square/hex restricts radial moves to a single step or leap, but can indefinitely repeat oblique ones in the same direction, as it this swaps the ranges over.
-ROWER 3d restricts pieces to move more rank-level intersections, termed rows for this one purpose, forward/backward/up/down than filestacks sideways.
-RULER all the royally-restricted single-step piece in the specified, usually part-symmetric, set of directions.
-RUNNER square/hex coprime radial+oblique piece, or -bante of non-coprime one, restricted to forward directions.
-SACK cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism replaces a radial linepiece's first 2 steps with those of a different Archduke component, from Rooksack, a pun on rucksack, for Zephyr+Aviator as well as being less tight around the basic piece's move than -sheath.
-SCALER cubichex-prism a 90° alternator between the -rider's components.
-SCOUT square adds the Doublescout to a pure-radial piece, square/hex replaces a part-oblique one's Rook or Bishop component with a Girlscout or Boyscout one respectively.
-SECUNDIGRADE, -SEPTIMIGRADE after full name of 2 radial linepieces square hex move up to 2, 7 steps as first, or 2, 7 or more as second.
-SESQUI... further suffixed with anything -igrade adds 1 to the minimium length of the second piece's move.
-SEXTANTE square/hex can indefinitely repeat 6-times-coprime moves in the same direction. For a purely non-coprime -bante and -rider imply the same destinations, although blockability may vary, extrapolated from -bante.
-SEXTET cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism -rider plus -sextuplet.
-SEXTIGRADE after full name of 2 radial linepieces square hex moves up to 6 steps as first, or 6 or more as second.
-SEXTUPLET all can repeat moves over a cycle of 6 directions.
-SHEATH 3d replaces a radial linepiece's first step with those of a different Archduke component.
-SHELVER hex -shelterer plus -revisionist.
-SHIELD hex-prism replaces a radial linepiece's first step with those of a different Premier component.
-SIDLER square hex can indefinitely alternate oblique leaps between directions so that even destinations are in a standard-diagonal line with the start of the move, in allusion to the Bishop as Angle Mover.
-SINISTER all rotates a FO or Part-symmetric piece by 90° anticlockwise to point left, which sinister means in Latin and heraldry. Glinski pieces have Wellisch sinisters and vice versa. Can itself be suffixed as -sinis- so that Silversinisrider=Bishop+Wingsinister.
-SNAKE Pentagonal replaces a Rook or Bishop component with a Rattlesnake or Boa one respectively.
-SNATCHER all a divergent piece can indefinitely repeat its capturing move in the same direction.
-STACKER 3d restricts pieces to move more filestacks sideways than than ranks forward/backward or columns up/down.
-STAR hex-prism replaces a radial linepiece's first 2 steps with those of a different Premier component.
-STEPPER after angle, full name of 2 radial linepieces, and number n all piece making exactly n steps mixing at least one each of the first and second pieces in any order, each in one direction.
-SUBJECT square/hex -potentate restricted to forward directions, as a generalisation of FO pieces of the Pasha family.
-SUPPORTER hex can indefinitely alternate oblique leapd between directions so that even destinations are in a nonstandard-diagonal line with the start of the move, in allusion to the Unicorn as a British heraldic supporter.
-SWITCHER square/hex can repeat moves any odd number of times in the same direction.
-TAMER square/hex restricts radial moves of radial+oblique compounds to odd numbers of steps and all moves to forward directions, but oblique ones can be indefinitely repeated.
-TANTRA square/hex a symmetric non-coprime leaper's compound with the leaper going two-thirds the distance in its forward direction(s), as a generalisation of -master.
-TERTIIGRADE after full name of 2 radial linepieces square hex moves up to 3 steps as first, or 3 or more as second.
-TIMES hex-prism a radial linepiece's compound with its -shield.
-TOWER hex-prism can indefinitely alternate oblique leaps between directions so that even destinations are in a hex orthogonal line with the start of the move, in allusion to the shape of the Rook in Staunton sets and Air Traffic Control towers.
-TRANTE square/hex can indefinitely repeat thrice-coprime moves in the same direction. For a purely non-coprime -bante and -rider imply the same destinations, although blockability may vary, extrapolated from -bante.
-TRAP square/hex a Double-Bent piece's Unicorn compound, from traps with a horn-like spike.
-TRAWLER cubic -rider plus -angler.
-TREX hex-prism a radial linepiece's compound with its -star.
-TRIALLER cubic/xyrixa, a 90° m:n:n - 2n:m:m or m:m:n - 2m:n:n alternator, where m:n:n or m:m:n is the leap of the original piece, as a generalisation of -dueller.
-TRIO cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism -rider plus -triplet.
-TRIPLET 3d can repeat moves over a cycle of 3 directions.
-TROTTER square/hex a symmetric non-coprime leaper's compound with the leaper going 1½ times the distance in its forward direction(s), as a generalisation of -pig.
-TURNER cubic can indefintely alternate m:n leaps between two directions such that its two-leap moves are m+n:m:n and m:n:m-n ones.
-URCHIN, -WAFER hex-prism replaces a radial linepiece's first step with those of a different Dictator, Revolutionary component respectively.
-WARBLER cubic/hex directs long-range moves to a Curved path, so named from the real bird name Marshwarbler for Finch+Knight.
-WEAVER square/hex an alternator between a radial+oblique compound's radial component and a Crooked rider of the oblique component.
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: 2011-01-22. Web page last updated: 2011-02-15