Icon Clearinghouse 2
Part One of this series of pages showed icons for orthodox pieces, their close relatives, and other commonly-seen chess pieces. For this page, we'll be taking a look at some of the many chess pieces that have been named for animals.
Note that these are subject to all of the same rules and guidelines as Part One, including finding the graphics themselves at /membergraphics/MSiconclearinghouse/ (not the counterpart for this page!).
Pieces
There's a long-standing tradition of pieces being named for animals, both real and mythical.
Note that some of the "alternate" icons (and at least one of the "official" icons) aren't animals at all. They're included just to show alternate ideas.
Very Common Beasts
These are the beasts that you'll actually see most often.
| Camel (C) | Zebra (Z) | Giraffe (NY) | Antelope (FX) | Gnu (NC) | Okapi (NZ) | Bison (CZ) | Buffalo (NCZ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfaerie |
camel |
zebra |
giraffe |
antelope |
gnu |
okapi |
zebracamel |
knightcamelzebra |
| Cazaux |
camelc |
zebrac |
giraffec |
antelopec |
gnuc |
okapic |
bisonc |
buffaloc |
| Others |
camelx |
zebrax |
|
|
wildebeest1
gnux |
|
bisonu
wildebeest |
wildebeest2 |
As you probably noticed, there are three versions of "wildebeest." These images can be considered interchangeable; what's shown is just my personal preference.
Ubiquitous Beasts
| Lions | Elephants | Unicorns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfaerie |
lion |
|
|
| Cazaux |
lionc
|
elephantc |
|
| Utrecht |
lionu |
|
|
| XBoard |
|
elephantx |
|
| Public Domain |
|
||
| Others |
lion2
lion3 |
elephant3 |
These pieces aren't actually more common than those above; there are simply more different versions of each, both in icons and in how they're applied.
There are many takes on the Lion, and not just in the multiple icons that are available. Different games have different moves for it as well:
- Modern Lion (KAND Lion) (KAND)
- Japanese Lion (KANDcaKmavK)
- Murray Lion (ADcK)
- Fairy Lion (pQ)
- Congo Lion (KkcQ)
- Leon (Spanish Lion) (CH)
- Leo (mQcpQ)
Elephants are arguably even worse. Different versions include:
- Alfil (Persian Elephant) (A)
- Modern Elephant (FA)
- Musketeer Elephant (KAD)
- Indian Elephant (FfW)
- Chinese Elephant (nA)
- Korean Elephant (afsnW)
- Ciccolini's Elephant (Z)
- von Wilpert's Elephant (QNN)
And then there are the Unicorns:
- Unicorn (BNN)
- Cazaux's Grant Acedrex Unicorn (NmpafsyafW)
- Murray's Grant Acedrex Unicorn (BimN)
- Musketeer Unicorn (NC)
- Various non-square Unicorns (triangular, 3D, 5D, etc.)
There's nothing preventing more than one of any of these from being in the same game together, so take your pick.
Ringleaders
The "Ringleaders" shown here are those that leap to any square at a specific distance.
|
Squirrel (AND) |
Cheetah (GZCH) |
Sabertooth (ANDGZCH) |
|---|---|---|
|
squirrel
squirrelc |
cheetah |
sabretooth |
| Dire Wolf | ||
| Castle |
wolf
wolfc
wolfx |
|
|
|
The Squirrel is also sometimes called a Bear, though I don't currently have an icon for that.
When the Sabertooth uses a wolf icon, it's usually called the Dire Wolf.
Common Beasts
These pieces aren't used as often, but are recognized by most players, with a commonly-recognized move.
| Roc (AC) | Mastodon (KAD) | Falcon (nCnZ) |
Unicorn (BNN) | Raven (RNN) | Griffin (FyafsF) |
Rhinoceros (WyafsW) |
Snake (vWvyafsW) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfarie |
elephantcamel |
mammoth |
falcon
bird |
unicorn |
bird
bird2 |
gryphon
bird |
rhino |
snake |
| Cazaux |
birdc |
mammothc |
falconc |
unicornc |
birdc |
griffinc |
|
|
| XBoard |
birdx |
birdx |
gryphonx |
snakex |
||||
| Others |
|
squire |
|
aanca |
snake2
snake3
snakepd |
Some alternate names:
- The Roc may also be called the Caribou.
- The Mastodon is also called a Mammoth, Squire, or Pasha.
- The Griffin (which can have a variety of spellings) is also known as the Eagle (hence the bird image), or sometimes the Aanca.
- The Rhinoceros is also known as the Manticore.
- The Snake is often called by its original name, Snaketongue.
Uncommon Beasts
| Turtle (Q4AD) | Kangaroo (NA) | Frog (FH) | Hawk (ADGH) |
Aurochs (NFX) | Impala (NYN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
turtle
turtlepd |
kangaroo
kangarooc
kangaroopd |
frog
frogpd |
hawkc |
ox
bullc |
impala |
| Pegasus (NmpafsyafF) |
Crocodile (mBcpB) |
Crab (ffNbsN) |
Barc (bbNfsN) |
Dolphin (R3mDmH) |
Walrus (B3mAmG) |
Octopus (afsyafWafsyafF) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
pegasus
pegasus1 |
crocodile
crocodilec
crocodilepd |
crab
crabpd |
barc |
dolphin
dolphinc
dolphinx |
walrus |
octopuspd
octopus2pd |
Some games give the Pegasus a move of ZFX, while older fairy chess problems use NNgQ.
Rare Beasts
| Dog (F2W) |
Goose (fAbD) |
Grasshopper (gQ) |
Horse (mafsW) |
Ostrich (AmpafyafsF) |
Snail (WfD) |
Spider (NDF2) |
Stag (DY) | Tiger (ZmpafsmpafyafW) |
Whale (vRbB) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
dog
dogpd |
goose |
grasshopper
grasshopperc |
|
|
snail |
spider |
stagc
stagu |
tiger
tigerc
tigerx |
whale
whalepd
whale2pd |
|
| Hare | Lancer | |||||||||
|
rabbit
rabbitheadpd |
lancer |
|||||||||
The move shown for the Dog is the Musketeer version; in shogi, the Dog moves fWbF.
Very Rare Beasts
| Jackal (GZ) |
Cobra (RcabF) |
Viper (BcabW) |
Butterfly (fNbsNbFfsC) |
Gazelle (FXNY) | Leopard (NB2) | Flying Kingfisher (KAADD) |
Rabbit (BNYN) |
Ibis (NX) | Raccoon (FDN) |
Sparrow |
Scorpion (KgQ) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
jackal |
snakex |
snake2
snake3 |
snakec
snakepd |
butterfly
butterflyx |
gazellec |
leopardc
leopardx |
flyingkingfisher |
rabbit
|
rabbitpd
bunnyheadpd |
birdc
ibispd
egyptianbirdpd |
raccoon
raccoonpd |
sparrow
birdc
birdiepd |
scorpion
scorpion2 |
Obscure Beasts
These are, admittedly, all my own inventions (except that the Owl icons are pre-existing).
| Bongo (ANCZ) |
Serval (DHCFX) |
Seahorse (nN) |
Swordfish (K2) |
Manta (F2cabW) |
Jellyfish (K) spell=freeze |
Owl (WNZNYZY) |
Pussycat (FNCFXNX) |
Tressym (KNCZNYZYFXNX) |
Tapir (NYAXiZ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
bongo |
cheetah
leopardc |
seahorse |
swordfish |
manta |
jellyfish
jellyfishpd |
owl
owlpd
|
cat
catpd
cat2pd |
tressym |
tapirc |
Singular Beasts
| Cerberus (sW3B) |
Indrik |
Simurgh (RyafsW) |
Pushmi-Pullyu (mQcyabQcyabmKcyabcyabmK) |
Thunderbird (WB3afafyasfF) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
cerberusc |
indrik |
simurgh |
pushmepullyu |
thunderbird |
The Indrik and Simurgh are alternate names for the Metropolitan and Ancress, respectively.
Mysterious Beasts
These are icons for which no consistent XBetza move was readily available.
| Bat | Crandodo | Dire Knight | Dodo | Draft Horse | Dragon | Gorilla | Hippo | Hydra | Lizard | Panda | Penguin | Sheep | Wader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
bat
batc |
crandodo |
|
dodoc |
drafthorse2 |
dragon
dragonheadpd
dragonx |
gorillac |
hippo2
hippopd |
hydra
hydrac |
lizard
geckopd |
panda
pandapd |
penguinpd |
sheepc |
wader |
Notes
Missing Beasts
There are several animal-based pieces for which I currently have no icons, or for which better icons are sorely needed. Discounting Shogi pieces and those of my own invention, these include Basilisk, Bear, Bison, Chameleon, Cockatrice, Duck, Flamingo, Ibis, Kirin, Locust, Manticore, Monkey, Newt, Octopus, Osprey, Serval, Wallaby, Wyvern, and Zebu. Unrepresented Shogi pieces that would be welcome on a chess board include (subtracting adjectives) Boar, Donkey, and Quail.
I invite anyone so inclined to create such icons. And if you're really in the mood, try for more Dragons, Elephants, Lions, and Unicorns! (Or, ask me which of my own inventions are most missing....)
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 Bob Greenwade.
Last revised by Bob Greenwade.
Web page created: 2023-10-25. Web page last updated: 2024-01-21