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 I 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 2015 under this letter: Keycutter
The acknowledgments, overview, and glossary to the series can be found here.
Pieces
IAGO hex-prism Dicorn with first 2 steps replaced by Viceroy ones, in conjunction with other Shakespearean names.
IANDYMAN Iandymen square Irrigator+Iump, extrapolated from Handyman.
IAPETUS cubic xyrixa Bishop+Oberon, as male-named moon of Saturn similar in size to Uranus' Oberon.
IBEX square Oxranker+Bittefiler, combining ungulate aspect of first with start of second.
ICARUS hex-prism Dilemma+Dabchick, as man who tried to fly like bird, in conjunction with other mythical sinners' names for similar Dilemma compounds.
ICE hex-prism adds Cross move to Bellmanwise pieces, adds Landlord moves to FO SD pieces, and makes Hostwise component of Sycophantwise pieces symmetric, in conjunction with names of other environments and natural phenomena.
ICEGENERAL, ICERIDER hex-prism Bellman+Cross, Mediator+Mitre.
ICEUP cubic Throughput+Outlet, from "missing" In- element in Out-+Through- compound.
ICONOCLAST cubic/xyrixa Haste+Tempter, arbitrary.
 | IDOLATOR hex-prism Dybbuk+Count, as one whom religious Jews see as following devilish ways. |
IGOLYTE, IGOND hex Gidet+Gifran, Giptain+Giimakan, extrapolated from Acolyte, Akond.
IGROPOLIS, IGTIVIST, IGTOR, IGTRESS square Rook+Guru, Unicorn+Guru, Bishop+Guru, Queen+Guru, extrapolated from Acropolis, Activist, Actor, Actress.
IKHAN cubic Bduke+Edybbuk, adding initial of Imam.
ILLUSTRATOR hex-prism Docket+Dybbuk, as one depicting two-horned devils.
IMAGEMAKER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Heir+Antler, to go with Imam §.
 | IMAM cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Baron+Elk, by analogy to Pasha. |
IMMOBILISER piece all one that does not itself capture but exposes adjacent enemies to capture by preventing them from moving.
IMP cubic/hex Dabchick+Key, as a lesser demon than a Dybbuk §.
IMPACTOR hex-prism Imprider+Drumstick ¢.
IMPALA cubic/hex Dabchick+Tusk+Key, as an ungulate starting with Imp.
IMPATIENT, IMPENITENT Pawnlike piece all one with an optional double-step initial move, restricted respectively to first step being capturing and to second step being capturing, opposite restrictions to Patient and Penitent respectively.
IMPEDER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Imp+Spearhead ¢.
IMPERSONATOR hex-prism Docket+Elephant, as one impersonating elephant.
IMPOSER cubic 60° Elephant-Zombie alternator, EMD Endowerwise.
IMPOUNDER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Arrowhead+Imp ¢.
IMPRESARIO hex-prism Drumsrider+Imp, as person behind theatrical shows.
IN... cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism reduction of Inlander to add suffixes to.
INCISIVE cubic/hex-prism Ninja+Exorcist ¢.
INCLUSIVE divergent piece all one that can capture by displacment in the same move as a more exotic means of capture.
INCUBUS hex Invesrider restricted to moving exactly two steps, or ;leaping equivalent, as a devil for the forward form of the Inspedemon.
INDIGO- hex-prism adds Rumchick move to symmetric ND pieces, adds Viceroy moves to FO HD pieces, and makes ND component of Bellboywise pieces symmetric, adding a hint of red to blue.
INDIGOGENERAL, INDIGORIDER, INDIGOGHILLIE, INDIGOBAILIFF 3d/hex Viceroy+Rumchick, Unicorn+Dilemma, Ghillie+Flatchick, Bailiff+Flatrider.
INE cubic Queen+Ninja, extrapolated from Ace.
 | INFANTA square Rook+Elephant, from the "Elephant and Castle" public house name, said to be derived from "Infanta de Castile". |
INFORMATIVE cubic Lecturer+Longplayer, from the information bestowed in lectures.
INJECTOR piece all one that captures any piece adjacent to its destination, from the image of it being injected amidst a cluster of pieces to remove them.
INLAND piece, INLANDER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism piece capturing as piece related as Dabchick to Saltire e.g. Sexton as Elephant/Unicorn as Dabbarider, Saltire capturing as Dabchick, extrapolated from Outlander.
INLET cubic FO 7:5:5 leaper, xyrixa dual of FO 10:7:7 leaper, in conjunction with Input, Output, and Outlet.
INME cubic Queen+Nimel, extrapolated from Acme.
INNER- hex-prism indicates piece whose first step has the shorter hex-plane coordinate.
INPUT cubic FO 8:1:1 leaper, xyrixa dual of cubic Width, in conjunction with Output, Inlet, and Outlet.
 | INQUISITOR square Bishop+Dabbaba, Spanish religious title in conjunction with Infanta. |
INROPOLIS square Rook+Nintu, extrapolated from Acropolis.
INSET hex Invesrider restricted to moving two or steps, from ending of Packpocket added to start of next.
 | INSPECTOR hex on a convex board, inward Saltire+Pointrevisionist plus outward Pointreservist+Salticoward; on a stelliform board, forward and backward moves reversed, as an officer above Sergeant in European police forces. |
 | INSPEDEMON hex piece making a move of exactly two Inspector steps changing direction only in the usual chevron-rank way on crossing the middle file. |
 | INSPEDRAGON hex Insperider+Warrant. |
 | INSPEHOPPER hex differs from Insperider in in requiring exactly one intervening piece for capturing moves (in the Chinese style) or all moves (in the Korean style). |
 | INSPERIDER hex piece making repeated Inspector steps changing direction only in the usual chevron-rank way on crossing the middle file. |
INSURGENT, INTERN xyrixa duals to the FO 11:4:3 and symmetric 10:3:1 leapers, first from similarity to Irregular §, second from sharing Drudge's SOLL.
INTERVAL cubic Input+Inlet ¢.
INTIVIST, INTOR, INTRESS square Unicorn+Nintu, Bishop+Nintu, Queen+Nintu, extrapolated from Activist, Actor, Actress.
INTRUDER piece all one requiring a piece adjacent to its destination, from the image of it intruding amidst a cluster of pieces.
INUIT hex Invesrider restricted to moving odd number of steps, from ending of Pandit added to start of Investigator.
 | INVESRIDER hex piece making repeated Investigator steps changing direction only in the usual chevron-rank way on crossing the middle file. |
 | INVESTIGATOR hex inward Saltire plus outward Pointreservist, as a private detective in counterpoint to Inspector § as a public one. |
IPAKO cubic 55° Wazir-Zombie alternator, EMD Effarigwise.
IRONHORSE hex-prism Packet+Dadaist, in conjunction with other -horse types for Packet compounds.
IRREGULAR xyrixa dual of symmetric 11:4:3 leaper, in conjunction with Auxiliary.
IRRIGATOR square FO 8:5 leaper, as a device used by an Agronome §.
IRTFLE, IRTPPER cubic Flail+Irtpper, 3:3 Curved linepiece on 6-stage circuit, reversing first 3 letters of Trifle and Tripper whose Curved riders they are.
ISLAND- 3d/hex adds Rumchick move to Baronwise pieces, adds Baron moves to FO HD pieces, and makes SD and ND component of Sycophantwise pieces symmetric, in conjunction with names of other environments and natural phenomena.
ISLANDGENERAL, ISLANRIDER 3d/hex Baron+Rumchick, Governor+Dilemma.
IUMP square FO 13:3 leaper dual to the Irrigator, extrapolated from Hump.
JABBERWOCK piece DQR all one requiring a piece one step beyond its destination, with no piece in between except an optional enemy at the destination that it would capture, in conjunction with Bandersnatch and Jubjub.
JACKAL, JACKALCUB cubic/hex Rook with first and last steps replaced by Viceroy ones, Wing with first and last steps replaced by Saltire ones, both in a single diagonal plane, by analogy to Wolf and Fox.
JACKALGENERAL hex Jackal+Coyotecub.
JADE- 3d/hex adds Cross move to symmetric ND pieces, adds Viceroy moves to FO SD pieces, and makes SD component of Heirwise pieces symmetric, combining the blue of Azure and the yellow of Gold.
JADEBUTLER 3d/hex Contrabutler+Warder.
 | JADEGENERAL 3d/hex Viceroy+Cross. |
JAGOLD hex-prism Viwazir+Cross, adding first two letters of Jade.
JAHJ square Macel+Atnelope, reversing first 3 letters, or 2 consonants, of Hajj whose Curved rider it is.
JAMMING cubic Mallet+Jaw ¢.
JANDYMAN Jandymen square Jaunt+Jump, extrapolated from Handyman.
| JAPANESE NAMES | Here is an alphabetic list of Japanese names for Shogi and square-cell Shogi variant pieces, followed by literal translations in brackets and then the Man and Beast name. Names inherited by Man and Beast are in capitals. | Here is an alphabetic list of English translations, followed by the Japanese name in brackets and then the Man and Beast name. Names inherited by Man and Beast are in capitals. |
| Akuro (evil wolf) Superprinceling Bahei (cavalry soldier) Knight Barin (flying horse) Goldfearless Choma (jumping horse) Knight Chunin (go between) Wazirranker Doryu (COPPER DRAGON) Dosho (COPPER GENERAL) Dosho (earth general) Wazirranker Fuhyo (footsoldier) Point Garyu (reclining dragon) Goldcoward Gasho (TILE geneRal) Ginryu (SILVER DRAGON) Ginsho(SILVER GENERAL) Gyocho (rushing bird) Supergoldrider Gyokusho (jewelled general) King Hakku (white horse) Copperider Hansha (reverse chariot) Rookranker Henri (enchanted badger) Superwazchick Higyu (flying ox) Queenranker Hiroku (flying stag) Rookranker+Princfiler Hiryu (flying dragon) Fearful Hisha (flying chariot) Rook Hisho (flying general) Queen Hogyo (square mover) Goldrook Hokku (white horse) Copperider Honcho (free boar) Queenfiler Hondo (free copper) Copperider Honga (free tile) Hawker Hontes (free iron) Princess Hongin (free silver) Silverider Honkin (free gold) Goldrider Hono (free king) Queen Hoo (phoenix) Waffle Kagugyo (angle mover)Bishop Keigei (whale) Coppercowarrider Keima (honourable horse) Helm Kengyo (vertical mover) Rookranker+Wazirfiler Kiken (howling dog) Sowrankron Kinno (neighbouring king) Supersilver Kinryu (GOLD DRAGON) Kinsho (GOLD GENERAL) Koen (old monkey) Silvercoward Kongo (GUARDIAN of the gods) Komaintu (LION DOG) Kotetsu (old kite) Goldwazbaba Kyoosha (fragrant chariot) Wing Mogyu (Violent ox) Wazbaba Mohyo (ferocious leopard) Princranker MAO (horse king) Masha (horse chariot) Marshal Moko (blind tiger) Supersilvercoward Mokusho (wood general) Fearless Moyu (blind bear) Silverwingcoward Myojin (cat sword) Ferz Ogyo (side mover) Rookfiler+Wazirranker Okisaki (princess) Queen Oryu (side dragon) Supersowon Osho (king's general) King Rikishi (WRESTLER) Ryuma (dragon horse) Primate Ryuo (dragon king) Chatelaine Sekijin (stone sword) Pawn Sekisho (stone general) Cross Shincho (angry boar) Wazir Shishi (LION) Suizo (drunken elephant) Supersilver Taishi (crown PRINCE) Tessho (iron general) Princeling Waikei (Chinese cock) Tileress Yohei (ramshead soldier) Mitre | Angle mover (kakugyo) Bishop Angry boar (shincho) Wazir Blind bear (moyu) Silverwingcoward Blind tiger (moko) Supersilvercoward Cat sword (myojin) Ferz Cavalry soldier (bahei) Knight Chinese cock (waikei) Tileress COPPER DRAGON (doryu) COPPER GENERAL (dosho) Crown PRINCE (taishi) Dragon horse (ryuma) Primate Dragon king (ryuo) Chatelaine Drunken elephant (suizo) Supersilver Earth general (dosho) Wazirranker Enchanted badger (henri) Superwazchick Evil wolf (akuro) Superprinceling Ferocious leopard (mohyo) Princranker Flying chariot (hisha) Rook Flying dragon (hiryu) Fearful Flying general (hisho) Queen Flying horse (barin) Goldfearless Flying ox (higyu) Queenranker Flying stag (hiroku) Rookranker+Princfiler Foot soldier (fuhyo) Point Fragrant chariot (kyoosha) Wing Free boar (honcho) Queenfiler Free copper (hondo) Copperider Free gold (honkin) Goldrider Free iron (hontes) Princess Free king (hono) Queen Free silver (hongin) Silverider Free tile (honga) Hawker Go between (chunnin) Wazirranker GOLD DRAGON (kinryu) GOLD GENERAL (kinsho) GUARDIAN of the Gods (kongo) Honourable horse (keima) Helm Horse chariot (masha) Marshal Horse king (MAO) Howling dog (kiken)Supersowrankron Iron general (tessho) Princeling Jewelled general (gyokusho) King Jumping Horse (choma) Knight King's general (osho) King LION (shishi) LIONDOG (komaintu) Neighbouring king (kinno) Supersilver Old kite (kotetsu) Goldwazbaba Old monkey (koen) Silvercoward Phoenix (Hoo) Waffle Princess (okisaki) Queen Ramshead soldier (yohei) Mitre Reclining dragon (garyu) Goldcoward Reverse chariot (hansha) Rookranker Rushing bird (gyocho) Side dragon (oryu) Supersowon Side mover (ogyo) Rookfiler+Wazirranker SILVER DRAGON (ginryu) SILVER GENERAL (ginsho) Square mover (hogyo) Goldrook Supergoldrider Stone general (sekisho) Cross Stone sword (sekijin) Pawn TILE geneRal (gasho) Vertical mover (kengyo) Rookranker+Wazirfiler Violent ox (mogyu) Wazbaba Whale (keigei) Coppecowarrider White horse (hakku/hokku) Copperider Wood general (mokusho) Fearless WRESTLER (rikishi) |
JAUNT square FO 9:4 leaper, as kind of trip on which Outsetter § might go.
JAW cubic FO 8:3:1 leaper, from characteristic of Octodont § as literally "eight-toothed".
JEER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Imprider+Tusk, from the image of an imp showing its teeth in a jeering grin.
JESTER all Joker that cannot capture unless the imitated piece made a capturing move, from Jester Chess.
JESUIT hex-prism Picket+Dadaist, in conjunction with other unusual Christian groupings for hex-prism Picket compounds.
JET square Stripe+Haste, from the high speed of a jet aircraft.
JETTY cubic Mump+Jaw ¢.
JIBE cubic FO 6:6:5 leaper, xyrixa dual of FO 12:5:5 leaper, as remark that Upsetter § might make.
JOIST cubic Okapi+Jouster, EMD Tophatwise ¢, and as something for holding tall structures up.
JOKER all piece moving exactly like piece moving previously (of whatever army in a multiplayer or multi-move game), rotated for its own player's sense of "forward".
JOURNALIST hex-prism Dilemma+Heir, as a powerful rôle in modern society but with a lesser ferach than a Broadcaster §.
JOULE cubic Jouster+Ipako, EMD Feuwise ¢, and as a unit of energy.
JOUSTER cubic Wazir-Eunuch alternator, EMD Fencerwise.
JUBJUB piece DQR all one that can move as a Bandersnatch or a Jabberwock, in conjunction with Bandersnatch and Jabberwock.
JULIET cubic/hex Dicorn with first step replaced by a Wazir one, in conjunction with other Shakespearean names.
JUMP square FO 13:5 leaper dual to the Jaunt, extrapolated from Hump.
JUNIPER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Eunuch+Tripper, influenced by next.
JUNKER cubic/hex Eunuch+Musket ¢.
JURYMAN Jurymen, JURYWOMAN Jurywomen, JUSTICE hex-prism Dilemma+Cross, Viscountess+Cross, Pontiff+Wazir, first two as masculine term, feminised for its Wing compound, and shorter-term than Congress-man/woman §, third picked arbitrarily as an important arbiter.
KAFTAN hex Kaimakan restricted to most forward single move to each side of its file, as an eastern garment.
 | KAIMAKAN hex Kaimaptain on a convex board, outward Sren+Ultrapastcoward plus inward: from centre file none, from next file out Past+Senhereservist+Lurchrevisionist+Senhecoward, from next file out Past+Lurchreservist+Senherevisionist+Senhecoward, from further out, Ultrapast+Ners; on a stelliform board, forward and backward moves reversed, as a historic Turkish military title. |
 | KANGAROO square Knight+Elephant, from Outback Chess. |
KATANA square differs from Crane in requiring an occupied halfway cell for capturing moves (in the Chinese style) or all moves (in the Korean style), as a kind of non-firearm weapon by analogy with Arrow.
KESTREL cubic Falcon+Kite, as bird of prey starting with same letter as Kite.
KEY, KEYBALL cubic/hex FO 2:2:2 or pure-hex root-12 leaper, Key+Musketball, first from a Eunuch § notionally holding the key to a harem, second ¢.
KEYBOARD, KEYCUTTER hex-prism Drumsrider+Key, Keyrider+Dadchick, first as something with keys used in music, second as noe doing something to key.
KEYDECK, KEYHEAD cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Key+Gundeck, Key+Spearhead ¢.
KEYRING hex-prism Drumstick+Key, as something with keys on it.
 | KHAN cubic/hex Duke+Dybbuk, by analogy to Pasha. |
KIMAM hex-prism Wferz+Delephant, adding initial of Khan.
 | KING square General+Ferz. |
KIOSK cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Key+Trisk ¢.
KITE square 35° Ferz-Viceroy 3-stepper, as bird sharing name with on flying toy traditionally popular in East Asia.
KLAXON hex-prism Docket+Dabbaba, as a mechanical horn, often used in pairs.
 | KNAVE square Nightranker+Dabbafiler ¢, in conjunction with Debtor. |
 | KNEADER square Knave capturng as Debtor, from Knave and Debtor. |
KNIFE, KNIFEPOINT cubic/hex differ from Drummer, Drumstick in requiring exactly one intervening piece for capturing moves (in the Chinese style) or all moves (in the Korean style), as one of the smallest items that can be used as a weapon.
 | KNIGHT square symmetric 2:1 leaper, shortened to Night- before suffixes. |
| KOREAN NAMES | Here is an alphabetic list of Korean names for Janggi pieces, in both of two transliterations, followed by literal translations in brackets and then the Man and Beast name. | Here is an alphabetic list of English translations, followed by the Korean name in brackets and then the Man and Beast name. |
| Byoung (soldier) Point - red only Chang (general) General - black only Cha (chariot) Rook Chol (soldier) Pawn - black only Gwon (commander) General - red only Jang (general) General - black only Jol (soldier) Pawn - black only Kwa (commander) General - red only Ma (horse) Mao Po/Poe (cannon) Cannon Sah (adviser, counsellor) Wazir Sang (elephant) stepping Zebra * Tcha (chariot) Rook | Adviser (sah) Wazir Cannon (po/poe) Cannon Chariot (cha/tcha) Rook Commander (gwon/kwa) General - red only Counsellor (sah) Wazir Elephant (sang) stepping Zebra * General (chang/jang) General - black only Horse (ma) Mao Soldier (byoung/chol/jol) Point |
KUDU square Curate+Cumel ¢.
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: 2011-08-13. Web page last updated: 2012-02-29