Standard Grasshopper Chess
Standard Grasshopper Chess — starting position
https://engine.moddable.games/play/?game=chess&variant=grasshopper
Played on an 8×8 board with all standard chess rules, except: both queens are replaced by Grasshoppers. All other pieces and rules are unchanged.
Starting Position
rnbgkbnr
pppppppp
........
........
........
........
PPPPPPPP
RNBGKBNR
Where G/g = Grasshopper (d1/d8).
The Grasshopper
| Property | Rule |
|---|---|
| Move lines | Queen lines (rank, file, diagonal) |
| Requirement | Must hop over exactly one piece (the hurdle) |
| Hurdle | Any piece of either colour |
| Landing | Immediately beyond the hurdle (one square past it) |
| Capture | Landing on an enemy piece captures it |
| Blocked landing | If the square beyond the hurdle is occupied by a friendly piece, the move is illegal |
| No hurdle | If no piece exists in a direction, the Grasshopper cannot move that way |
| Range | Always lands exactly one square past the hurdle — no choice of range |
Tactical implications: the Grasshopper grows weaker as pieces are captured (fewer hurdles), and stronger in crowded positions. It can be its own hurdle — a Grasshopper cannot hop over itself.
Promotion
Pawns promote to: Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight, or Grasshopper.
All Other Rules
Castling, en passant, stalemate, and draw rules apply without modification.
Attribution
Grasshopper invented by T. R. Dawson, Fairy Chess Review (1913, problem no. 1). Public domain. Implemented in Fairy-Stockfish and Zillions of Games.