Standard Nightrider Chess
Standard Nightrider Chess — starting position
https://engine.moddable.games/play/?game=chess&variant=nightrider
Played on a standard 8×8 board with all standard chess rules, except: both knights on each side are replaced by Nightriders. All other pieces and rules are unchanged.
Starting Position
Identical to standard chess:
rnbqkbnr
pppppppp
........
........
........
........
PPPPPPPP
RNBQKBNR
Where N/n = Nightrider.
The Nightrider
| Property | Rule |
|---|---|
| Move pattern | Repeated knight-steps (1,2) in a fixed direction |
| Directions | 8 directions (all knight-step vectors: ±1/±2, ±2/±1) |
| Range | Unlimited (up to board edge) |
| Blocking | Blocked by any piece on an intermediate square |
| Capture | Lands on occupied enemy square (cannot jump over to continue) |
| Check/mate | Nightriders can deliver check and checkmate along their ride lines |
Nightrider directions (from origin): (1,2), (2,1), (2,−1), (1,−2), (−1,−2), (−2,−1), (−2,1), (−1,2). Each is a distinct ride line.
Promotion
Pawns may promote to: Queen, Rook, Bishop, or Nightrider. Promotion to Nightrider is legal and encouraged — it is generally stronger than a rook in open positions.
All Other Rules
Castling, en passant, stalemate, and the fifty-move rule all apply without modification.
Engine Notes
The Nightrider is implemented in Fairy-Stockfish (-piece nightrider), GNU Chess fairy extensions, and Green Chess. FEN notation: N/n throughout (same glyph as standard knight — disambiguate via variant flag).
Attribution
Nightrider piece invented by T. R. Dawson, 1925. Public domain. Rules in the public domain. Implemented in Fairy-Stockfish, Green Chess, and Zillions of Games.