Why do we have knights...

Marinkatomb

wotagr8game

Only Chess

24 Dec 14

Marinkatomb

wotagr8game

tbc

Joined: 18 Feb 04
Moves: 61941

24 Dec 14

...But not spiders? Looking at the way the knight moves, wouldn't it be better if they were a spider? 😕

Shallow Blue

Joined: 18 Jan 07
Moves: 12477

25 Dec 14

Originally posted by Marinkatomb
...But not spiders? Looking at the way the knight moves, wouldn't it be better if they were a spider? 😕

Because they'd escape the board, weave their web above your bed, and drop on your head just as you were trying to fall asleep, thus checkmating you.

Sleep tight, now...

KnightStalker47

Joined: 12 Nov 06
Moves: 74414

25 Dec 14

Originally posted by Marinkatomb
...But not spiders? Looking at the way the knight moves, wouldn't it be better if they were a spider? 😕

A spider? Why not a dog, because it goes doglegged.

Marinkatomb

wotagr8game

tbc

Joined: 18 Feb 04
Moves: 61941

26 Dec 14

What about Reindeer? Reindeer to reindeer three checkmate!! 😵

sundown316

The Mighty Messenger

The Wood of N'Kai

Joined: 13 Dec 03
Moves: 156184

26 Dec 14

Lay off the eggnog, you lot!

caissad4

Child of the Novelty

San Antonio, Texas

Joined: 08 Mar 04
Moves: 618778

26 Dec 14

Originally posted by Marinkatomb
...But not spiders? Looking at the way the knight moves, wouldn't it be better if they were a spider? 😕

I thought they were originally elephants.

Shallow Blue

Joined: 18 Jan 07
Moves: 12477

27 Dec 14

Originally posted by caissad4
I thought they were originally elephants.

No, that's the bishops. Knights were always knights, or at least cavalrists.

wolfgang59

Quiz Master

RHP Arms

Joined: 09 Jun 07
Moves: 48794

27 Dec 14

1 edit

Originally posted by Shallow Blue
No, that's the bishops. Knights were always knights, or at least cavalrists.

I thought rooks were originally elephants?

Bishops were boats.

??

edit: Apparently that theory is not widely accepted. 😳

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaturaji

Shallow Blue

Joined: 18 Jan 07
Moves: 12477

28 Dec 14

Originally posted by wolfgang59
I thought rooks were originally elephants?

Bishops were boats.

Bishops were elephants, rooks were chariots - that's why they go that fast. As that Pikiwedia article notes, in the four-player version, the rooks, not the bishops, were boats; but I've read no source which takes Piki's theory that one was the origin of the two-player game seriously any more. Everybody now agrees that it was the other way 'round.