names of chess pieces in different languages

Some languages refer to it as the 'jumper', reflecting the knight's ability to move over pieces in its path: Polish skoczek, Danish/Norwegian springer, Swedish springare, German Springer, Luxembourgish Sprénger, Slovene skakač. The knight is colloquially sometimes referred to as a 'horse', which is also the translation of the piece's name in several languages. Over time, the proud chess horse managed to get rid of the rider in all the chess states of the world, but the name “knight” remained. And therefore, in many countries in ancient times, chess figures fought, depicting a rider on a horse.Ĭhess Piece in the Form of a Knight, Date: ca.

In Europe it was accepted that a knight without a horse does not even have the right to be called a 'cavalier'. And in chess, the knight can decide the outcome of the game. She could decide the outcome of any battle. Many centuries ago, cavalry was the most important branch of the army.

In the ancient shatrang - ancient Persian chess, the figures were Indian warriors sitting on mighty horses. In all countries, wherever chess appeared, the army included figures depicting a horse or a rider on a horse.

Having evolved from the Indian game chaturaṅga around the sixth century, the thirty-two pieces and sixty-four squares have made their way to nearly every continent and culture in the intervening centuries.

Names of chess pieces in different languages