Grasshopper (chess piece)

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Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 xx Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 pd b7 c7 d7 xx e7 f7 g7 kd h7
a6 b6 pd c6 d6 pl e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 gl e4 pl f4 pl g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 pl d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 b2 xx c2 d2 kl e2 f2 g2 h2
a1 b1 c1 d1 xx e1 f1 g1 h1
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Grasshopper (shown as an inverted white queen with notation G) must hop over other pieces in order to move or capture. Here, it can capture the pawn in a7.

The Grasshopper is a fairy chess piece that moves along ranks, files, and diagonals (as ordinary queen) but only by hopping over another piece at any distance to the square immediately closest. If there is no piece to hop over, it cannot move. If the square beyond a piece is occupied by a piece of the opposite color, the grasshopper can capture that piece.

On the diagram it is shown as an inverted queen with notation G.

For an example of grasshopper movement see the first diagram. The white grasshopper on d4 can move to the squares marked by cross (b2, d1, d7 and h8), as well as capture the black pawn on a7. It cannot move on g4, because they would be two pieces to hop over.

Grasshopper was introduced by T. R. Dawson in 1913 in problems published in the Cheltenham Examiner newspaper. Nowadays it is one of the most popular fairy pieces used in chess problems.

V. Onitiu, N. Petrović, T. R. Dawson & C. M. Fox (1930)
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 dd b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 dd g7 h7
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 pd b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h2 dd
a1 kd b1 c1 kl d1 e1 f1 g1 h1 dl
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Mate in 8 (with grasshoppers Ga8, f7, h2 and h1)

Solution of the problem on the second diagram is:

1.Gh3 Gh4 2.Gh5 Gh6 3.Gh7 Gh8 4.Ge7 Gd7 5.Gc7 Gb7 6.Ga7+ Ga6 7.Ga5+ Ga4 8.Ga3#.

[edit] See also