White giraffe

Black giraffe

Typical icons for the giraffe used in diagrams

The giraffe is a fairy chess piece with an elongated knight move.^[1] It can jump four squares vertically and one square horizontally or four squares horizontally and one square vertically, regardless of intervening pieces; thus, it is a (1,4)-leaper.^[1][2][3]

Movement and value

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j
10											10
9											9
8											8
7											7
6											6
5											5
4											4
3											3
2											2
1											1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j

Possible moves of the giraffe

Despite its long range the giraffe’s estimated value is likely 2 (appreciably less than the knight) since its movement pattern is clunkier, especially on an 8×8 board.

Some versions of the giraffe move beyond the 1 plus 4 orthogonal movement, basically becoming a one-directional rook after its original movement.^{[clarification needed]} Others just move like the zebra piece in a 2 plus 3 orthogonal pattern as that is the case in Grant Acedrex and some other chess variants.

History

The giraffe is employed in some variations of Great chess.^[3] According to H. J. R. Murray, the giraffe appears as a (1,4)-leaper in Grant Acedrex; however, other sources describe a (2,3) movement pattern, similar to the zebra.^[4]

See also

• Camel (chess)
• Zebra (chess)

References