Nightrider (chess)

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Nightrider (represented by an inverted knight) makes any number of knight moves in the same direction.

A nightrider (also known as a knightmare or unicorn, though the latter sometimes also means the bishop+nightrider compound) is a fairy chess piece that can move any number of steps as a knight in the same direction. The nightrider is often represented by a symbol similar to the knight's icon, but altered in a way to indicate the additional straight-line motion.^[1] In this article the nightrider is represented with an inverted knight, and notation N (in which case the knight is abbreviated as S for German Springer).

The nightrider was invented by T. R. Dawson in 1925, and is often used in chess problems.

Movement

The nightrider moves any number of steps as a knight in the same direction. Intervening squares must be vacant. For example, a nightrider on b2 can reach square c4 and forward to d6 and e8, but cannot jump over the f4-pawn to reach h5.

Examples

T. R. Dawson
British Chess Magazine (1925)

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#5 (Nightrider c6)

The king together with two knights cannot win the endgame against a lone king (KSS vs. K), but the king together with a knight and a nightrider can win, because the knight cannot gain a tempo, but the nightrider can.

Solution: 1. Ne7! Ka7 2. Ng3 Ka8 3. Ne4 Ka7 4. Sb5+ Ka8 5. Nd2#

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Mutual discovered perpetual check with nightriders

With nightriders on the board, a mutual discovered perpetual check is possible.

A possible continuation would be: 1. Kd3+ Kc5+ 2. Kc3+ Kd5+ 3. Kd3+ Kc5+, etc.

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After Black moves his pawn to e5, taking it en passant results in triple check.

Nightrider can also participate in triple check.

References

Bibliography

• Hooper, David; Whyld, Kenneth (1992), The Oxford Companion to Chess (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-280049-3