Bob Greenwade wrote on Tue, Dec 26, 2023 03:32 PM UTC:
161. Roc. Of the seven pieces in this group, this is probably the least well-known. It's a compound of Alfil and Camel, leaping (1,3) or (2,2). (AC)
The question for me was, how to represent a bird that's as huge as the legendary roc? All I could think of was to leave just part of it, as if it was too big for a chess piece.
Fitting its talons over a Pawn's head was the best thing I could think of -- though the roc of legend was supposedly much larger even than this!
The Roc is also sometimes called a Caribou, which is another name for a reindeer. I frankly found that sculpture even more daunting than a Roc; otherwise this would've been yesterday's piece!
161. Roc. Of the seven pieces in this group, this is probably the least well-known. It's a compound of Alfil and Camel, leaping (1,3) or (2,2). (AC)
The question for me was, how to represent a bird that's as huge as the legendary roc? All I could think of was to leave just part of it, as if it was too big for a chess piece.
Fitting its talons over a Pawn's head was the best thing I could think of -- though the roc of legend was supposedly much larger even than this!
The Roc is also sometimes called a Caribou, which is another name for a reindeer. I frankly found that sculpture even more daunting than a Roc; otherwise this would've been yesterday's piece!