DISCLAIMER: The ideas expressed on this page are the creative work of its author, Charles Gilman, and they might not be shared by others responsible for this website. They do not represent any convention, consensus, or standard regarding piece names.
Index L to Man and Beast
Each entry starts with the name or prefix in capitals, linked to the Piececlopedia page if an established piece, followed by the plural in plain text if irregular. Then comes the geometry, with a link to the Man and Beast page - square also covers cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism, all covers those plus 2d hex and 2d/3d pentagonal ones, and hex covers xyrixa/hex-prism. Then comes the definition in plain text. The name's origin, if more than random and neither a Piececlopedia piece nor obvious, is in italics. Compounds of two oblique leapers always have one of a set of endings designed to avoid duplicate names for mixed-range and part-symmetric versions. Unless specified as royally-restricted a piece is capturable. The phrase "capturing as" means exclusively unless prefixed with "also". When a move can be "repeated" it means without capturing on any but the last instance. DQR stands for Defaulting to Queen (square) or Rook (hex). Names combining component names are marked ¢. FO pieces' symmetric counterparts are marked §.New in 2015 under this letter: Lackey, Leretaker, Livery, Loretaker
The acknowledgments, overview, and glossary to the series can be found here.
Pieces
LABORATORY cubic Foundation+Technician, as where a technician works.
LABOUR square FO 7:4 leaper, as use to which the Ox § is particularly put among ruminant ungulants.
LACIPH cubic Apostle+Macel, reversing first 3 letters, or 2 consonants, of Caliph whose Curved rider it is.
LACKEY square Steward+Steamer+Tailor, as a servant sharing the iniital of Liondog, to which is as the Steward is to the Prince.
LADDER cubic FO 7:6:6 leaper, xyrixa dual of FO 12:7:7 leaper, as device by which an Eloper § may leave in secret.
 | LAIRD hex-prism Baron+Antler, as a lord in a land with deer. |
LAKEGENERAL, LAKERIDER hex-prism Landlord+Point, Pontiff+Wing.
LAMA square Bishop with first step replaced by a Dabbaba one, preserving its colour binding, as a kind of Buddhist priest punning on Llama, which is a relative of the Camel.
LAMASERY square Bishop+Lama, as the place where lamas live and work.
LAMBDA square Dual-inclusive Yawing Veering Helmrider, from Beyond Omega.
LAMBEAU, LAMEL square Albatross+Lamel, symmetric 11:7 leaper, first ¢, second extrapolated from Camel.
LAMIA square Queen+Termagant, in conjunction with fellow monsters Fury, Gorgon, Gryphon, Harpy, Hydra, Lamia, Manticore, Simurgh, and Sphinx.
LAMINATOR cubic Lank+Excuse ¢.
 | LANCE square older term for what I call WING, but lacking the latter name's connection with the Rook of whose move it has a subset and having misleading connotations of the Knight of whose move its immediate neighbour has a subset. |
 | LANDLORD 3d Ferz+Rumbaba, as one who may or may not be literal lord such as Baron which is Ferz+Viceroy. |
LANK cubic FO 7:1:1 leaper, xyrixa dual to cubic Film, as the shape of a successful Slimmer §.
LAOMEDON cubic Loremaster+Lounger ¢.
LARBOARD LENGHTHENING, LARBOARD SHORTENING square a piece with its moves rotated 45° anticlockwise and multiplied, divided by root-2, as a nautical term for left, from the leftward bias of FO pieces so treated.
LASCAR cubic xyrixa Disguise+Cloak.
LASHING cubic/xyrixa Hctolb+Lank ¢.
LATCH cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Tusk+Lurch ¢.
LATE-HOPPING piece all one requiring, for some or all moves, an intervening piece at the start of the last step or leap.
LATE-OVERTAKING piece all one able to capture an intervening piece at the start of the last step or leap.
LAUNCHER hex-prism Rook with first 2 steps replaced by Rumbaba ones, from its destinations including Hefter ones.
LAVA- hex-prism adds Count move to symmetric HD pieces, adds Rumbaba move to Countwise pieces, and makes HD component of Dissenterwise pieces symmetric, in conjunction with names of other environments and natural phenomena.
LAVAGENERAL, LAVARIDER hex-prism Rumbaba+Count, Dicorn+Countess.
LAWN square Point capturing as Tusk, short for "leaping-capture Pawn", to Leopard § as Pawn is to Steward.
LAYPREACHER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Celebrant+Nag, as someone who gets to take on a limited part of priestly duty.
LAZYBONES cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Eunucrider+Alibaba, as a master riding on his servant's back.
LAZARUS cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Elephant+Zombie ¢, and also as a character coming back from the dead.
LEAGUER hex-prism Elf+Drummer, in conjunction with other religious groups "marching to a different drum" for Drummer compounds.
LEASEHOLDER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Rook+Elf, as someone with some control over a home, sharing the first consonant and vowel of Elf.
LEBANESE cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Sling+Elf, in conjunction with other ancient nationalities of the region for such Sling compounds.
LEBIN cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Leyline+Lenard, extrapolated from Cabin.
LECHWE cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Elf+Elephant, among many other ungulate names.
LECTURER cubic symmetric 3:3:2 leaper, xyrixa/hex-prism dual to cubic Elf, symmetric 3:root 13 leaper, in conjunction with other imparters of care, wisdom, or religion for even-SOLL cubic leapers.
LEFANU cubic xyrixa/hex-prism Elf+Lecturer ¢.
LEFTIST cubic Lesson+Length ¢.
LEFT-REFLECTING piece cubic one which on reaching the left-hand file can reflect off it as the rightward move with the same (if any) forward/backward/up/down component.
LEFT-YAWING piece cubic one moving 90° anticlockwise either optionally in place of, or always at the end of, a normal move depending on the game.
LEGATE, LEGBA, LEGENDIST, LEGIONARY cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Cannon+Elf, Elf+Zombie, Elf+Eunuch, Elf+Dabbaba, as persons or tools relevant to the non-Elf component, sharing the first consonant and vowel of Elf, except Leiopelma which is an amphibian name for an unbound compound of non-coprime and differently-bound pieces.
LEGIRON cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism piece moving four times as far as the Elf, Lesson in the same directions, in conjunction with Caltrap as another impediment to progress.
LEIOPELMA, LEISTER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Elf+Trebuchet, Arrow+Elf, as persons or tools relevant to the non-Elf component, sharing the first consonant and vowel of Elf, except Leiopelma which is an amphibian name for an unbound compound of non-coprime and differently-bound pieces.
LEMMING cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism piece moving twice as far as the Elf, in conjunction with other rodent names for pieces of similar SOLL.
LEMURIAN compound of two simple pieces all one that can make the move of either component of the standard compound but can also make both moves successively in one move of its own, in either order and optionally turning in between, but with the first noncapturing.
LENARD cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism piece moving twice as far as the Lesson in the same directions, extrapolated from Canard.
LENDER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Cross capturing a Cloak, by analogy to Broker.
LENGTH cubic FO 5:2:2 leaper, xyrixa dual of cubic Output, as attribute of Longplayer §.
LENIENT hex-prism Dicorn+Elf, as one inclined to offer choices rather than lay down a single rule.
LEONID cubic Lecturer+Wideplayer ¢.
LEOPARD square Wazir capturing as Elephant, from this Xiang-Qi-based variant, possibly short for "leaping-capture Steward".
LEPRECHAUN cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Unicorn+Elf, as imaginary being similar to, and sharing the first consonant and vowel of, Elf, and echoing end of Unicorn.
LEPSTAN cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Leverage+Lerving, extrapolated from Capstan.
LEPTODACTYL cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Elf+Tripper, an amphibian name for the unbound compound of non-coprime and differently-bound pieces.
LEQUELLE cubic Longplayer+Lounger ¢.
LERAVEL cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Lewisgun+Letana, extrapolated from Caravel.
LERETAKER cubic/xyrixa Cloak capturing as Lesson, extrapolated from Caretaker.
LERVING cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism differs from Lenard in requiring an occupied halfway cell for capturing moves (in the Chinese style) or all moves (in the Korean style), extrapolated from Carving.
LESIPH cubic Apostle+Xeston, reversing first 3 letters, or 2 consonants, of Seliph whose Curved rider it is.
LETAMARAN, LETANA, LETDOWN cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Lemming+Lrene, differs from Lrene in requiring an occupied halfway cell for capturing moves (in the Chinese style) or all moves (in the Korean style), piece moving thrice as far as the Elf in the same directions, first two extrapolated from Catamaran, Katana, third chosen with extrapolation to Setdown in mind.
LETTERPRESS hex-prism Lecturer+Tutor ¢.
LEVEL Brook-style piece cubic default piece plus Sideways piece.
LEVEL-REFLECTING, LEVEL-WRAPAROUND pieces square Top-reflecting+Bottom-reflecting, able on reaching an end level to continue onto the level at the other end as if it were the next level in the same direction.
LEVERAGE cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism differs from Leyline in requiring an occupied halfway cell for capturing moves (in the Chinese style) or all moves (in the Korean style), as one with weapon such as Lewisgun § night well have.
LEVIATHAN hex-prism Unicorn+Alderman, in conjnuction with other sea monsters for such Unicorn compounds.
 | LEVITE cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Bishop+Elf, as relifgious leader sharing the first consonant and vowel of Elf. |
 | LION square Squirrel+Multiple-Displacer Grand-Lemurian Prince, with 3d boards adding further components, from Chu Shogi. |
 | LIONCUB square Helm+Thief+Multiple-Displacer Grand-Lemurian Princeling, with 3d boards adding further components, as a diminutive of Lion §. |
 | LIONDOG square Guardian+Wrestler, from Shogi variants. |
 | LIONTAMER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Liondog+Weatherer ¢. |
LLEY cubic FO 8:7:6 leaper, Yell for FO 10:7 reversed.
LOBSTER square Tusk+Crosscoward in 2d, Tusk+Crosscoward+Ferzfiler in 3d, from the shape of its moves, by analogy to Crab.
LOCALIST cubic/hex-prism Lump+Secret ¢.
LOCATOR cubic Length+Outlet ¢.
LOCKKEEPER hex-prism Keyrider+Clerk, as an official in charge of a lock.
LOCKPICK, LOCKSMITH cubic/xyrixa/hex=prism Keyrider+Tusk, Pocket+Key, referring to keys in locks.
LOCRIAN cubic xyrixa Length+Output ¢.
LOCUST all capture-only late-overtaking Queen.
LOFTINESS cubic/xyrixa Giraffe+Effarig, from the long neck of the giraffe.
LONG- all indicates Crooked piece with the lesser angle of turn and therefore longer-SOLL two-leap and subsequent moves.
LONG-SWITCHBACK alternator all one alternating between longer steps of a Straight, and shorter ones of a Crooked, move.
LONGPLAYER cubic symmetric 5:2:2 leaper, xyrixa dual of cubic Loremaster, from its SOLL being 33, a number traditionally associuated with playing records.
 | LOOKOUT square Knight+Giraffe, as one guarding from a high position. |
LOON square Lion with steps restricted to directions indicated on each cell, first as someone not very bright sharing many letters of lion.
LOONDOG square Ninny plus Fuddy-duddy plus Dunce, from previous.
LOOPINESS cubic Opossum+Lumel ¢.
LOOT, LOOTER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Lurchrider+Trechick, Zombirider+Trebuchet ¢.
LOREMASTER cubic symmetric 5:5:4 leaper, xyrixa dual of cubic Longplayer, in conjunction with other imparters of care, wisdom, or religion for even-SOLL cubic leapers.
LORETAKER cubic/xyrixa Length capturing as Output, extrapolated from Caretaker.
LORISIAN compound of two simple pieces all one that can make the move of either component of the standard compound but can also make both moves successively in one move of its own, in either order in the same direction, but with the first noncapturing, extrapolated from Lemurian, from the loris being a relative of the lemur.
LOUNGER cubic symmetric 7:7:1 leaper, xyrixa dual of symmetric 14:1:1 leaper, from being a Hypotenuse piece of Longplayer and Loremaster.
LOVEBOAT, LOVELESS cubic Newlywed+Avower, Viremaster+Whinger ¢, first from vessel taking couples through a fairground "tunnel of love", second from "missing" Lo- element in Wi-+Vi- compound.
LOVER hex 30° Viceroy-Cobbler alternator, EMD Newlywedwise.
LOW... cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism reduction of Lowlander to add suffixes to.
LOWDOWN square Knight+Camel+Giraffe+Gimel, extrapolated from Knight+Giraffe=Lookout and a "spare" ending.
LOWENBRAU cubic xyrixa Longplayer+Loremaster ¢.
LOWERING cubic Lesson+Width ¢.
LOWLAND piece cubic/hex piece capturing as piece related as Wazir/Point to Viceroy/Saltire, from next entry.
LOWLANDER cubic/hex Saltire capturing as Point, as it must capture on the same level.
LOYALIST hex-prism Ferz+Viceroy+Rumbaba, in conjunction with other unelected modern offices for pieces in those directions.
LRENE cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism piece moving twice as far as the Lecturer in the same directions, extrapolated from Crane.
LUBLFROG hex Rabbi+Ertbuchet, reversing first 3 letters, or 2 consonants, of Bullfrog whose Curved rider it is.
LUCKY cubic/hex Key+Lurch ¢.
LUG, LUGGER, LUMBER, LUMBERER cubic/xyrixa/hex-prism Lurchrider+Trisk, Zombirider+Tripper, Lurchrider+Triffid, Zombirider+Trilby ¢.
LUMEL cubic symmetric 8:7:7 leaper, extrapolated from Camel.
LUMP square FO 11:3 leaper dual to the Labour, extrapolated from Hump.
LURCH cubic/hex FO 3:3:3 or pure-hex root-27 leaper, as how zombie § supposedly moves.
LYMEL square symmetric 13:7 leaper with both cordinates specifically orthogonal, extrapolated from Camel.
 | LYREBIRD square symmetric 10:3 leaper, in conjunction with other bird names for pieces in near-orthogonal directions starting with the 6:1 Flamingo. |
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By Charles Gilman.
Web page created: 2011-09-03. Web page last updated: 2011-09-03