The Bulldog explained

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evert823

Bulldog:

Inventor: @vickalan

Notation: D

 

The Bulldog moves and captures like a pawn.

Pieces FROM ITS OWN ARMY ONLY can pass over it in any direction.

In this diagram, the Black Rook attacks the White Rook. The White Bishop attacks the Black Rook.

This can also be put in the same terminology as the Witch: The Bulldog is transparent to allied pieces (but does not make adjacent pieces transparent).

If a Bulldog reaches the 8th rank, it can immediately move to any square in the first four ranks (but cannot capture a piece during this move). This move can only be completed during the same move it reaches the 8th rank. If this option is not taken, the right to do so later is forfeited.

White to move can win the black Queen by moving the Bulldog to c8 and then h3.
Notation: Dc8-h3+ (+ indicating as usual that it gives check)

 

Further notes

  • The bulldog does not promote to other pieces as pawns do.
  • A Bulldog does have a two square move, but only if it is the first move. A Bulldog that has reached the 8th rank and then moved to the 2nd rank again (or even the 1st rank) will not have another two square move.
  • Bulldogs cannot take en passant, and they cannot be taken en passant by pawns.
  • The bulldog is a pawn-like piece. In the initial setup the bulldogs should start on the second rank in place of two or more pawns.
  • Castling through an allied Bulldog is allowed:


  • The Bulldog allows this situation with double capture:


    White plays d4. Black captures 2 pieces in one move with en passant exd3 (e.p.)
vickalan

Hi @evert823, this is a very good summary and I especially like all the diagrams to explain various situations.

My only suggestion is that this topic should start with the key rules, and then other secondary details (such as "no en passant") should be secondary. This means the total rule-set would read as follows:

Bulldog (D): Moves and attacks the same as a pawn, except pieces FROM ITS OWN ARMY ONLY can pass over it in any direction. If a bulldog reaches the 8th rank it can immediately move to any square in the first four ranks (but cannot capture a piece during this move). This move can only be completed during the same move it reaches the 8th rank. (If this option is not taken, the right to do so later is forfeited). The bulldog does not promote to other pieces as pawns do. Bulldogs cannot take en passant, and they cannot be taken en passant by pawns.

Note: The bulldog is a pawn-like piece. In the initial setup the bulldogs should start on the second rank in place of two or more pawns.

vickalan

Btw if anyone is interested, an example (very old) bulldog game is here:

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess960-chess-variants/bull-dog-chess-game

However in this game a different graphic was used, and the graphic was even changed in the middle of the game. It's from the game where the graphic was still undergoing changes.😅

evert823
vickalan wrote:

this topic should start with the key rules, and then other secondary details (such as "no en passant") should be secondary. This means the total rule-set would read as follows:

I've reorganized the text to what you've recommended here.

vickalan

Thanks evert - looks great! I especially like your endgame study (2nd diagram):
"White to move can win the black Queen by moving the Bulldog to c8 and then h3."

Your example notation for a bulldog reaching the 8th rank and jumping back and checks also looks good:

Notation: Dc8-h3+