What is your favorite chess piece?

I don't know why but I have this weird obsession and deep respect for both teams bishops and knights. I find the knights to be a bit fiesty yet quirky too due to their movement as well as no fear having whatsoever. The bishops I find to he kind of a funky piece but in a good way. The fact they move diagonally and only on one color as well as how explosive they can be with their attacking power just leaves me in awe with the bishop pair.😂😂😂How about you folks? What's your favorite chess piece?

Let me break it down this way: The king, knight and pawn are the only true and authentic chess pieces.

The rook was the ‘ruch’ or chariot originally until it got changed for political reasons.

A castle tower is not called a rook and castles can’t fight wars. So this piece really is just a joke.

 

The bishop was originally the elephant. Again, bishops know nothing of war and it is sad that Christian belief needed to be forced on the game. I certainly don’t want to go to war trusting a bishop to achieve anything on the battlefield.

 

The queen was originally the vezier or kings advisor. Who sends his wife to go fight his battles.

We can conclude that the rook, bishop and queen humiliate the spirit of chess.

 

I prefer knights. It is the only piece with a face, eyes, mouth making them unique.

It moves in the most unique was and can jump over pieces.

On every level knights are superior.

The knight! I like the element of surprise they bring to attacks :)

Duck-Season, The queen was initially

I would also like to point out that Christianity does not mean Catholicism. Catholicism is a major group in Christianity, but by refering to Christians as the same as Catholics could possibly bother some people.

As for the reason they named a piece the "bishop", I don't really know why. It could've probably been given a better name than that; like archer, or cannon, or simply left at elephant.

I agree on the rook thing. I once googled what a rook is just to see what it was I used in my army. What I found, is that a "rook" is a type of crow-like bird. They should've probably left the name at "Chariot".

The Knight was initially called the "horse". So I'd consider it an upgrade that they changed it to Knight (Since horses don't make very good soldiers).

Pawns were also initially called soldiers.

The King was also called the Shah in the past. But shah and king are very similar definitions so it didn't really change much.

You are clearly highly intelligent and a person with excellent taste hajixib. 

Knights are indeed the best.

As for the piece, my favorite piece is the Knight :D

Darn it I forgot to finish writing about the queen.

LM player I simply feel Christianity whether Catholics, protestant or any other of the many variations should just not have been included and I would feel the same if the bishop was turned into a Buddha.

No religion should have a place in a universal game.

 

I do get you on the fact that Catholicism does not represent all of Christianity, it was not my intention to suggest that.   

The queen was initially the advisor, but there was a brief period where some people called the advisor the queen despite the fact that it was still pretty weak for a piece. The Queen became a piece after an ancient chess variant called "Mad Queen Chess" became popular amongst players.

This entire thread is clearly filled with well read, sensible and thinking people.

I believe this is why we all vote for the knight as the best piece, great minds think alike.

I agree with you on that. Religion shouldn't have been the cause for naming a piece in a universal game. It should probably have been named something religion neutral.

It isn't really an universal game, this particular member of certain family of board games was developed in Europe and later was spreaded globally for political reasons.

Thank you for your answer and insight as well. You seen to have some deep insight into the subject. 😊

I had red about this as well. It was in ancient Arabia that she was the vizier. I believe I read that it was when the game got to Europe that the Queen's powers came to fruition and when it hit Italy the game was known as the "game of the crazy bitch", due to how the Queen moves.

I agree.

Those forks are lethal.😂

depens on pawns position and what is a good and bad ones

The knight is great for taking opponents by surprise, since it is difficult to notice exactly which pieces they will attack after being moved, and they are superb at creating devastating forks.  The bishops are stunningly powerful only in pairs.