Grasshopper

The Grasshopper is a fairy piece, a unit created for compositions with movement outside ordinary chess. It uses rows, columns, and diagonals like a queen, but it must have a hurdle on the chosen line.

Trace the line from the Grasshopper to the first unit encountered. That unit may belong to either side and serves as the hurdle. The Grasshopper jumps over it and lands exactly on the next square along the same line. The hurdle is neither moved nor captured.

• If the landing square is empty, the Grasshopper may occupy it.
• If an enemy unit occupies the landing square, the Grasshopper captures that unit.
• If a friendly unit occupies it, or the square lies beyond the board, there is no move in that direction.
• If the line contains no hurdle, the Grasshopper cannot move along it.

Unlike the Nightrider, which extends knight steps in one direction, the Grasshopper depends on another unit's location. A unit that looks like a blocker may therefore activate it, while moving the hurdle can switch off its attack immediately.