Courier chess, also called the courier game or by its German name Läufer-spiel, is a chess variant that dates probably from the twelfth century and remained popular for at least six hundred years. It stands as one stage in the slow evolution from medieval chess towards the modern game. The variant takes its name from one of its most powerful pieces, the courier or runner, called the läufer in German, which moves like the modern bishop. That diagonal move was unique at the time the game was introduced, which is why the piece lent its name to the whole variant.
Facts
Playing Time Game Category Game Mechanic Minimum Players Maximum Players Classification
Player Count Sport
Game Type (category) Connections
Sources
1. Board Game Matcher: Courier Chess - Board Game Matcher
Board Game MatcherGame page summaryQuote, Game page summary
Courier Chess is a board game for 2 players
2. Courier chess (Wikipedia)
LeadQuote, Lead
Courier chess (or courier game, from the German: Läufer-spiel) is a chess variant that dates probably from the 12th century and was popular for at least 600 years.
3. Courier Chess (BoardGameGeek)
- Origin Year: 1202
- Playing Time: 60
- Designer: (Uncredited)
- Publisher: (Public Domain)
- Publisher: The Game Crafter, LLC
- Game Category: Abstract Strategy
- Game Mechanic: Grid Movement
- Minimum Players: 2
- Maximum Players: 2
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