# Let's Make a Chess Set....of Birds **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 16, 2018, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755 "2018-01-16T15:39:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/41 "2018-01-18T00:12:25Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > I’d consider the change from Penguin to Peacock for the King. Yeah, with the Penguin you’ve got the waddling around impotently like the King does. But that’s not what a Penguin is for. A Penguin is for swimming, and when they’re swimming they aren’t comical impotent waddlers, they’re rock stars. > > Peacock is perfect for the king. Vain, useless, pretty, can’t fly very well, walks around slowly. Much better fit. Though a penguin is powerful, perhaps the strongest of any bird, but yes on land movement is limited. The king in chess though movement is limited, is powerful. Castling could be taken as swimming. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/42 "2018-01-18T07:53:59Z")
> [@Hopeful\_Crow](#): > > I think this is absolutely brilliant. Besides, pawns traditionally have a round knob on top which can be construed as an egg. The plinth the knob rests on could even be thought of as a fancy eggcup. Thank you - I may keep the idea for when I make a chess set where the pieces are all food-based. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/43 "2018-01-18T08:04:04Z")
Somehow you gotta work an owl in there because, comon - fuckin’ owls! ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/44 "2018-01-18T10:55:57Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Somehow you gotta work an owl in there because, comon - fuckin’ owls! well, knight owls, of course ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/45 "2018-01-18T15:31:45Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Thank you - I may keep the idea for when I make a chess set where the pieces are all food-based. Hey! Don’t take my thing! ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/46 "2018-01-19T22:06:37Z")
My suggestions: King-Peacock (I really like that idea!) Queen- Golden Eagle or Andean Condor (big wingspans and ability to move long distances) Bishops- Cardinals ( Because it’s also a great jape) Rooks- Duh, Rooks! Knights-[Titanis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanis) (You didn’t say they had to be current birds and these are good’uns!) Pawns- Have to say I like the egg idea or maybe [Roufus Hummingbirds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous_hummingbird) (Vicious up close!) ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/47 "2018-01-20T01:19:58Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > My suggestions: > King-Peacock (I really like that idea!) > Queen- Golden Eagle or Andean Condor (big wingspans and ability to move long distances) > Bishops- Cardinals ( Because it’s also a great jape) > Rooks- Duh, Rooks! > Knights-[Titanis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanis) (You didn’t say they had to be current birds and these are good’uns!) > Pawns- Have to say I like the egg idea or maybe [Roufus Hummingbirds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous_hummingbird) (Vicious up close!) Yeah, Peacock for King. Not only does it have a natural crown; it also has [historical/religious](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melek_Taus) [royal connotations](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D9%85%D9%84%D9%83#Etymology_1). I don’t think we should allow extinct species though. That would lead us right back to Elephant birds, Haast’s eagles and Archaeopteryxes occupying all the places! ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2018, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/48 "2018-01-20T01:36:46Z")
Alright. Peacock wins! King: Peacock Queen: Swan Bishops: Peregrine Falcon Knight: Cassowary Rooks: Rooks Pawns: Chickens I tell ya, I’m just not down with using eggs, I want ACTUAL birds. Although you got me with Hummingbirds, I like the idea, but are they offensive enough? Pawns are weak and kinda suck, but they do take out pieces when the time comes. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2018, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/49 "2018-01-20T16:54:13Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Another bird I was going to suggest was the [King Vulture.](http://bioexpedition.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/King_Vulture_Sarcoramphus_Papa_600.jpg) Spectacular-looking, but it doesn’t have talons and can’t kill on its own. It’d require a rule change, but the Vulture could clean up all the “sacrifices”. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755/50 "2018-01-20T19:57:43Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Alright. Peacock wins! > King: Peacock > Queen: Swan > Bishops: Peregrine Falcon > Knight: Cassowary > Rooks: Rooks > Pawns: Chickens > > I tell ya, I’m just not down with using eggs, I want ACTUAL birds. Although you got me with Hummingbirds, I like the idea, but are they offensive enough? Pawns are weak and kinda suck, but they do take out pieces when the time comes. You haven’t been told off by any, then. On two occasions I ventured a little too close to a flower basket where a Rufous and on another occasion, a Ruby-Throated male were feeding and they both got in my face and tried to drive me off. They are plenty offensive. And I’m pretty sure the Rufous was insulting me, my parentage, intelligence, and a whole lot more to boot…🙂 [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzPIduL6BQ8), short. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-chess-set-of-birds/806755.md?page=2)