Chiron is a chess variant that accomplishes finitude by some very unique but also surprisingly traditional means, instead of strange and obscure mechanics, fairy pieces combine with shogi-style drops to create a finite and drawless experience. this is because all the pieces in Chiron fundamentally progress as the game continues despite having both forward and backward movement. The trick is that each piece in Chiron has all of its basic movement contained by a 180 degree radius, meaning no move or combination of moves nullifies another. Because of this Chiron has a somewhat intimidating feature: a few asymmetric pieces, but it deals with this in several ways that restore symmetry to these pieces and the game as a whole. For one thing these pieces come with lefthanded and righthanded counterparts which reflect each other's movement but the pieces themselves have capture only moves which reflect their basic movement. There is also a piece called the Phoenix which is continually dropped on the board and can capture any piece that is on a rank behind it which ensures that the opposing King will eventually have to pass it and thereby be captured. Chiron has the distinction of being the first true chess variant that mathematically cannot cycle and has no potential to draw. Corey L. Clark designed Chiron in 2018 and thoroughly modified it in 2024. Materials: a standard chess set in which the rooks can be flipped and the knights and bishops can be rotated to face eachother Gameplay: The pieces in Chiron are The King, The Phoenix and Ant which all have basic symmetrical forward movement, along with the asymmetrical movers: The Crab, The Moth and, The Hummingbird. They are listed below with their movement capabilities, with the lefthanded pieces being depicted for the asymmetrical movers. Note, any piece movement which is not ranged like a rook or bishop is able to jump over any pieces regardless of color. You may capture any piece of your own at any time. King: The King moves to any space 2 spaces away in the forward direction. It also has capture-only moves backwards in any of the three adjacent spaces behind it. Phoenix: The Phoenix may only move one square forward generally but may capture any piece on a rank behind it, even leaping over any number of pieces of either color in the process. The phoenix may only be captured by a regular move (ie not one marked by an X) and is the only piece that may be dropped. During the game, if you capture an opponent's Phoenix, you recruit it to your side and then either player may spend a turn dropping it on the first rank of the player who owns it. Note: use a pawn to represent a second phoenix, if you have one. Ant: The Ant moves one square forward and captures likewise. An ant which reaches the 8th rank may promote to any of your pieces that have been captured. Crab: The Crab has the most exotic movement of the pieces, it may move one square diagonally forward, like a wide knight forward, like a rook horizontally to the righthand side, or like a wide camel (1-3 movement) backward to righthand side. It may also move while capturing as a rook to the lefthand side or as a wide camel to the lefthand side. Moth: The Moth has relatively simple movement, it may move to the righthand side like a wide knight, move on either side like a long knight and retreats as a bishop to the righthand side. It may also move with a bishop move to the lefthand side or as a wide knight forward and to the left in order to capture. Hummingbird: The Hummingbird moves as a rook forward, or else retreats as a knight to the lefthand side. It may also capture to the lefthand side as a knight backwards. Note: Each Crab, Moth, and Hummingbird has a lefthanded and righthanded version, which are perfect reflections of each-other, at the outset of the game. Game End: You win a game of Chiron by capturing the opposing King. Note: there is no concept of "checkmate" much less "stalemate" in Chiron and the king must move in

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