Hemera’s Dawn is chess variant which is played on 20 x 20 board, with darkish red-brown and gray fields and bright red and dark gray pieces. In algebraic notation, vertical files are enumerated from ‘a’ to ‘t’, and horizontal ranks are enumerated from ‘1′ to ‘20′. A new piece is introduced, Centaur.
Centaur

Centaur is active piece which moves similarly to Unicorn, only it can continue its jumpy movement until another piece is encountered, or it runs out of board. Note that once in movement, Centaur can not change its heading. In other words, Centaur is bound by both First obstacle rule and Continuation of direction rule.
In algebraic notation, symbol for Centaur is ‘C’.
If located on opposite color field, Centaur moves in short jumps, just like Knight, as is marked yellow on the picture on the left.
If located on own color field, Centaur moves in long jumps, as marked yellow on the next picture bellow.
Note that in either case, Centaur, just as Knight and Unicorn, moves directly from starting location to destination field. No pieces in between those two fields can alter or suppress its movement by its presence alone.
Due to its movement comprised of alternating long and short jumps, Centaur conforms with Continuation of direction rule on both of them, independently. That is to say, at the beginning of movement, player can choose one direction for long jumps, and one direction for shorts jumps. Direction for long jumps is chosen independently of direction for short jumps, and vice versa. Player can then, in a single move, advance Centaur only in those two chosen alternating directions, for as long as it is legal, i.e. it must conform to First obstacle rule, own King must not be left under attack, …
During it’s movement Centaur will alternate field color from which it’ll start it’s next jump. Thus, it’ll also alter in longer or shorter jumps, depending on color of field from which Centaur starts it’s next jump in sequence.
Those alternating jumps comprise a sequence in which destination field of last jump is starting field of the next jump. Regardless of chosen directions, First obstacle rule is applied to those starting/destination fields. So if any of those is owned by opponent’s piece, Centaur can capture that piece, but must stop it’s movement on owned field. Similarly, Centaur can’t claim field if it is owned by own piece, except if it’s passive, in which case Centaur must stop its movement at field owned by said passive piece.
In the example above, dark player has chosen first to move to field 3 fields to the right and 2 fields above starting field, to the field marked by 1. This was also choice made for long jumps in this move for Centaur. Next, dark player choses to move Centaur 2 fields to the left and 1 field up from its new starting location, to the field marked by 2. This also represents choice for all other short jumps of this Centaur in this move.
Now that we have both directions chosen, Centaur can be moved only In those 2 directions, no other directions can be selected in the same move. In the example above, that would mean moving from field marked by 2, which is the same color as dark Centaur, therefore long jump is in order from there. Since direction chosen for long jumps is 3 fields right and 2 fields up, we will end up on field marked 3. Field 3 is field of opposite color, thus short jump must be performed. Direction chosen for short jump is 2 fields to the left and 1 field up, so we will end up on field marked 4. From there, long and short jumps can be performed in alternation for as long as it is legal.
Note that fields on which First obstacle rule are applied are all marked yellow. For example, if light piece would be located on field 3, dark player could capture it with Centaur, but Centaur would have to end its movement at that field. Similarly, dark piece on field 5 would preclude dark Centaur to move past field 4. Exception to this is if that dark piece happens to be passive, in which case Centaur could activate it, but then Centaur would have to end its movement on field 5 previously occupied by dark passive piece.
Initial setup
Initial setup for Light player is (mirrored for Dark one):
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
TRGMUWCNBQKBNCWUMGRT, or more conveniently, as in this screen-shot:
En passant
En passant is the same as it is in previous variants with the only difference being longer legal advancement of Pawn from its initial position, i.e. up to 8 fields.
Castling
Castling is the same as it is in previous variants. Due to Stars being positioned in the very corners of board, King is able to move only up to 7 fields, not 8 as you’d expect from larger board.



