How to play
Atomic Chess
Capturing a piece results in an explosion which will destroy surrounding pieces.
Introduction
Capturing a piece causes an explosion, and the captured piece and all surrounding pieces except pawns explode. Destroying the King will result in a win..
This variant is played from the standard starting position of Standard Chess.
The moves of the pieces remains the same as Standard Chess.
Capturing
If a piece is captured, a nine square explosion removes all pieces from the board within a one piece radius, including the capturing piece!
White to move and has different explosive capturing opportunities.
In the board above, if the Knight @G4 is captured then white will suffer collateral damage! A black Pawn capture creates an explosion which leaves the surrounding pawns unscathed.
Suicides are not permitted - you must not capture with your King or capture a piece that will destroy your own King.
The Knight cannot explode the Black King because it will kill the White King also.
Pawn promotion rules remains the same as Standard Chess.
Castling rules remains the same as Standard Chess.
En Passant
En Passant rules apply, but the explosion centers on the passed square, not the captured pawn.
White can capture by en passant
Check and Checkmate
A King must move from check, unless you are able to win by destroying the opponent's King instead.
White is in check, but can capture Black's King to win rather than escape check
Capturing a piece where the resulting explosion will leave you in check is forbidden.
A capture by a Knight on D3 or G3 is not legal - it would leave White in check.
Unlike Standard Chess, two kings can be adjacent to each other. This is because check is not possible between Kings in Atomic Chess - a King cannot commit suicide by capturing an opponent's King.
Two kings can move adjacent to each other, but are unable to capture or be captured.
Stalemate conditions remain the same as Standard Chess.
Draw conditions remain the same as Standard Chess.
Atomic Chess can be won by checkmate, but more commonly by exploding the opponents King.The White Rook can capture black Knight to win the game.
Attribution
- Nassah Bey Taher
Some chess variants are currently playable live and all will soon be available to play as daily/correspondence chess.
For chess variant suggestions please post to the site forums or on socials.