Chess Match (17)
By:
May 2, 2010
In November 1995, the rules for the chess variant ATOMIC CHESS, which had been collected by Klaus Knopper, were posted to the German Internet Chess Server. According to one aficionado, the rules of normal chess apply to Atomic Chess with the following extensions:
1. Whenever a piece is captured, an explosion occurs on the field around the capture. This explosion destroys the following pieces:
(a) The capturing piece.
(b) The captured piece.
(c) All other pieces EXCEPT pawns on the eight-square grid around the captured piece’s square.
Destroyed pieces are removed from the board.
2. An Atomic Chess game is won by causing the explosion of the opposing king. An atomic checkmate may occur when the King cannot prevent his own explosion with any other moves. Note that this leaves open the possibility of having a regular chess checkmate occurring on the board; however, this will not end the game. Only a direct explosion or unpreventable explosion (Atomic-Mate) will end an Atomic Chess game.
3. Moves causing your own king’s explosion are not allowed.
Seventeenth in an occasional series.