Introduction

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The rules of atomic chess are the same as those of standard chess with the addition that every time a capture takes place,

• the captured piece explodes (is removed).
• the capturing piece explodes.
• all pieces adjacent (including diagonally) to the square of the capture, except pawns, explode.

Here is a simple example:

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1. Bxd8#

Note that when white captures the rook on d8, the white bishop and black knight and king explode (thus winning the game for white), but the black pawn remains intact.

Also note that black's bishop on b4 had put the white king in check; however, one subtlety introduced by the atomic rules is that you may explode the opponent's king to win even when your own king is in check.

Here is another example that demonstrates some of the unique aspects of atomic:

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1. Qc4 Ka3

2. Qcb3 This allows black to win by exploding white's king (despite black's own king being in check).  cxb1#

2. Qbb3 Ordinarily this would be checkmate, but black's king can escape.  Kb2 The king is safe because taking it would also explode white's king. 

2. Qb2# This move is mate because black's king has no legal moves. 

1. Qc3 This is an immediate stalemate, as it leaves black without any legal moves. 

(To use the board analysis tool, either click on the buttons at the top or click any move to jump to that position.)

Note that 1...Ka3 is black's only move after 1.Qc4. Any other king move would be moving into check (the king is not initially in check because taking the king would result in white's king exploding as well). The pawn cannot take the queen because that would also explode both kings, and the king can never capture any other piece because doing so would explode itself.

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