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Ponderchess / Chess variants

Atomic

Every capture explodes, wiping out the pieces around it, and blowing up the enemy king wins the game.
Created
Unknown
Creator
Unknown
Where
Unknown
Board
8×8
What changes
Captures explode
Also called
Atomic chess

Where it came from

Nobody knows who invented it

Atomic chess has no known inventor. It became popular on internet chess servers in the 1990s and is now one of the most played variants online.

Explosions change every calculation. Pieces defend by standing apart, kings can safely stand side by side, and a single capture next to the enemy king can end the game.

Why it was made: To make every capture a dramatic, double-edged decision.

How it differs from chess

  • ExplosionsWhen a piece captures, it explodes. The capturing piece, the captured piece and every piece except pawns on the eight surrounding squares are removed.
  • KingsA king cannot capture, since it would blow itself up. You may not make a capture that explodes your own king.
  • Touching kingsWhen the two kings stand next to each other, neither can be checked: any capture that hit one would hit both.
  • WinningYou win by exploding the enemy king, or by checkmate.
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Files a b c d e f g h
Qxf7 would explode f7 and everything around it, including Black’s king on e8.

Your first game

  • Count what each capture destroys on both sides before making it.
  • Moving your king next to the enemy king makes it immune to checks.
  • Watch f7 and f2: the pawns next to the king are early targets.

Questions

Can the king capture in Atomic chess?
No. The capture would explode the king itself.
Do pawns explode?
A pawn that captures or is captured is removed. Pawns on surrounding squares survive the blast.

Sources