In a further variant of atomic chess, check is not enforced at all.

In atomic chess a sacrifice of knights, bishops and sometimes even queens are acceptable.

The rules of atomic chess are the same as standard chess with the following differences:

Atomic chess is a chess variant.

To play atomic chess:

Atomic chess history:

A notable and amusing feature of atomic chess which can first attract chess players to the game is that kings can be in adjacent squares.

Some players consider atomic chess to be a forced win for white, but so far all attempts to refute the game have been unsuccessful, and high-rated players tend to disagree.

By far the most common sacrifice in atomic chess openings is to advance either knight from the third rank to the fifth, knowing it can be taken by a pawn.

Atomic chess: capture on any square results in an "atomic explosion" which kills (i.e. removes from the game) all pieces in the eight surrounding squares, except for pawns.