Editing Atomic chess (section)

==Strategy==
{{algebraic notation|pos=secright}}
The first-move advantage enjoyed by White is much greater in this game than in standard chess. However, no attempts to prove a win for White have been successful.

Material sacrifices are more common in atomic chess than in chess. In the opening and middlegame, it is common to offer a piece in order to open spaces to seize an initiative.<ref name=tipau/>

===Opening===
{{Chess diagram
| fen=rnbqkbnr/ppp1pppp/8/3pN3/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKB1R
| align=tright
| header=A common opening trap
| footer=A common response to 1.Nf3 in chess is 1...d5. In atomic chess this leads to a forced loss after 2.Ne5, threatening Nxf7. After either 2...f6 or 2...f5 White can play 3.Nd7. White's knight cannot be taken by any piece because of its proximity to Black's king, and Black cannot stop 4.Nxf8.
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White has the initiative in atomic chess, and many openings begin with a quick attempt to explode Black's d-, e-, or f-pawns, and thus the black king.<ref name=sigge>{{cite web |last=Krakov |first=Sergey |title=Atomic chess openings |work=Siggemannen's Atomic Chess Page (archived copy) |publisher=chronatog.com |url=http://chronatog.com/archive/sigge/openings.html |access-date=12 June 2020 |archive-date=12 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612042708/http://chronatog.com/archive/sigge/openings.html |url-status=live }}</ref> For this reason, atomic openings are fraught with traps, and Black may have to respond precisely to defend. Several common traps begin with 1.Nf3 followed by Ng5 or Ne5, forcing Black to start with 1..f6 to maintain rough equality.<ref name=vlasov/> Games between experienced players follow more traditional opening principles, such as piece {{chessgloss|development}}, controlling {{chessgloss|space}}, and winning {{chessgloss|material}}.<ref name=sigge/>

===Endgame===
{{Chess diagram
 |tleft
 |An endgame position
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
 |  |ql|  |  |  |  |  |  
 |pd|  |  |  |  |  |  |  
 |pl|  |  |  |  |  |  |  
 |  |  |kl|kd|  |  |  |  
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
 |Black has connected kings and become immune to check. However, White can win by forcing the black king to be adjacent to the black pawn and then capturing the pawn.
:1.Kc4 Kd4 2.Kb5+ Kc5 3.Ka6+ Kb5 4.Ka7+ Ka6 5.Qxa5#
Black is forced to retain the connection, or the queen will chase the king and deliver mate.
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As with atomic opening theory, a small amount of [[Chess endgame|endgame]] theory and analyses have been published online by strong players.<ref name=moltenthinker>{{cite web |year=2005 |title=Atomic Land |url=http://www.moltenstudios.com/atomic/index.html |access-date=24 May 2014 |archive-date=13 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513020125/http://www.moltenstudios.com/atomic/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

A common scenario in atomic endgames is to have two kings on adjacent squares. As a player cannot intentionally blow up their own king, a king can never capture another piece, including another king. Similarly, because a capture affects all adjacent squares, one king cannot be captured directly if it means destruction of the other. Moving one king towards the other is thus a strategy to achieve a draw. The player with the advantage must then maneuver into a position where a non-king piece can be captured that is adjacent to one king but not the other. If there is no piece that can be captured, the player with the advantage can promote two queens and force the opponent into [[zugzwang]] and therefore forcing the opponent's king away from their king. Creative use of zugzwang is a common tactic to force a win in these situations.<ref name=moltenkings>{{cite web |year=2005 |title=On Joined Kings |work=Atomic Land |url=http://www.moltenstudios.com/atomic/endgames/joinedkings.html |access-date=24 May 2014 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034902/http://www.moltenstudios.com/atomic/endgames/joinedkings.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Internet Chess Club variation of atomic chess ignores check completely, and thus leads to different outcomes in certain situations. For example, a king and rook vs. king endgame that would be a draw under normal circumstances can become a forced win on ICC.
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