Check out Balbo's Chess, our featured variant for October, 2024.

This page is written by the game's inventor, Adam Norberg.

Rubble Chess

At the start of the game, put a penny on every unoccupied square. When in play, they never move but block movement; they act like the opponent's pieces (no matter what side is playing - they're the Brown team or something)- which can be captured to get them out of the way. Your players can take shelter behind rubble, or try to clear it so the opponent cannot move... remember, space you clear is also open for the opponent!

Rubble Chess is played exactly as according to the FIDE or orthodox rules, with the following additions:

  1. The king as is the bulldozer. Any space that he could move to is instantly cleared of rubble - he clears the 8 spaces around him of rubble (not pieces!)
  2. Pawns clear rubble by moving normally, not a diagonal attack.


Written by Adam Norberg. Web page posted by David Howe.
WWW page created: 7 Sep 2000. Last modified on: 5 Nov 2001.