A catalogue of pieces, after the Lewis chessmen
The attacker strikes, the piece shatters, and the rubble stays on the board. Free in your browser, with nothing to install.
Six figures carved in stone after the Lewis chessmen, each with its own weapon and its own way of breaking. White is walrus ivory; black is stained a dark red-brown.
The Pawn: A small octagonal obelisk with knotwork on its face.
No. 1
Breaks into 27 stones
See it strike
The Rook: A warder: a squat robed warrior in an iron castle-top helm, his kite shield held across his body.
No. 2
Breaks into 57 stones
See it strike
The Knight: A big-headed rider on a small stocky pony under a long green caparison.
No. 3
Breaks into 71 stones
See it strike
The Bishop: A squat robed cleric in a tall twin-peaked mitre, a book clasped to his chest.
No. 4
Breaks into 50 stones
See it strike
The Queen: Veiled and crowned on a low arched seat, hand to her cheek, a drinking horn in her lap.
No. 5
Breaks into 40 stones
See it strike
The King: A squat robed figure on a low-backed seat, sword across his lap, long beard, crested crown.
No. 6
Breaks into 53 stones
See it strikePick a game and watch every capture struck down, move by move, until the mate.
Paul Morphy against the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard, Paris 1858
17 moves, 12 pieces taken
Watch the replayAdolf Anderssen against Lionel Kieseritzky, London 1851
23 moves, 9 pieces taken
Watch the replayDonald Byrne against Bobby Fischer, New York 1956
41 moves, 17 pieces taken
Watch the replayScreens made captures weightless: a piece blinks out and nobody notices. On a real board a capture costs something.
Chess Explosion makes the board remember. Every piece taken is struck down by its attacker, and its rubble stays for the later moves to push aside, until a gust of wind sweeps it onto the hall floor.