Official Rulings - November 28, 2007
Section 3: Specific Cards - D

Q. NEW TACTICS switches regular and capturing moves for Pawns. What happens when this card interacts with other Pawn cards (like DARK MIRROR, ANNEXATION, and FANATIC)? Is it correct to interpret "Forward" as diagonally forward and "Diagonally backward" as backward (while NEW TACTICS is in play).

A. No, NEW TACTICS does not change the instructions on other cards. DARK MIRROR, FANATIC, and ANNEXATION will have the same effect whether or not NEW TACTICS is in play.

Q. If PHALANX is in play, and I play DARK MIRROR, can I capture a piece directly behind my Pawn instead?

A. No. PHALANX does not change the instructions of DARK MIRROR.

Q. Can a King be captured without first being put into check (for example, NEW TACTICS is in play and the opponent moves his King diagonal from my Pawn. Can I play DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY on NEW TACTICS and capture the King)?

A. No, by extension of the Checkmate Rule.

Q. Can DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY be played to allow a piece affected by MEDUSA to be captured? The text on MEDUSA is rather strong, especially the "ignore any instruction on a card that would remove it from play."

A. These cards do not conflict. DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY would allow a player to capture an opposing piece that he had earlier MEDUSAed. DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY will override the "He may veto" line in MEDUSA.

Q. Can a PACIFIST piece be captured by FIREBALL, HOSTAGE, REVENGE, TOLL, DOOMSAYER or SPLIT KNIGHT? Can it be killed (made Dead) by BETRAYAL or DISINTEGRATION?

A. It is not subject to any of the listed capture effects (and cannot itself explode to trigger FIREBALL). It also does not threaten any pieces, so it could not use SPLIT KNIGHT. It may become Dead because of BETRAYAL or DISINTEGRATION.

Q. During a TRUCE, can a piece be captured by FIREBALL, HOSTAGE, REVENGE, TOLL, DOOMSAYER or SPLIT KNIGHT? Can it be killed (made Dead) by BETRAYAL or DISINTEGRATION?

A. Pieces are not subject to any of the listed capture effects during a TRUCE (and none may explode to trigger FIREBALL). They also do not threaten any pieces, so none could use SPLIT KNIGHT. They may become Dead because of BETRAYAL or DISINTEGRATION.

Q. How does the timing work between a DOOMSAYER and ABDUCTION? I.e., if DOOMSAYER is in play, and I ABDUCT one of my opponent's Rooks (or Bishops, Knights, Pawns), he has to name the piece and the location. If he names a piece, one falls to the DOOMSAYER.

A. He doesn't have to name the piece; he can use a circumlocution (e.g. "You took one of these little building guys off the white square there.") If he screws up and says Rook, but remembers its place, then since he got it back from the abduction at the same time he doomed a rook, it can die. If he said Rook but got the place wrong, then it is lost and the DOOMSAYER kills another rook if he has one.

Q. RESURRECTION (and other similar cards) allow you to recover captured pieces (that is captured by your opponent). If I capture one of my own pieces (say via ASSASSIN, or DOOMSAYER) can I recover this piece later in the game via RESURRECTION? (assuming it isn't a King or Queen — so the rules governing RESURRECTION are followed)

A. Yes.

Q. In a situation where DOOMSAYER is in play, what happens if I play NEUTRALITY on his Knight and during my opponent's turn I say Knight (thus triggering DOOMSAYER) if I have no Knights of my own? Do I remove the NEUTRAL Knight?

A. Yes, you remove the NEUTRAL Knight.

Q. In regular chess, you cannot move your King through check. Since DOPPELGANGER and HERO WORSHIP creates other situations where the King is able to move multiple squares, does it follow that you cannot move your King though check when it is moving like a different piece?

A. In Knightmare Chess, the restriction on castling through check is lifted, even when not playing a card, so long as that it does not end its turn in check. So yes, when moving the King like a different piece, it may move through check.

Q. So I can BOG my opponent's Queen moving as a Knight (DUBBING)?

A. No; the Knight-like move does not qualify for the BOG effect.

Q. If I NEUTRALIZE one of my opponents pieces and then put it into the DUNGEON at the end of one of my subsequent turns, how long does the piece stay trapped for? Can I move it on my very next turn, just after my opponent has been unable to move it or is it trapped during my turn as well? Also, does a piece in the DUNGEON count as being able to give check during that trapped time?

A. The piece is not actually trapped; it simply cannot be moved by your opponent on his following turn. You can move it whenever you like, and it can give check to your opponent's King (since you can move it) but not to yours (since he can't).

Q: RIPOSTE says it can be played when your opponent captures one of your pieces without using a card. My opponent DISINTEGRATED his Pawn (before his move) to open his Rook file, then played RxQ. I'm not sure if this use of DISINTEGRATE constitutes "using a card to make a capture" - it seems like the card changed the board position (pre-move), then my opponent made an ordinary Rook capture.

A: Correct, the Queen is captured without the use of a card.