---
title: Torpedo Chess
slug: torpedo
board: "8×8"
players: "2"
parent: chess
win: Checkmate
special: Pawns can move two squares forward from any rank, not just the starting rank.
engine:
  topology:
    type: grid
    rows: 8
    cols: 8
  players: [white, black]
  setup: "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR"
---

## Torpedo Chess

Pawns can always double-move, not just from their starting rank. Dramatically accelerates pawn play in the middlegame and endgame.


{{svg:torpedo-board.svg "Torpedo Chess — starting position"}}

### Setup

**Board:** Standard 8×8.

**Setup:** Standard chess setup.

**FEN:** `rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1`

### Rules

Identical to standard chess except:
- Pawns may advance two squares from ANY rank (not just their starting rank), provided both squares are empty.
- En passant applies whenever a pawn double-moves past an enemy pawn, regardless of which rank it starts from.
- All other rules unchanged.

### Win Condition

Checkmate.

### Strategy

Passed pawns become much more dangerous because they can sprint two squares at a time. Pawn endgames are sharply different: a pawn on the 5th rank can reach promotion in two moves instead of three. Blockading passed pawns is more difficult. Connected pawns rolling forward together are extremely powerful.

### Attribution

Variant popularised on Lichess. Public domain.