[lucienpsmith]

We explored man-trap with checkmate conditions and revised the rules.

Scenario:
White moves bishop to a square to block check, that square has MAN-TRAP on it - the bishop triggers the MAN-TRAP and the bishop is removed. White has no other move on his turn and no white card play can help him. White loses the game.

Discussion:
MAN-TRAP is a continuing effect, and it's play or removal or trigger does not contradict the checkmate rule. White loses as his king is in check at the end of his turn, because he has already used his move and his hand does not contain any card which can be used to eliminate the check condition before the end of his turn.

There may be scenarios under which a "bad faith" player can try to undermine the spirit of the game by using his king to try to trigger or remove continuing effects.

E.g. TRUCE/FREEZE (continuing effect ends when a king is placed in check) is in effect, white wishes to remove the TRUCE/FREEZE but has no move which places black in check. White being a "bad faith" player, decides on his own turn to move his king into check (he may or may not have an after-move card in his hand to "rescue" his king from check), the TRUCE/FREEZE is immediately cancelled because the white king is in check. White does NOT have anything that can rescue his king from check - white loses the game (his king is in check at the end of his turn). There is no "testing" check of the king to remove a TRUCE/FREEZE.

Therefore, the Touch-Move rule (used in regular chess tournament or competition) should be employed in knightmare chess - if a player touches a piece with his/her hands in a way that indicates they want to make a move, then no matter what happens, they must move that piece.

Therefore, the CHECKMATE RULE should be revised to explicitly state that a player loses when his king is in check at the end of his turn. E.g. A player can use his turn to place his king in check (intentionally or unintentionally), which thus results in him losing the game.