[KC] BRIBERY and an absurd situation

[John Redding]

I don't remember seeing an erratum on this before.

I was playing a game last night where the following situation occurred:

It is the endgame, if you can call it that. I've taken all my
opponents' pieces save the King, and decided to have a little fun by
trying to checkmate with my two Kings only. 

I've managed to get my opponent's King on the last rank, then move one
of my Kings (solely protected by my other King) to a checkmate
position. My opponent then attempts to play BRIBERY to escape
checkmate.

The text of the card reads (and I'm quoting from memory here):

"When your king is in check (even checkmate) by any piece other than a
queen, play this card and this piece changes sides. Replace with a
similar piece of your color."

BRIBERY is a before-move card. 

The way we analyzed it - my opponent was in checkmate. His only chance
for escape was to play BRIBERY. However, since my second King was
adjacent to the newly BRIBED King, the play would violate the Checkmate
Rule, since my opponent could then play KxK(!). We agreed that it was a
stalemate, but what would the official ruling be?

John Redding

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