How to play Diplomat Chess

Learn the rules to Diplomat Chess quickly and concisely - This video has no distractions, just the rules. For a refresher of the original Chess rules, check out this video: • How to play Chess (202...
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0:00 - Objective
0:15 - Setup
0:45 - Pawns
2:22 - Rooks
2:53 - Bishops
3:47 - The Horse
4:15 - The Diplomat
5:09 - To Win
RULES
Layout the board and setup 5 pawns on the middle row on one side. Behind those from left to right goes: Horse, Bishop, King, Rook, Diplomat. There is no queen, but If you don’t have a diplomat piece, you can use a queen to represent one. Repeat this arrangement on the other side so the pieces line up with each other through the center.
The center is a space that can be occupied and it is considered orthogonally and diagonally connected to every adjacent space. Pawns still move 1 space forward but a forward movement is any space that puts the pawn closer to the starting space of the opponent’s king. Therefore, your pawns may move towards the center, laterally around the circle, or through the center, or any combination thereof so long as the move puts them closer to the starting space of the opposing king than the space they are currently on. This does not mean it has to be THE closest space available, just closer than what it currently is. When a pawn is in the center space it may move out of the center to any of the 7 spaces on your opponent’s side of the board then proceeds with movement towards the starting space of the opposing king. Pawn still capture diagonally in front of them, which translates to being able to capture to either side of any space they can move to. Any pawn adjacent to the center may capture to the center. Your pawn in the center may capture to any adjacent space on your opponent’s half of the board, you cannot capture backwards to any adjacent space on your own side of the board. Pawns are not allowed the initial 2 step move nor are they allowed to En passant. Pawns are promoted when they move to any of the opponent’s rear rank starting positions.
The rook can move laterally around the circle as many spaces as are available but may not end a movement in the same space it started. The rook can travel through the center in a single move to a space on the opposite side or it can stop in the center. A rook in the center space can reach any space on the board in a straight line outward unless its path is obstructed by another piece. You are not allowed to castle.
The bishop’s diagonal movement travels through the opposite corner of the space the piece entered, you may not change directions mid move. The bishop may travel through the center. To do so, the bishop travels straight across the center to the opposite color, then diagonally in the same diagonal direction that it began the move with. It is as if the two adjacent spaces of the center are the same space. If the Bishop started the move adjacent to the center, then it travels directly across the center to the other side then it may travel diagonally in either direction towards the outside of the board. A Bishop in the center space can reach any space on the board in a diagonal line outward unless its path is obstructed by another piece. The bishop’s move may not bounce off the outside edge of the board.
The Horse has the same movement as the Knight but it may not travel through the center space to the other side. If the horse is on the middle or outer ring, in addition to its normal movement, it may also move to the center. If the horse in the center, it may move to any of the spaces in the two inner rings. The horse moves directly to its space, passing over any piece in the way.
The Diplomat, which may be represented by a queen or another piece, may move one space in any direction to any unoccupied space. The diplomat may not capture pieces but instead may suborn them. Instead of moving, the diplomat can suborn an adjacent enemy piece to your side. Simply leave the diplomat stationary and replace your opponent’s piece with the same piece of your color. You now control that piece and all its abilities and may move it as soon as your next turn. You may not move a diplomat and suborn a piece in the same turn. You may only suborn 1 piece per turn, even if multiple pieces are adjacent. You may suborn any piece except for the king. The diplomat may not put the king in check.
The first player to checkmate or stalemate their opponent, wins. If the same position is repeated 3 times then the game is a draw.

[@isaac_aren]

Welcome to Chess 2. As the name implies, there are only 2 changes. 1. The board 2. The rules

[@garrysmith1029]

Lol

[@eyitsaperson]

connect 4 (it is chess2)

[@hhhbkid]

Edit: 3. The pieces.

[@Greggorto]

@@hhhbkid most pieces stay

[@hhhbkid]

@@Greggorto It was smart-aleck way of saying there are more changes than the board and the rules. I know most pieces stay.

[@percentage242]

"En passant is not allowed" * shuts down video *

[@bqh3795]

ikr

[@phabidz]

He said horse instead of knight so now I'm confused

[@oxnvat]

Unholy heaven

[@zackbuildit88]

@@phabidz it moves slightly differently from the Knight when involving the center space so it gets a different name

[@Rynewulf]

I don't know professional chess, so honestly that move looked fake. Since when can you just chose to move a pawn diagonally when not capturing? And I need to look up this castling thing apparently

[@rosiefay7283]

Just accept it -- with some games it's easier to just explain the rules than to explain how they differ from chess.

[@timzijlstra1010]

Heresy!

[@bobafettjr85]

Monopoly is just like regular chess except instead of pawns, knights, bishops, rooks, queens, or kings, you have a battleship.

[@ArdentSM]

for example minecraft

[@iamdigory]

@@bobafettjr85 is castling still allowed?

[@bobafettjr85]

@@iamdigory it's called hoteling in Monopoly but yes it's still allowed.

[@jandor6595]

Ah yes, the negotiator

[@drippylad3973]

Negotiation indeed

[@Nate9273]

General kenobi

[@djangel3108]

Indeed

[@artsenor254]

It feels like that "control the center" thing has never been more relevant.

[@KororaPenguin]

A Rook or Bishop against a bare King just has to reach the center and it's an unaided checkmate.

[@sjhsoccer]

However, the center is also the most dangerous position, as it's the easiest to get to.

[@THEPELADOMASTER]

@@KororaPenguin man, it feels like you have to have the king completely surrounded, since you can get checked from the most absurd angles.

[@ItemVexReview]

Him: You may suborn any piece- Me: * Starts suborning the king. * Him: -except for the king. Me: * sighs * fine. Also me: * Starts suborning the diplomat. *

[@SpectreLgs]

Lol

[@dudono1744]

this requires serious stalemate

[@dandanthedandan7558]

Well one move I can think of is if you move your diplomat to a square where any opponent piece and diplomat is accessible. If you suborn the piece so that it puts the king in check, they'll have to take care of that first. And then now you have room to suborn their diplomat

[@stevenkinglolyt21]

@@dudono1744 discovered checks work probably

[@XenithShadow]

@@dandanthedandan7558 if you move to a square where an oposing piece and a diplomat are accessable they will just suborn your diplomat first.

[@GeorgeCowsert]

I feel like the diplomat and the circular chess board need to be played with separately. Both additions alone make Chess far more interesting, but I want to see them played individually.

[@zackbuildit88]

But the main feature of diplomat chess is the center space? So removing the circle board from diplomat chess gets rid of its main feature too

[@Rexvivor]

@@zackbuildit88 chess but there's a 3x3 red space in the middle of the board

[@zackbuildit88]

@@Rexvivor that would still require altering the board substantially, chess boards are 8x8 so either it would be off center, it wouldn’t align to the grid, or the dimensions of the entire board would have to be changed

[@GeorgeCowsert]

@@zackbuildit88 diplomat chess is literally named after the diplomat piece, which has several nuances and uses that alone would shake up normal chess. The circular chess board adds another layer of complexity that distracts from that, and should be used in it's own game.

[@Rexvivor]

@@zackbuildit88 2x2

[@RGC_animation]

The diplomat be like (quite literally): It is not about winning, it's about the friends we made along the way!

[@EGarrett01]

Perfect.

[@BioHzrd0010]

Diplomat: "It's not about victory... It’s about _THE METS BABY LOVE THE METS ALRIGHT BABY LET’S GO GET A HOME RUN BABY LOVE THE METS LET’S GO METS."_

[@djangel3108]

Considering the name I like to imagine the diplomats gives some seriously good education to bribe enamy pieces to join the diplomat's army

[@masimiand]

Yes

[@kahwigulum]

"the rules are the same as regular chess except for these changes" [continues to change all of the rules of regular chess]

[@honeyjuice219]

3:45 I can't get over how the lines for the bishop looks like it got tenticals ready to eat some pieces

[@hallucin8609]

hikaru be like

[@honeyjuice219]

@@hallucin8609 lol

[@Snookbone]

"tenticals"

[@djangel3108]

RELEASE THE KRASHOP Krashop: *religious squid noises*

[@blastodermis]

I imagine the diplomat chanting the conversion spell from age of empires' monks.

[@UltimaDoombotMK1]

"Wololo" *Rook changes colours* "Narwini"

[@winnersduplicate554]

mmmm

[@johnransom9983]

I gather that a key strategy is to get the diplomat next to the center.

[@GovernorBroadsideDS]

And then they sac their knight for the diplomat. Leaving your opponent with the only diplomat on the board, giving them the advantage. Because of the diplomat's ability, I would value it the same as the queen, despite the lack of movement capabilities, it is an excellent piece because it can give you a significant material advantage without removing any piece from the board, as such you should protect it at all costs against long range pieces.

[@Bigzthegreat]

your knight is good to attack the center but not to occupy it. I would put a rook or bishop on it due to their ability to control the whole board.

[@aaronking2020]

Maybe getting your king in the center. It's pretty much impossible to checkmate it while it's there. (You'll atleast delay it by 1 turn.)

[@Bigzthegreat]

@@aaronking2020 the knight will just push you out of the center

[@carsonianthegreat4672]

@@Bigzthegreat the Knight is great in the center because it can attack any square in the first two circles. This is unlike the Bishop and Rook which can only attack unobstructed squares

[@petermontgomery638]

As a diplomat, I can confirm that this is how we go about business

[@napppann3486]

I think the diplomat would be a game changer in normal chess. Just imagine changing the flanking Rook, Bishop, Etc. to save the king and getting a new teammate at the cost of the highly mobile queen

[@djangel3108]

Very fair point, plus if chess had lore it could make some sense as the kjng would be like " why would I risk my wife getting killed?" So instead he gets a very clever and convincing diplomat to bribe nearby enemies with education.

[@-ZH]

Was it necessary to say that en passant is not allowed when the pawns can’t even move 2 spaces? You just did it to taunt us, didn’t you?

[@aer0a]

It's for people who don't know that en passant exists because pawns can move 2 squares

[@mintjuan]

The diplomat is now my new favorite piece because it's a pacifist piece (sort of).

[@numericalnumbers9279]

I always thought it was like a zombie, infecting all the pieces in sight.

[@Ozuxxlegendary]

i will use it in my new custom chess broad lol cuz USEFUL

[@Ozuxxlegendary]

@@numericalnumbers9279 real tho

[@TZSanity]

Ayoyoyo Wololo

[@dangductran2926]

Diplomat can give you 10+ material in 1 move

[@swfreak258]

One of the most interesting chess variants yet

[@qwq1017]

This is not a chess variant.

[@osk5830]

@@qwq1017 then what is it

[@wolflightning2331]

@@osk5830 A chess variant

[@osk5830]

@@wolflightning2331 i know, i was asking qw q what they thought it was if its not a chess variant

[@qwq1017]

@@osk5830 A game.

[@THEPELADOMASTER]

I can imagine the amount of times you move a piece into a different ring and suddenly a rook does a 180° across the board cause you forgot they could do that

[@donnythedingo]

Figuring out how the bishop moves through the center and explaining coherently is an accomplishment

[@MatthewCampbell765]

The circular board seems unnecessary to me for the core concept. I do like the idea of the queen being replaced with the diplomat, though.

[@dragonmaxim1154]

He: "the rules are the same as regular chess except for these changes" *Inhales* *Listes 5 minutes of stuff that are different from regular chess* Me: bishop and rook DO WHAT?!

[@mayulinnntv9679]

IKR

[@djangel3108]

You may only get 1 castle and 1 religious guy but said castle and religious guy are way more powerful

[@mistermax2289]

This is a cool converter variant! Wish others didnt just change the game slightly...

[@revimfadli4666]

Others can often be played with the same set though

[@Judoy11]

The diplomat when he's near a piece of the other team: "WOLOLO!"

[@Bhgskeue]

Wow, cool Wololo reference

[@joelsagflaatholmberg3922]

Holy crap! A new DLC for chess just dropped

[@ivann1n]

Need more info about the center. How many pieces can be placed there at the same time? Can you capture a piece that stayed in the center?

[@user-zz3sn8ky7z]

If I understood correctly then, apart from being adjacent to 7 other spaces, it works like a regular space. So only one piece and you may capture from and in it

[@Beleidigen-ist-Pflicht]

The diplomat thus has the same function as a Yuri clone from Red Alert 2. Got it.

[@AndrijGhorbunov]

I would argue whether the move on 1:01 makes the pawn closer to the starting point of the opposing king. It is true geometrically speaking (if you simply measure distance between cell centers with a ruler), but in the metric of the board itself the central field is closer for a pawn to its target than the one on the side: the pawn can reach the destination from the center in 3 moves, but it takes at least 4 moves (5 if you're not allowed to return to the center) from the black field on the side. So, I think it's worth mentioning in the rules that 'closer' should be understood in the purely geometrical sense here.

[@yomyomcam]

Wow, this variation is quite interesting!

[@goatgamer001]

How did you get this nice pieces (like royal horse or diplomat)

[@TripleSGames]

custom made, see description

[@tango_mondo5751]

“The horse has the same movement as the knight” Yeah, they’re the same.

[@djangel3108]

Because in chess cavalry don't exist, the horses just know how to kick the enemy where it hurts to kill them, "sigma horse grindset" is what any knight in chess would tell ya when you ask them how they attack without cavalry.

[@ODISeth]

This actually seems really sick tbh

[@obi-wankeknobi8413]

Now I just need a Wookie to play with ! I've heard they are great sports !

[@thatdudekai0]

It's the same as chess except if you change 90% of the rules

[@minerturtle45]

my favorite part was when the diplomat said "it's subornin' time" and suborned all over those guys. truly one of the chess variants of all time.

[@person2203]

“You may suborn a piece” I like to imagine this like: “Did you know our king gives free sandwiches every day?” Enemy pice: *say no more*

[@ja-vishaara]

"You can't touch me, Rook! One of your Pawns is in the way." "Oh? But look behind you!" *Rook comes barreling around the board*

[@coolcrazedcat2491]

Interessant

[@worldofmusic1058]

Ja, das 'diplomat' macht es sehr interessant.

[@johnchessant3012]

I want an online version of this

[@Dark_Slayer3000]

Any pieces move more crazy then a queen in normal chess, this is insanity xDDDD I need stockfish to tell me what moves are legal and available, can't handle this game haha

[@macjoluther567]

it reminds me of that scene from starwars a new hope where they play some sort of board game with a board like this one

[@waterfox2492]

3:05 a straight line that is everything but straight

[@KelniusTV]

After checking out your channel, and seeing this game, I'm surprised you don't have a video explaining Dejarik (also called "holochess", the holographic chess game played in Star Wars).

[@ordinarytree4678]

I like this variant a lot more than Star Trek chess. I feel it trains better for orbital combat, especially with bishops and rook movement around the rings.

[@gameon2553]

I was wondering why you called it a horse.

[@thenorwegiangamerr]

This means that in circular chess the rook or Bishop can checkmate alone if it’s in the Center of the bord

[@franciscogarrido499]

that is pretty interesting

[@aegisofhonor]

I think the last part of the rules is a bit wrong. I think he meant if the same move is repeated by the same player 3 times in a row as the only move that player can take, then the game is a draw.

[@MrGogoblaster]

Does anyone know if it's possible to play this variant online?

[@earthqx41]

Nice

[@theomelettecuber5458]

Diplomats? Nice!

[@Mr_comical0]

Rooks and pawns are op in the center now

[@jonathanclingan82]

Do you know where I might get pieces to play? The ones that flip to the opposite color.

[@theimperviousfirecracker7934]

Is there such a thing as Hexagonal Chess? Like normal chess except the board grid is made of Hexagons instead of squares? Cuz I feel like some cool things could be done with that.

[@kerbalairforce8802]

Invent it, and see if it works?

[@Bolpat]

I'm not actually good at chess but have a lot of fun playing around. A far easier way to use the diplomat would be: Take regular chess. Replace the two pawns in the middle of each player with a diplomat. A diplomat moves one step diagonally or forward and captures like a pawn. However, a capture replaces the diplomat with the captured piece of the other color, e.g. if a black diplomat captures a white knight, after capture you take the diplomat off the board and put a black knight on its place. This diplomat of course can check the king and capture en passant or be captured en passant.

[@adjacent_dollar]

Where did you get all those chess discs? I want a set of em'

[@Greggorto]

let’s just accept it: Chess, but everything is op.

[@irok1]

And when everything is OP...

[@Greggorto]

@@irok1 ?

[@Immediately_]

@@Greggorto it's a variation on the quote from the Incredibles, "and when everyone is super, no one will be..." To "and when everything is OP, nothing will be."

[@Greggorto]

@@Immediately_ I’m gonna put this as a note for other comments: I have never watched the Incredibles 1

[@alexnobody1]

"Suborn"? You couldn't call it "convert" or "convince" or something?

[@jestercloud8759]

Checkmate sounds so easy now. When its a King and Rook/Bishop vs Lone King, just put the Rook and he Bishop in the center and its a quick game over.

[@cloudedarctrooper]

I swear, everyone else I've ever met says that En Passant isn't a move, and i just have to shake my head at them.

[@FardadisawesomeOfficial]

Please do Tamerlane chess Atomic chess Fog of war chess

[@janw9056]

Why can the knight/horse move to the center when it is standing on the outer ring? Isn't that too far away? Or does the center count as an adjacent field, so the knight moves technically to its left/right?

[@MrKillerMichael]

It gets a little weird how it's worded, but the center "square" is considered diagonally, beside, and immediately forward of every adjacent square. So the knight would move 2 squares twards the center, and 1 square 'into' the center, into acting as if the knight changed directions.

[@mindyourcube7932]

Intresting

[@tobemutationfox7357]

ha typo

[@tobemutationfox7357]

and you fixed it

[@erner_wisal]

@@tobemutationfox7357 so?

[@tobemutationfox7357]

guess he/she wants to first

[@lukatolstov5598]

How to get this font for your unicode chess pieces on chess discs?

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

This is like a smaller version of Byzantine chess without the Queen.

[@sadulasohithshanmukh8045]

Anish should try this

[@LuxisAlukard]

Diplomat is actally the priest that goes "wololo"

[@JannPoo]

I was looking for this comment

[@user-vw1zu2de7x]

Rooks when they reach the center of the board: I can do anything!

[@emred4653]

Looks bizarre but kinda cool

[@timothyheinzl8233]

What are these pieces. I see him use them in every chess video, but cant find them online anywhere

[@kirbomatic1573]

where do you get the circular chess pieces?

[@AidanAndJayden]

If the diplomat/queen is in the center, it can move any square

[@pepe94ish]

Couldn't diplomat chess be played in a normal board? Just keep all normal rules and substitute the queen by the diplomat

[@wainwing8106]

How many videos about chess variants does he have???

[@notoriousyolkhound4600]

the chess modding scene is getting insane

[@MrCheeze]

1:15 This rule doesn't actually seem to be true. ONLY exiting the circle at the top puts the pawn closer to the king than it was before. Exiting to the squares to the side, the way you showed, puts the pawn at the same distance it was already at when it was in the circle.

[@erikpopelmajer4383]

The distance u need to look out for is, to the starting squares of oposing Peaces

[@empty5013]

the whole idea of 'pawns can only move closer to the kings initial position' is hilariously poorly thought out and implemented, this entire chess variant feels kinda stupid in general honestly

[@djangel3108]

​@@empty5013 I honestly think the circular board idea is pretty good and interesting though the pawn movement is indeed very scuffed up, I also saw another variant with a circular board but there bishops were extremely underpowered while rooks were op, meanwhile here they are sorta on the same level just like in regular chess. Plus the concept of the diplomat is very interesting and fun.

[@JannPoo]

It is mandatory to say "wololo" when you suborn pieces with the Diplomat, or it won't work.

[@seaweedisvegetable8465]

diplomat: wololo

[@huhneat1076]

The pawn capture rules are a bit unclear. Let's say you are on space A, and could move to space B, but neighboring space B is space C, with a piece you could capture. From A to B gets closer to the front, but from B to C is further away. Is capturing from A to C a legal move?

[@09jjohns]

Yes. If you look at the diagram drawn when explaining pawn captures, one of the lines does point back towards that player's own starting side. As long as the target piece is adjacent to both your pawn AND to a space that pawn could legally move, it can capture there.

[@Chromes20]

So the holy sword/the rook and bushop is op

[@carealoo744]

KZbin: *Uploaded 8 days ago* Me: Huh... Wait

[@yama123numbercauseytdemand4]

Because it wasn't mentioned, I assume that the diplomat can be hit/taken the same way as any other piece (apart from the king) can. Also, does one win by turning the enemy king against his own people?

[@jacobgleize2623]

The enemy king cannot be suborned. It says that bear the end. I don't know if diplomat is immune. I would hope so as I assume it would priority #1 to kill it otherwise.

[@yama123numbercauseytdemand4]

@@jacobgleize2623 Thank your very much.

[@djangel3108]

​@@jacobgleize2623 well in the video it showed a diplomat getting subourned and he only mentioned that it can't take ounces so I assume the diplomat can be killed or sunburned so you have to decide between taking out the enamy diplomat or risking getting your diplomat close enough to suborn their diplomat so yiu can have 2.

[@echiko4932]

Patiently waiting for shogi chess in which you can summon your enemy's captured pieces on your side.

[@synchrorgen9044]

The pawns just get upgraded

[@rowenagarcia6088]

The rook and diplomat are probably the easiest pieces I can move hehe

[@pangpanggao]

Bishop op when in the center

[@PRIMEVAL543]

POV: you are about to mate but your opponent starts driving his rook in a circle till the clock runs zero

[@AndielUbri6373]

5:09

[@coordinator3039]

Do Ratuki

[@sephalon1]

He never told us the King's movement. It's pretty self-evident, I guess. But he's usually pretty thorough about these things.

[@crowreligion]

Diplomat suborns diplomat = pawn takes queen and promotes to queen in normal chess Its that powerful

[@bearsgeography8330]

Here's how notated: Diplomat: D Conversion: (piece)b-w or (piece)w-b Pawn move: up-one

[@matijas7994]

does the king move?

[@ItemVexReview]

Yes. It moves just like a normal chess king. When it goes into the circle, It can go anywhere in the first inner circle.

[@MaximumBloop]

The diplomat piece would be kinda broken in normal chess ngl. You effectively double the value of every capture it makes at the cost of no queen. This thing could control space with pawns like it's nothing

[@djangel3108]

I heavilly doubt it would be broken, its movement being the same as the king would make it slow AF and just as easy (if not easier) to capture as the king, though if it did get into the range of an enamy piece it could give you an advantage by converting, you likely won't ever convert a rook or bishop to your side, maybe a knight if your lucky, and the dream of a suborned pawn promoting just makes the diplomat's mouth water at the thought although it would probably never happen.

[@daniellaizekemoe1967]

Ah yes, the HORSE.The Knight 2.0 0:18 2:19 3:48

[@subramanianakash5560]

Bring the diplomat near the centre and the bishop to the centre and it's game over for the opponent.

[@mao-janlin6751]

Horse!!!

[@Sailor_Enchantix]

2:13, I think those pieces were just abducted by aliens.

[@hanstheexplorer]

5:18 or “...is repeated five times...”

[@Muho_is_me]

0:18 wasnt it knight?

[@patahgaming]

bishop can change color