Dictionary of Diplomat Chess Terms and Concepts

Bare King - King whose army has been entirely captured by its opponent, being the only piece of its side left on the board. When both kings are bared, so that they are the only two pieces on the board, the game is automatically declared a draw.
Bishop - Piece moving any number of unobstructed cells diagonally.
Capture - Eliminate any of your opponent's pieces so that it is taken off the board for the rest of the game. Capturing is compulsory, for it is not always a profitable action. All pieces of this game can capture, except the diplomat.
Cell - Any of the 43 spaces of the board (including the centre) that can be occupied by the pieces of the game. Cells are organised in radii and circular crowns, and named under the letter of the radius and the number of the crown they belong to (for example c2). Cells are coloured to make certain piece movements (such as bishop's) more clear: 21 of them are light-coloured (white), 21 are dark-coloured (black) and then the centre, which is the only neutral, not coloured cell.
Centre - The cell situated in the very centre of the game board, and named with the number 4 and no letter, is called the centre. It is the only cell of the 4th crown, and it is neither light-coloured nor dark-coloured. It can be painted in an alternative colour (gray) or even be "cut off", so that the centre is just a hole in the board. The centre has special properties, since it is considered to be both radially and diagonally adjacent to all the cells in the 3rd crown. All pieces vary their movement when they begin or end in the centre (but always following the logic upon which their movements are based). Generally, the pieces' movement possibilities increase when they are in the centre, although it is also a dangerous position because it is exposed to more attacks.
Check - State of the game when one or more pieces of either side attack their opponent's king. It is not only polite but also obligatory for the players to declare whenever they make a movement putting their opponent's king into check. For a player to relieve a check on its king, three classic ways are listed: moving the king away to a safe cell, capturing (or suborning) the menacing piece or finally moving another piece between the threatening piece and the king (if the attacker is a long-range piece as a bishop or a rook). If none of these alternatives is possible, the situation is called a checkmate and that player loses the game.
Checkmate - Check that cannot be relieved by one player. The game ends automatically and the player whose king is checkmated loses the game.
Circular - Orthogonal movement in which a piece moves in a circumference, always at the same distance from the board centre, and without leaving its present crown.
Crown - Any of the four concentrical circular crowns, named with numbers 1 to 4, consisting of 14 cells each, with the exception of the inner crown, which is formed by one only cell.
Diagonal - A diagonal movement is made through cells that are diagonally adjacent. Two cells are diagonally adjacent if they share one common corner (and no common sides), being of the same colour. The centre is also considered to be diagonally adjacent to all cells in the 3rd crown. In this game, the king and diplomat can move one cell diagonally, and the bishop can move any cells diagonally until it finds an obstacle. Pawns can also capture one step diagonally forward.
Diameter - Optional name given to a pair of opposite radii.
Diplomat - Piece moving like a king, but with the ability to suborn instead of capture. When it suborns an enemy piece, the diplomat remains on its cell.
Draw - The game ends in a draw, or tie, on the appearing of one of the following three situations: one player accepts the other player's proposal to sign a draw, both kings are the only pieces left on the board or one position is repeated for the third time on the board.
Horse - Piece moving two cells radially then one orthogonally, or two orthogonally then one radially, regardless of any intervening piece.
King - Piece moving one cell in any direction (radial, circular or diagonal). It is a royal piece, which means that the game ends when you checkmate your opponent's king. You cannot move any of your pieces in such a way that you leave your king in check. The king is the only piece that cannot be suborned by enemy diplomats.
Long-range Pieces - Pieces that move along paths, so that their movement is obstructed by obstacles. Long-range pieces are rooks and bishops.
Null Movement - Movement after which a piece returns to its starting cell (for example, a rook moving all the 360º way round an empty crown to end in its starting position). In this game, such movements are illegal and cannot be used to relieve stalemate. Suborn by diplomats is not a null movement.
Notation - The method used to record games, so that they can later be re-played and analysed. The notation of most chess variant games is based upon chess notation. The method consists in using letters and numbers to represent both the pieces and the cells. For more information, go to the Notation section of this website.
Obstacle - Intervening piece that is situated on the path of a long-range piece, so that the long-range piece cannot continue moving.
Orthogonal - An orthogonal movement is made through cells that are orthogonally adjacent. Two cells are orthogonally adjacent if they share one common side (and two common corners), being of different colours. The centre is also considered to be orthogonally adjacent to all cells in the 3rd crown. In this game, the king and diplomat can move one cell orthogonally, and the rook can move any cells orthogonally until it finds an obstacle. Pawns can also move one step orthogonally forward.
Pawn - Piece moving one step orthogonally forward and capturing one step diagonally forward. Pawns are the most numerous pieces, the weakest, and the only ones with the ability to promote.
Pinned - A piece is said to be pinned when it is the only obstacle between an enemy long-range piece and its king. Such pieces cannot be moved until they cease to be pinned.
Promotion - Pawns promote when they reach the starting cells of the enemy's non-pawn pieces. This means that they are taken off the board and replaced by any of the other (and more powerful) non-royal pieces (bishop, rook, horse or diplomat).
Radial - Orthogonal movement in which a piece moves in a straight line, within a pair of opposite radii (for example d and k) and without leaving them.
Radius - (plural Radii) Any of the fourteen circular sections, named with letters from a to n and formed by 3 cells each.
Rook - Piece moving any number of unobstructed cells orthogonally.
Sacrifice - Movement in which we let one of our pieces be captured, expecting to obtain later a material or positional advantage which makes worth such a loss (for example, letting a pawn be captured in order to capture an enemy rook).
Stalemate - State of the game in which a player has no legal movements left (for example, his king is not in check but any movements that he could make would leave his king in check). In this game, the stalemated player loses the game. Null movements (such as that of a rook moving all the way round one empty crown until it comes to its starting position) are illegal and cannot be used to escape from a stalemate.
Suborn - Corrupt an enemy piece so that it is induced to leave its side and join the corrupting piece's side. The only piece in this game with the ability to suborn enemy pieces is the diplomat, although it cannot corrupt the enemy king. Suborn is considered to be more profitable than capture, since it makes your side win over a new piece.
Territory - Radii a to g are the white player's territory, whereas radii h to n are the black player's territory. When in their own territory, pawns can move towards the centre of the board - when in enemy territory they can move outwards from the centre.
Three-Time Repetition - When one position is repeated on the board by the third consecutive time, the game is automatically declared a draw.

 

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