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Alternate Names
Shyogi (将棋) or Japanese Chess, is also spelled differently as Shogi. Shyogi also has an appropriate nickname, The Generals' Game.
No. of Players
Two
Equipment
The Shyogi board is an uncheckered 9x9 square grid and the pieces are played inside the cells. Each player starts with twenty pieces: one king, two gold generals, two silver generals, two knights, two lances, one rook, one bishop, and nine pawns. The two player's pieces are indistinguishable off of the board, are all the same color and are not marked differently. They are distinguished solely by the way they are facing on the board. For clarity in written descriptions, however, the player facing up the board usually known as Black and his opponent White.
Piece
Japanese Name
ōshō
gyokushō
kinshō
ginshō
keima
kyōsha or yari
kakugyō
hisha
fuhyō or fu
Translation
King General
Jeweled General
Gold General
Silver General
Cassia Horse
Incense Chariot
Angle Mover
Flying Chariot
Foot Soldier
English Name
King
King
Gold General
Silver General
Knight
Lance
Bishop
Rook
Pawn
History
It is traditionally understood that Shyogi came to Japan by way of the Chinese Chess, or Xiang Qi, sometime in the 10th to 12th centuries CE.
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Objective
Shyogi, like many forms of Chess is won by checkmating the opponent. The possibility of dropping captured pieces means that draws are very rare.
Play
The board is setup as shown above and black (the player facing up the board) makes the first move.
Movement
The movements of the eight different kinds of unpromoted pieces are illustrated below. The red dots mark the cells where the piece can move if no other pieces (including one's own) are obstructing its route. The keima (horse), however, can jump over intervening pieces. All pieces capture by replacement.
The ōshō (King) moves exactly as the King in Orthochess. That is, one step in any diagonal or orthogonal direction at a time. Castling is not allowed in Shyogi.
The kinshō (Gold General) moves one square orthogonally, or one square diagonally forward, giving it six possible destinations. It cannot move diagonally backwards.
The ginshō (Silver General) moves one square diagonally, or one square straight forward, giving it five possible destinations.
The keima (Knight) jumps one step forward and then one step diagonally forward. It is, in effect, a highly limited Orthochess Knight. Like its counterpart, it may jump over intervening friendly or opposing pieces but only captures on the cell at the end of its move.
The kyōsha or yari moves orthogonally forward only. It may not move backwards (except after it promotes, see below).
The fuhyō moves and captures one step forward at a time. It does not have the diagonal capture move or the initial double move of the pawn from Orthochess.
The kakugyō moves diagonally forward and backward any unimpeded distance, exactly as its counterpart, the Bishop, in Orthochess.
The hisha moves any unimpeded distance in any orthogonal direction, exactly as its counterpart, the Rook, in Orthochess.
There is no castling or en passant captures in Shyogi.
Promotion
All pieces except for the king and the gold general are allowed to promote in Shyogi by reaching the other end of the board. Upon promotion, pieces are flipped over to show their promoted side.
Drops
Strategy
Variations
Kyoto Shogi is played on a 5x5 square grid.
Tsui Shogi (Intermediate Japanese Chess) is a form of Japanese Great Chess, played on the cells of a 12x12 square grid. It was being played until the 18th century, but gradually died in response to the popularity of the smaller form.
Dai Shogi
Dai Dai Shogi
Maka Dai Dai Shogi
Sources
Gollon, John. Chess Variations: Ancient, Regional, and Modern. Charles E. Tuttle Co.: Publishers, 1968.
Pritchard, D.B. The Classified Encyclopedia of Chess Variants. Completed, edited, and published by John Beasley, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9555168-0-1
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