Shogi: The Fascinating Game of Japanese Chess

Did you know that Shogi, the captivating game of Japanese chess, has its origins in the ancient Indian game known as “Chaturanga”? It’s incredible to think that this game has been played in Japan since the Heian period, which spans over 1000 years!

Discover the World of Shogi

Shogi is played on a board with 81 squares, providing an exciting and challenging arena for players. Each player starts with 20 pieces, including 9 pawns (歩), 2 lances (香車), 2 knights (桂馬), 2 silver generals (銀), 2 gold generals (金), 1 bishop (角), 1 rook (飛車), and 1 king (王). The unique abilities and movements of these pieces create endless possibilities and strategic opportunities.

Setting Up the Game

Alright, let me break it down for you. Check out the picture below to see how the setup looks. It’s pretty similar to Chess in that the pawn is your first line of defense. The row right behind it is set up like this: the rook on the right and the bishop on the left take up the second row, one space in from the edge. Now, the pieces on the row closest to you are set up like this: starting from the corners, you have the lances, followed by knights, and then the silver generals. Right next to the silver generals are the gold generals. Finally, you place the king on the last open square.

So, how do you start?

Here’s what you do: grab 5 pawns and do a little toss onto the board, like you’re rolling dice. Now, count the number of promoted pawns that land facing up. That’s what determines who gets to make the first move. Whoever has the higher number of promoted pawns facing up goes first.

Now, let’s talk about moving your pieces:

Hey there! Let me break it down for you. We have a total of 8 types of pieces, and each one moves in a different way. Here’s the deal: only the knights, or horses, can jump over other pieces.

Now, let’s talk about each piece and how they move:

King (王):

The king can move one square in any direction. And if you capture this piece, guess what? You win the game!

Gold general (金):

The gold general can move one square in any direction, except diagonally backward. It’s got some restrictions, but hey, it’s still a pretty flexible piece.

Silver general (銀):

The silver general has a couple of moves up its sleeve. It can move one square diagonally or one square directly forward. Just keep in mind, it can’t move sideways.

Bishop (角):

The bishop is all about the diagonal. It can move any number of free squares in that direction. Talk about freedom of movement!

Rook (飛車):

The rook is a straight shooter. It can move any number of free squares in the four directions: up, down, left, and right. No diagonals for this piece.

Lance (香車):

Last but not least, we have the lance. It can only move straight ahead, and it can go as far as it wants, as long as nothing is blocking its way.

The lance, a powerful piece in shogi, is limited in its movement. It can only move straight ahead, but can go as far as it wants in that direction. However, it cannot move backwards or sideways.

Now let’s talk about the knight. The knight moves in a unique “L” shape. It can go two squares in one direction and then one more square at a 90-degree angle. Just like the lance, the knight can only move forward.

Next up is the pawn. The pawn is the most basic piece in shogi. It can only move one square directly forward, and again, it can only move in the forward direction.

PROMOTION

Let’s discuss the concept of promotion in shogi. Promotion is not mandatory, but there are three situations where it can occur:

• When a piece enters the opponent’s promotion zone, which is the last three rows
• When a piece moves within the opponent’s promotion zone
• When a piece moves out of the opponent’s promotion zone

Hey there! Did you know that in Shogi, the king and the gold general can’t be promoted? But here’s the cool part – the promoted silver general, knight, lance, and pawn can move just like the gold general! Now, let’s talk about the promoted rook and the promoted bishop.

PROMOTED ROOK AND BISHOP

The promoted rook, also known as the dragon, can move one square diagonally in addition to the usual four orthogonal directions. It’s like having a rook that can also move like a bishop – pretty awesome, right? On the other side, the promoted bishop, or horse, can move one square orthogonally in addition to the usual diagonal movements. So now you can have a bishop that can also move like a rook. Talk about versatility!

CAPTURING

Now, let’s get into capturing. In Shogi, the rules are similar to regular chess. When you move a piece, you can capture your opponent’s piece by taking its place on the board. The captured pieces are held for later use. And here’s the thing – once a promoted piece is captured, it goes back to being an unpromoted piece. So, keep that in mind while strategizing!

DROPS

Now, here’s a cool move in Shogi called “drops.” You can take a captured piece and drop it on any empty square on the board during your turn. Sounds powerful, right? But wait, there’s a rule – you can’t drop a piece in a square where it would give an immediate checkmate. So, choose your drops wisely and surprise your opponent with unexpected moves!

And there you have it! In Shogi, you have these amazing promoted pieces, capturing and dropping strategies to master. So, why not give it a try and have some fun on the battlefield?

The Dilemmas of Dropping in Shogi

When playing Shogi, there are certain rules to consider when dropping pieces onto the board. It’s a delicate balance of options and limitations that one must navigate with care.

1. Legal Moves Only

You must always keep in mind that you cannot drop a piece on a square where it cannot make a legal move. This means that each placement must be strategic and purposeful, ensuring that the piece has a path to follow.

2. Vertical Positioning

Another crucial rule is that you cannot drop a pawn to line up two or more of your pawns vertically. This restriction forces players to think beyond massing their pawns together, in order to maintain a balanced and versatile formation.

3. Avoiding Checkmate Opportunities

Lastly, you need to be aware that you cannot drop a piece on a square where the opponent can checkmate. This requirement adds an extra layer of complexity to the gameplay, prompting players to anticipate and counter the opponent’s potential moves.

Attraction & Tips

Shogi and Chess may share common roots and objectives, but they also have distinct differences. Shogi, with its 8 pieces and 81-square board, offers a heightened level of complexity compared to Chess. Additionally, Shogi allows players to use captured pieces as their own, opening up new strategic possibilities for both offense and defense.

Did you know that in Japan, there is a traditional game called Shogi that is highly respected? It’s a game that has a long history and professional Shogi players are famous and highly admired. You might even see them on TV, as their matches are often live-streamed nationwide. Some of the most well-known players are Yoshiharu Habu and Souta Fujii, who are both Japanese. But there are also female players who are making their mark in the game, and there’s even a foreign female Shogi professional!

One thing to note is that only professional players can participate in the title match. These players are ranked by their skills, which are measured in units called dan. All of the major tournaments in Shogi take place in Japan. Right now, there are eight big titles up for grabs, and the prize money for winning can go up to a whopping 44 million yen, which is around 385,000USD!