against a human (or computer) opponent. This file describes how to use
GNU shogi and also gives background information about the game of shogi.
+In 1994, GNU Shogi 1.2p02, then developed by Matthias Mutz, played in
+the 5th Computer Shogi Championship, and finished 17th out of 22
+opponents.
+
This file describes GNU Shogi version 1.4.1, but most of it was
written for version 1.3.2 by Mike Vanier
@email{mvanier@@cs.caltech.edu}, maintainer of GNU shogi at that time.
@enumerate
@item
+@uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/xboard/, XBoard/Winboard}, a GUI for
+much more than Shogi, part of the GNU Project. While XBoard has been
+supporting Shogi for a long time, current version only makes it easy
+to use a Chessified western-looking set of pieces; upcoming version
+XBoard 4.8 will allow easy usage of traditional japanese pieces.
+Supported by GNU Shogi since version 1.5.0 only: 1.4.x and earlier
+versions cannot talk to it.
+
+@item
@uref{http://repo.or.cz/w/tagua/yd.git, Tagua}, a KDE-based GUI for
Chess and Shogi. Developement stopped several years ago, and it is
still somewhat maintained at Debian. Probably the most sophisticated
to have stalled.
@item
-@uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/xboard/, XBoard/Winboard}, a GUI for
-much more than Shogi, part of the GNU Project. Patches for GNU Shogi
-to support it are being integrated into the developement version,
-1.4.x and earlier versions cannot talk to it.
-
-@item
-@uref{http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnushogi/, XShogi}, an X-Window graphical
+@uref{http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnushogi/, XShogi}, an X Window graphical
interface to gnushogi, forked off GNU XBoard years ago, and far from
today's UI standards. It has barely been maintained recently, while
-XBoard has grown much and is able to play Shogi, and will be soon
-retired.
+XBoard has grown much and is able to play Shogi; XShogi is now
+deprecated and will soon be retired.
The GNU Shogi distribution used to contain the 'xshogi' program, In
future versions, GNU Shogi will be able to use XBoard as a GUI and
-XShogi will be retired. XShogi is still available as a separate
-source archive on the GNU project FTP server.
+XShogi will be retired, replaced by XBoard. XShogi is still available
+as a separate source archive on the GNU project FTP server.
@end enumerate
denoted by the ``x'' symbol e.g. Rx3f and drops are denoted by the ``*''
symbol e.g. R*3f. Check is indicated by a ``+'' after the move,
e.g. R3f+. I recommend you use a graphical interface to play along with this
-game. In xshogi simply hit the ``Force Moves'' button after starting
+game. In XBoard or XShogi simply hit the ``Force Moves'' button after starting
up, while in gnushogi enter the word ``force'' at the prompt. This will
allow you to enter moves for both sides.
binbook data. If the binbook file is writable a new combined binbook
file is written.
-Gnushogi is a modified version of the gnuchess program. It has a simple
-alphanumeric board display, or it can be used with the xshogi program
-under X windows. The program gets its opening moves from the file
-gnushogi.bbk which is located in a directory specified in the Makefile.
-To invoke the program type:
+Gnushogi is a modified version of the gnuchess program. It has a
+simple alphanumeric board display, or it can be used with a graphical
+interface like XBoard under X Window, or Winboard under Windows. The
+program gets its opening moves from the file gnushogi.bbk which is
+located in a directory specified in the Makefile. To invoke the
+program type:
@table @samp
simple curses based version
@item gnushogi -X (or just gnushogi)
-xshogi compatible version
+XBoard/XShogi compatible version
@item gnushogi -R
raw test display version
Use value as the evaluation window xwndw.
@item -X
-Use xshogi display mode (the default).
+Use XBoard/XShogi display mode (the default).
@end table
first the go command must be given.
@item xget
-read an xshogi position file.
+read an XShogi position file.
@item xsave
-save as an xshogi position file.
+save as an XShogi position file.
@item xwndw
change X window. The window around alpha/beta used to determine whether
the position should be scored or just estimated. Note: this has
-@emph{nothing} to do with xshogi or X windows; the terms are completely
-separate.
+@emph{nothing} to do with XBoard, XShogi or X Window; the terms are
+completely separate.
@end table