Updating to version 1.3, release made by Mike Vanier (mvanier@bbb.caltech.edu).

[gnushogi.git] / doc / xshogi.6

.TH xshogi 6 "Jan 29, 1993" "X Version 11"
.SH NAME
xshogi \- Xt/Athena user interface for gnushogi
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B xshogi [ options ]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.IR xshogi
provides an X11/Xt/Athena Widgets user interface for gnushogi.
With
.IR xshogi
you can play gnushogi,
set up arbitrary positions,
force variations, or watch
.IR xshogi
manage a game between two shogi programs.
Furthermore, it can be used as an interface between two players on
different displays.
.LP
.IR xshogi
can also be used as a shogi board to play out games.
It will read through a game file or allow a player to play 
through a variation manually (force mode).
This is useful for keeping track of email postal games or browsing games
off the net.
.LP
After starting
.IR xshogi ,
you can make moves by pressing mouse button 1
while the cursor is over a square with your piece on it
and dragging the mouse to another square.
If the move is illegal, gnushogi will not allow it.
.IR xshogi
will then retract the move.

.SH RULES
Shogi is a Japanese board game played by two players.
The object of the game is to capture the opponent's King.
Shogi is played on a nine-by-nine board. The vertical rows are called files,
the horizontal ones ranks or just rows. Each player has twenty pieces:
one King, two Gold Generals, two Silver Generals, two kNights,
two Lances, one Rook, one Bishop and nine Pawns.
The player moving up the board and making the first move is referred to as
black and his opponent white, although in Shogi sets all pieces have the
same colour. They are differentiated only in direction: pieces pointing
away from a player are his. The pieces lie flat on the board and have
their Japanese name written on them.

.SS Moves
.TP 8
.B King
one step in any direction per move
.TP 8
.B "Gold General"
one step per move any way except diagonally backward (as a king but not diagonally backward)
.TP 8
.B "Silver General"
one step per move forwards or diagonally (as a king but not sideways or vertically backward)
.TP 8
.B Knight
one step to left or right, and two steps forward (the only piece which may jump over other pieces)
.TP 8
.B Rook
moves vertically or horizontally any distance
.TP 8
.B Bishop
moves diagonally any distance
.TP 8
.B Lance
moves forward any distance
.TP 8
.B Pawn
one step forward

.SS Promotion
The three rows furthest away from a player are called the promotion zone. Apart
from the King and the Gold, any piece can be promoted to a more powerful piece
when it makes a move completely or partly in the promotion zone. So, when a
piece moves into, out of or fully inside the promotion zone it may be promoted
upon completion of its move. Promotion is optional, provided that the piece
still can make a legal move in case it is not promoted: if a Pawn or a Lance
move to the last row, or a Knight moves to either of the last two rows, it must
be promoted. In Shogi sets promoting a piece is done by turning this piece
upside down. Its promoted name is written on its other side.

Apart from the King and the Gold General all pieces can promote.
After promotion their moves are as follows:
.TP 8
.B +
Promoted Silver, promoted kNight, promoted Lance and promoted Pawn all
move as a Gold.
.TP 8
.B +
The promoted Rook in addition to the moves of the unpromoted Rook can
move one step in the diagonal directions. It either moves like a Rook
or like a King.
.TP 8
.B +
The promoted Bishop in addition to the moves of the unpromoted Bishop
can move one step horizontally or vertically. It either moves like a
Bishop or like a King.

.SS Capturing and dropping pieces

When one piece moves onto the same square as an opponent's piece, the
opponent's piece is captured. All pieces capture in the same way that they
move. Captured pieces become part of the capturer's force. In a later move,
instead of moving a piece on the board, a player may put a piece that he
has captured from his opponent back onto the board, in an empty square.
This is called dropping a piece. Pieces are always dropped unpromoted: if
a promoted piece is captured, it reverts to its unpromoted rank.
Pieces may be dropped on any empty square on the board with only three
restrictions:
.TP 8
.B 1)
After dropping a piece it must be able to make a legal move. This applies
to Pawns, Knights or Lances. They may not be dropped onto a square from
which they will never be able to move.
.TP 8
.B 2)
Attacking the King by dropping a Pawn on the square in front of him is not
allowed if the King cannot prevent being captured on the following move.
To use the Chess expression: checkmating the King with a Pawn drop is
prohibited.
.TP 8
.B 3)
A pawn may only be dropped on a file (vertical row) if there is no other
unpromoted pawn of the same player on that file.

.SS Draws

The game of Shogi has very few draws (roughly 1 percent), mainly because of
the possibility to drop pieces. Draws cannot be offered and can arise from
two situations:
.TP 8
.B 1)
A position (including the pieces in hand) occurs 4 times with the same
player to move ("Sennichite"). However, if this is caused by consecutive
checks (direct attacks on the King, threatening to capture it on the next
move) by one side, the player giving these checks loses the game.
.TP 8
.B 2)
Both players have moved their King into the the promotion zone (or they
cannot be prevented to do so) and the Kings cannot be checkmated. In
that case the players may decide to count their pieces where the King does
not count, the Rook and Bishop count as 5 points, and all other pieces as
one point. Promotion is disregarded. If both players have at least 24
points the game is a draw ("Jishogi"). If a player has less, he loses the
game.
.PP
Of course, a player can refuse to count pieces when he still has mating
chances or chances to gain material which would affect the outcome of the
counting. There is no strict rule about what to do if this is not the case,
but nonetheless a player refuses to count up (e.g. because he does not have
enough points for a draw). It has been generally accepted that in such a
case the game ends and the pieces are counted after one player has managed
to get all his pieces protected in the promotion zone.

.SH OPTIONS
The following command line options also correspond to X resources
that you can set in your
.IR \&.Xdefaults
file.
.TP 8
.B standard Xt options
.IR xshogi
accepts standard Xt options like -display, -geometry, and -iconic.
.TP 8
.B -tc or -timeControl minutes[:seconds]
Amount of time for a set of moves determined by
.IR movesPerSession .
If this number of moves is played within the time control period,
.IR xshogi
resets the time clocks.
Default: 5 minutes.
.TP 8
.B -mps or -movesPerSession moves
Number of moves in a time control period.
Default: 40 moves.
.TP 8
.B -st or -searchTime minutes[:seconds]
Tell gnushogi to spend at most the given amount of time searching
for each of its moves.  Without this option, gnushogi chooses
its search time based on the number of moves and amount of time
remaining until the next time control.
Setting this option also sets -clockMode to False.
.TP 8
.B -sd or -searchDepth number
Tell gnushogi to look ahead at most the given number of moves when searching
for a move to make.  Without this option, gnushogi chooses
its search depth based on the number of moves and amount of time
remaining until the next time control.
Setting this option also sets -clockMode to False.
.TP 8
.B -clock or -clockMode "(True | False)"
Determines whether or not to use the clock.
If clockMode is False, the clock does not run, but the
side that is to play next is still highlighted.
.TP 8
.B -td or -timeDelay seconds
Time delay between moves during "Load Game".
This doesn't have to be round numbers.
Try -td 0.4.  Default: 1 second.
.TP 8
.B -nsp or -noShogiProgram "(True | False)"
If this option is True,
.IR xshogi
acts as a passive shogiboard; it does not
try to start a shogi program, not even to check whether
moves made in Force mode are legal.
It also sets -clockMode to False.
Default: False.
.TP 8
.B -fsp or -firstShogiProgram program
Name of first shogi program.
In matches between two machines, this program plays white.
Default: "gnushogi".
.TP 8
.B -ssp or -secondShogiProgram program
Name of second shogi program, if needed.
In matches between two machines, this program plays black; otherwise
it is not started.
Default: "gnushogi".
.TP 8
.B -fh or -firstHost host
Name of host the first shogi program plays on.
Default: "localhost".
.TP 8
.B -sh or -secondHost host
Name of host the second shogi program plays on.
Default: "localhost".
.TP 8
.B -rsh or -remoteShell shell_name
Some systems do not use rsh as the remote shell.
This option allows a user to name the remote shell command.
This should be done in the resource file.
.TP 8
.B -mm or -matchMode "(False | Init | Position | Opening)"
Automatically run a game between
.IR firstShogiProgram
and
.IR secondShogiProgram .
If
.IR matchMode
is set to
.IR Init ,
.IR xshogi
will start the game with the initial shogi position.
If
.IR matchMode
is set to
.IR Position ,
.IR xshogi
will start the game with the position specified by the
.IR loadPositionFile
resource.
If
.IR matchMode
is set to
.IR Opening ,
.IR xshogi
will play out the opening moves specified by the
.IR -loadGameFile
resource.
If the
.IR -saveGameFile 
resource is set, a move record for the match will
be saved in the specified file.
Default: "False".
.TP 8
.B -lgf or -loadGameFile file
Name of file to read a game record from.
Game files are found in the directory named by the SHOGIDIR environment
variable.  If this variable is not set, the current directory is used
unless the file name starts with a /.
.TP 8
.B -lpf or -loadPositionFile file
Name of file to read a game position from.
Position files are found in the directory named by the SHOGIDIR environment
variable.  If this variable is not set, the current directory is used
unless the file name starts with a /.
.TP 8
.B -sgf or -saveGameFile file
Name of file to save a game record to.
Game files are saved in the directory named by the SHOGIDIR environment
variable.  If this variable is not set, the current directory is used
unless the file name starts with a /.
.TP 8
.B -spf or -savePositionFile file
Name of file to save a game position to.
Position files are saved in the directory named by the SHOGIDIR environment
variable.  If this variable is not set, the current directory is used
unless the file name starts with a /.
.TP 8
.B -coords or -showCoords "(True | False)"
If this option is True,
.IR xshogi
displays algebraic coordinates along the board's left and bottom edges.
The default is False.  The
.IR coordFont
resource specifies what font to use.  
.TP 8
.B -mono or -monoMode "(True | False)"
Determines whether
.IR xshogi
displays its pieces and squares with two colors or four.
You shouldn't have to specify monochrome.
.IR xshogi
will determine if this is necessary.
.TP 8
.B -wpc or -blackPieceColor color
Color specification for black pieces
suitable for
.IR XParseColor (3X11).
Default: #FFFFCC.
These colors look good on a DEC workstation.
If you need different colors, try using the
.IR xcolors
application.  Source for
.IR xcolors
can be found in the X11/R4 contrib directory.
.TP 8
.B -bpc or -whitePieceColor color
Same for white pieces.
Default: #202020.
.TP 8
.B -lsc or -lightSquareColor color
Same for light squares.
Default: #C8C365.
.TP 8
.B -dsc or -darkSquareColor color
Same for dark squares.
Default: #77A26D.
.TP 8
.B -wps or -westernPieceSet (True | False)
Choose the Western style piece set.
.TP 8
.B -npb or -normalPawnBitmap file
.PD 0
.TP 8
.B -nnb or -normalKnightBitmap file
.TP 8
.B -nbb or -normalBishopBitmap file
.TP 8
.B -nrb or -normalRookBitmap file
.TP 8
.B -nkb or -normalKingBitmap file
Names of the bitmap files for the bitmap piece icons.
.PD

.PD 0
.TP 8
.B -rpb or -reversePawnBitmap file
.TP 8
.B -rnb or -reverseKnightBitmap file
.TP 8
.B -rbb or -reverseBishopBitmap file
.TP 8
.B -rrb or -reverseRookBitmap file
.TP 8
.B -rkb or -reverseKingBitmap file
Names of the bitmap files for the outline piece icons.
.PD
.TP 8
.B -debug or -debugMode "(True | False)"
Turns on debugging printout.
.SH RESOURCES
.TP 8
.B initString
The actual string that is sent to initialize the shogi program can be
set from .Xdefaults.  It can't be set from the command line because of
syntax problems.  The default value is "new\\nbeep\\nrandom\\neasy\\n".
The "new" and "beep" commands are required.  
You can remove the "random" command if you
like; including it causes gnushogi to randomize its move selection slightly so
that it doesn't play the same moves in every game.  
Even without "random", gnushogi
randomizes its choice of moves from its opening book.
You can also remove "easy" if you like; including it toggles easy mode
.IR off ,
causing gnushogi to think on your time.
That is, if "easy" is included in the initString, gnushogi thinks
on your time; if not, it does not.  (Yes, this does seem backwards, doesn't
it.)
You can also try adding other commands to the initString; see the gnushogi
documentation for details.
.TP 8
.B blackString and whiteString
These resources control what is sent when the Machine Black and Machine White
buttons are selected.  This is mostly for compatibility with obsolete versions
of gnushogi.
.LP
Alternate bitmaps for piece icons can be specified
either by choosing one of the built-in sets or with
the file name resources described above.
There are three built-in sets of piece bitmaps available,
large (the default), medium, or small.
It is easiest to select the set you prefer in the .Xdefaults file:
.sp 1
.br
XShogi*boardSize:   Medium
.LP
The font used for button labels and comments can be changed in 
the .Xdefaults file.  You may want to choose a smaller
font if you are using the small pieces:
.sp 1
.br
XShogi*font:    helvetica_oblique12
.LP
The font used for coordinates (when the
.IR showCoords
option is True) can be set similarly:
.sp 1
.br
XShogi*coordFont:    helvetica_10
.LP
If you are using a grayscale monitor, try setting the colors to:
.sp 1
.br
XShogi*blackPieceColor:     gray100
.br
XShogi*whitePieceColor:     gray0
.br
XShogi*lightSquareColor:    gray60
.br
XShogi*darkSquareColor:     gray40
.SH COMMAND BUTTONS AND KEYS
.TP 8
.B Quit
Quits
.IR xshogi .
Q or q is a keyboard equivalent.
.TP 8
.B Reset
Resets
.IR xshogi
to the beginning of a shogi game.
It also deselects any game or position files.
.TP 8
.B Flip View
inverts the view of the shogi board.
.TP 8
.B Hint
displays a move hint from gnushogi.
.TP 8
.B Load Game
plays a game from a record file.
If no file is specified a popup dialog asks for a filename.
Game files are found in the directory named by the SHOGIDIR environment
variable.  If this variable is not declared then the current directory is used
unless the file name starts with a /.
G or g is a keyboard equivalent.
The game file parser will accept almost any file that contains 
moves in algebraic notation.
If the first line begins with `#', it
is assumed to be a title and is displayed.
Text enclosed in parentheses or square brackets is assumed to be
commentary and is displayed in a pop-up window.
Any other text in the file is ignored.
.TP 8
.B Load Position
sets up a position from a position file.
If no file is specified a popup dialog asks for a filename.
Position files are found in the directory named by the SHOGIDIR environment
variable.  If this variable is not declared then the current directory is used
unless the file name starts with a /.
Position files must be in the format that the Save Position command
writes.
.TP 8
.B Save Game
saves a game to a record file.
If no file is specified a popup dialog asks for a filename.
If the filename exists, the user is asked whether the current game record 
is be appended to this file or if the file should be replaced.
Game files are saved in the directory named by the SHOGIDIR environment
variable.  If this variable is not declared then the current directory is used
unless the file name starts with a /.
Game files are human-readable, and can also be read back by
the Load Game command. Furthermore, they are accepted as gnushogi text bookfiles.
.TP 8
.B Save Position
saves a position to a position file.
If no file is specified a popup dialog asks for a filename.
Position files are saved in the directory named by the SHOGIDIR environment
variable.  If this variable is not declared then the current directory is used
unless the file name starts with a /.
Position files are human-readable, and can also be read back by
the Load Position command.
.TP 8
.B Machine White
forces gnushogi to play white.
.TP 8
.B Machine Black
forces gnushogi to play black.
.TP 8
.B Force Moves
forces a series of moves.  That is, gnushogi stops playing
and xshogi allows you to make moves for both white and black.
.TP 8
.B Two Machines
plays a game between two computer programs.
.TP 8
.B Forward
moves forward through a series of remembered moves.
F or f is a keyboard equivalent.
.TP 8
.B Backward
moves backward through a series of remembered moves.
As a side effect, puts xshogi into Force Moves mode.
B or b is a keyboard equivalent.
.TP 8
.B Pause
pauses the clocks or (in Load Game mode) pauses the game being loaded.
Press Pause again to continue.
P or p is a keyboard equivalent.
.TP 8
.B Edit Position
lets you set up an arbitrary board position.
Use mouse button 1 to drag pieces to new squares, or to
delete a piece by dragging it off the board or dragging an empty square
on top of it.  To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse button 2 or 3
over the square.  This brings up a menu of black pieces (button 2) or white
pieces (button 3).  Additional menu choices let you empty the square or
clear the board.  You can set the side to play next
by clicking on the Black or White indicator at the top of the screen.
.TP 8
.B Challenge
allows to make a two display game between two human players.
Enter the display you want to connect to. If you are allowed to
connect, a new board is displayed at the remote display.
Challenge mode can only be stopped by pressing "quit".
.TP 8
.B Select Level
allows to reset the clocks for both players.
Enter the number of moves and the number of minutes in which the
moves should be done.
.TP 8
.B Move NOW
force computer to stop thinking and to make the current best move.
.TP 8
.B Iconify
I, i, C or c iconifies
.IR xshogi .
.SH SEE ALSO
.IR gnushogi (6)
.SH LIMITATIONS
If you press the Pause button during gnushogi's turn,
.IR xshogi
will stop the clocks,
but gnushogi will still make a move.
.LP
After a mate or draw when playing against gnushogi, if you back up with
the Backward button, the clocks are reset (because 
gnushogi has exited and must
be restarted).
.LP
Some
.IR xshogi
functions may not work with versions of gnushogi earlier 
than 1.1, patchlevel 02. 
.LP
The game parser recognizes only algebraic notation.
.SH AUTHORS
Original authors of XBoard:  Chris Sears and Dan Sears.
.LP
Enhancements for XBoard (Version 2.0):  Tim Mann.
.LP
Conversion to XShogi (Version 1.1):  Matthias Mutz.
.SH COPYRIGHT
XShogi borrows its piece bitmaps from CRANES Shogi.
.LP
Copyright 1991 by Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Massachusetts.
Enhancements Copyright 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
Enhancements Copyright 1993 Matthias Mutz
.LP
The following terms apply to Digital Equipment Corporation's copyright
interest in XBoard:
.LP
.RS
All Rights Reserved
.LP
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its
documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted,
provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that
both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in
supporting documentation, and that the name of Digital not be
used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the
software without specific, written prior permission.
.LP
DIGITAL DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING
ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL
DIGITAL BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR
ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS,
WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION,
ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS
SOFTWARE.
.RE
.LP
The following terms apply to the enhanced version of XShogi distributed
by the Free Software Foundation:
.LP
.RS
This file is part of XSHOGI.
.LP
XSHOGI is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY.  No author or distributor accepts responsibility to anyone for
the consequences of using it or for whether it serves any particular
purpose or works at all, unless he says so in writing.  Refer to the XSHOGI
General Public License for full details.
.LP
Everyone is granted permission to copy, modify and redistribute XSHOGI, but
only under the conditions described in the XSHOGI General Public License. A
copy of this license is supposed to have been given to you along with
XSHOGI so you can know your rights and responsibilities.  It should be in a
file named COPYING.  Among other things, the copyright notice and this
notice must be preserved on all copies.
.RE