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+<TITLE>GNU Shogi manual: About shogi</TITLE>
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-<H3><A NAME="SEC8">The moves of the pieces</A></H3>
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+<HR SIZE=1>
+<H1> 2. About the game of shogi </H1>
+<!--docid::SEC5::-->
+
<P>
-<A NAME="IDX5"></A>
-
+<BLOCKQUOTE>
+"Japanese chess cedes nothing in depth or beauty to the European
+game... it is at least as interesting."
<P>
-Each player at the beginning of a shogi game has a total of 20 pieces of
-eight different types. The moves of the shogi pieces can be divided
-into three classes: "stepping" pieces, that only move one square at a
-time; "ranging" pieces that move any number of unobstructed squares in
-a line, and "jumping" pieces that can jump over obstructing pieces to
-reach their destination squares. Most pieces can also promote to
-different (usually stronger) pieces under certain circumstances (see the
-next section). All pieces capture the same way that they move (even
-pawns). The piece moves and promotions are as follows; each piece name
-is followed by the standard piece abbreviation:
-
+--- Alexander Alekhine <BR>
+(quoted in David Pritchard, <CITE>The Encyclopedia of Chess Variants</CITE>)
+</P><P>
-<OL>
-
-<LI>
+"... shogi [is] by far the most complex form of chess that has ever
+achieved widespread popularity."
+</P><P>
-The king (K). The king can move one square in any horizontal, vertical,
-or diagonal direction, just like the king in international chess. The
-king does not promote.
-
-<LI>
+--- R. Wayne Schmittberger, <CITE>New Rules for Classic Games</CITE>
+</BLOCKQUOTE>
+<P>
-The rook (R). The rook can move any number of squares in a horizontal
-or vertical direction. The rook is the same as the rook in
-international chess (except that it can promote). A rook promotes to a
-"dragon king" or "dragon" for short (often just referred to as a
-"promoted rook"), which can move as a rook or can move one square in
-any diagonal direction.
+Shogi is the version of chess played in Japan. It is strikingly
+different from standard chess (which I shall refer to henceforth as
+"international chess") and also to all other regional variants,
+because captured pieces can re-enter play on the side of the capturer.
+This has several interesting effects on the play of the game:
+</P><P>
+<OL>
<LI>
-
-The bishop (B). The bishop can move any number of squares in a diagonal
-direction. The bishop is the same as the bishop in international chess
-(except that it can promote). A bishop promotes to a "dragon horse"
-or "horse" for short (often just referred to as a "promoted
-bishop"), which can move as a bishop or can move one square in any
-horizontal or vertical direction. Note: the horse should not be
-confused with a knight (see below), as they are two completely different
-pieces.
+Shogi is much more complex than international chess, at least in
+terms of the average number of possible moves per turn (estimated at
+about 35 for chess and at about 80 for shogi).
+<P>
<LI>
-
-The gold general (G). A gold general can move one square in any
-horizontal or vertical direction, or one square in a forward diagonal
-direction. Gold generals do not promote.
+There are almost no draws (about 1-2% of all games in professional play).
+<P>
<LI>
-
-The silver general (S). A silver general can move one square in any
-diagonal direction, or one square straight forward. A silver general
-promotes to a gold general.
+Exchanges complicate the play rather than simplifying it.
+<P>
<LI>
-
-The knight (N). A knight can move one square straight forward followed
-by one square to either forward diagonal, jumping over intervening
-pieces if any. In other words, a knight moves like its international
-chess counterpart, but forward only. A knight promotes to a gold
-general. The knight is the only jumping piece, as in chess.
+There are no "endgames" in the standard chess sense; all pieces remain
+in play throughout the game. Games typically end in a race to
+checkmate the other player before being checkmated oneself.
+<P>
<LI>
-
-The lance (L). A lance can move any number of squares straight forward.
-A lance promotes to a gold general.
+Ownership of a piece is not indicated by the color of the piece;
+instead, pieces are wedge-shaped and point towards the opponent. The
+name of the piece is inscribed in Kanji characters on the front of the
+piece.
+<P>
<LI>
-
-The pawn (P). A pawn can move one square straight forward. The pawn
-captures the same way that it moves, in contrast to international chess.
-There is also no initial two-space move for pawns and no
-<EM>en-passant</EM> capture. A pawn promotes to a gold general; a
-promoted pawn is usually known as a "Tokin".
+Most importantly: it's more fun than other forms of chess :-)
+<P>
</OL>
+<P>
+
+Shogi is extremely popular in Japan; it has been estimated that 20
+million Japanese can play shogi, of which perhaps 1 million are active
+players. It is even more popular there than the game of go, Japan's
+other favorite board game. There are a number of professional players
+who make a considerable amount of money playing in shogi tournaments,
+and the game receives extensive newpaper and television coverage.
+Despite this, the game has yet to become popular outside of Japan. Part
+of this is because the Kanji characters on the pieces scare away some
+people, but mostly it's due, I think, to lack of exposure to the game
+and to the difficulty of finding opponents. I hope that GNU shogi will
+help introduce shogi to a wider audience.
+</P><P>
+
+<BLOCKQUOTE><TABLE BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0>
+<TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="TOP"><A HREF="gnushogi_6.html#SEC6">2.1 The rules of shogi</A></TD><TD> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="TOP"></TD></TR>
+<TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="TOP"><A HREF="gnushogi_15.html#SEC15">2.2 Sample game</A></TD><TD> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="TOP"></TD></TR>
+<TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="TOP"><A HREF="gnushogi_16.html#SEC16">2.3 Mating problems</A></TD><TD> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="TOP"></TD></TR>
+<TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="TOP"><A HREF="gnushogi_17.html#SEC17">2.4 Shogi variants</A></TD><TD> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="TOP"></TD></TR>
+<TR><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="TOP"><A HREF="gnushogi_18.html#SEC18">2.5 Differences between shogi and chess</A></TD><TD> </TD><TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="TOP"></TD></TR>
+</TABLE></BLOCKQUOTE>
+<P>
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