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OBJECT:

Checkmate your opponent's King (just like Western Chess). Most of the pieces can optionally promote when they reach the last 3 ranks (final rank in Mini-Shogi). A piece can also promote if it moves within or from the last 3 ranks.

When a piece is captured it is added to the capturer's `reserve`, an army of pieces which can be reintroduced into play on the capturer's side (pieces in reserve are also said to be `in hand`). Pieces are all the same color, and the direction a piece is pointing from indicates which player it belongs to. On any subsequent turn, the capturer may `drop` any captured piece (in its unpromoted state) onto a vacant square on the board, subject to a few rules:

A Pawn may not be placed on a file that already contains a Pawn.
A Pawn may not be dropped with mate.
A Pawn, Knight, or Lance may not be placed on a square from which it will never be able to move.

HISTORY:

Growing slowly in popularity outside of Japan, Shogi, the Japanese form of Chess, is perhaps the most popular board game in Japan, with perhaps a million active players. Some early form of chess was imported into Japan (perhaps from Korea or Thailand), probably between the 10th and 12th centuries. In the 16th century a rule was added (perhaps inspired by the changeable loyalties of mercenaries), allowing captured pieces to be re-used by the capturer, which sets Shogi apart from all other chess-like games. Other larger forms of the game have been recorded (up to the inconceivable 25x25 Tai Shogi), but these have largely died out, except for the 12x12 Chu (Middle) Shogi. The Nihon Shogi Remmei (Japan Shogi Federation), formed in 1927, regulates play, conducts tournaments, and maintains player rankings.

STRATEGY:

Keep the squares in your camp protected to keep your opponent from dropping his pieces there. In particular the squares around your King must be well guarded. Middle game play is heavily influenced by play (and threats to play) from the reserves. Watch for squares (on both sides) vulnerable to drops. A good way to defend against a drop on a particular square is to move or drop a piece to that square yourself. In Shogi, unlike Western Chess, material isn't so important once the Kings are attacked. What is important is initiative or `sente`; many games end in `races` to see which player can mate the opposing king more quickly.

The relative values of the initial pieces may be: Rook - Bishop - Gold/Silver - Lance/Knight - Pawn. Golds are slightly better than Silvers, especially for defense. Lances and Knights are only useful for offense; since they are weak, they want to push forward and promote when possible. Pawns are not worth very much until they approach the promotion zone, but a pawn in hand (i.e. part of the reserve of captured pieces) can be very useful.

The game is widely covered in Japanese books, magazines, and newspapers.

PIECES:

Pawn (Fuhyo):

A Pawn moves a single square forward at a time. It captures forward, just like it moves. When it promotes it moves like a Gold General.

Promoted Pawn (Tokin):

A Tokin moves in the same way a Gold General does, i.e. a single step in any direction except diagonally backwards.

Silver General (Ginsho or `Gin` for short):

A Silver General moves a single step straight ahead or diagonally. When it promotes it moves like a Gold General.

Promoted Silver General (Nari-Gin):

A promoted Silver General moves in the same way a Gold General does, i.e. a single step in any direction except diagonally backwards.

Gold General (Kinsho):

A Gold General moves a single step in any direction except diagonally backwards. It does not promote.

Bishop (Kakugyo or `Kaku` for short):

A Shogi Bishop moves exactly as in chess, i.e. any number of squares on a diagonal. It may not leap over other pieces. When it promotes it gains a single step up, down, left, or right.

Promoted Bishop (Ryuma or `Dragon Horse`):

Moves any number of squares diagonally, or makes a single step orthogonally along a rank or file. It may not leap over other pieces.

Rook (Hisha):

A Shogi Rook moves exactly as in chess, i.e. any number of squares on a rank or a file. It may not leap over other pieces. When it promotes it gains a single step diagonally.

Promoted Rook (Ryu-O or `Dragon King`):

Moves any number of squares orthogonally on a rank or a file, or makes a single step diagonally to an adjacent square. It may not leap over other pieces.

Lance (Kyosha):

A Lance moves any number of squares, but only directly forward. When it promotes it moves like a Gold General.

Promoted Lance (Nari-Kyo):

A promoted Lance moves in the same way a Gold General does, i.e. a single step in any direction except diagonally backwards.

Knight (Keima):

A Shogi Knight hops over pieces as in Western Chess, but it is limited to forward motion: it leaps forward two squares and over one square to the left or right. When it promotes it moves like a Gold General.

Promoted Knight (Nari-Kei):

A promoted Knight moves in the same way a Gold General does, i.e. a single step in any direction except diagonally backwards.

King (Gyokusho):

A Shogi King can take a single step in any direction, just as in Western Chess. It does not promote. The King may not allow itself to move where it can be taken by the opponent. The object of Shogi is to checkmate the enemy King.