Shogi

is also known as Japanese chess. It is a two-player board game in the same family as International chess, and Chinese Xiangqi. Shogi is the most popular of a family of chess variants, and is native to Japan. Shōgi means general's (shō) boardgame (gi). In early years, however, shogi was written 象棋 (the same as Xiangqi, "elephant chess"). Each player starts with 20 pieces in the beginning of the game.

A game of shogi (Fortress opening)
Genre(s)	Board game Abstract strategy game Mind sport
Players	2
Setup time	< 2 minutes
Playing time	30 mins. to 2 hours (typically)
Random chance	None
Random chance	None
Skill(s) required	Strategy, tactics
Synonym(s)	Japanese chess Game of Generals

The earliest predecessors of the game, chaturanga, originated in India in the 6th century AD, and spread from China to Japan, where it spawned a number of variants. Shogi in its present form was played as early as the 16th century, while a direct ancestor without the "drop rule" was recorded from 1210 in a historical document Nichūreki, which is an edited copy of Shōchūreki and Kaichūreki from the late Heian period (~1120).

According to ChessVariants.com, "Perhaps the enduring popularity of Shogi can be attributed to its 'drop rule'; it was the first chess variant wherein captured pieces could be returned to the board to be used as one's own. This has the consequence that few games are drawn, which is a weakness of international chess. David Pritchard credits the drop rule to the practice of 16th century mercenaries (ronin) who switched loyalties when captured—no doubt as an alternative to execution".

Pieces

• King

• Gold General

• Silver General

• Knight

• Lance

• Rook

• Bishop

• Pawn

Normal Pieces

• King: Moves 1 square in any direction
• Gold General: Moves 1 square in any direction except diagonally backwards
• Silver General: Moves 1 square diagonally in any direction plus 1 square forward
• Knight: Moves 2 square forward then 1 square to the side (left or right), it can also jump over other pieces
• Lance: Moves any number of squares forwards
• Rook: Moves any number of squares orthogonally
• Bishop: Moves any number of squares diagonally
• Pawn: Moves 1 square forward

Promoted Pieces

• Promoted Silver General, Knight, Lance, Pawn: Moves as a Gold General
• Promoted Rook: Moves the same as the demoted Rook, but it can move 1 square diagonally in any direction
• Promoted Bishop: Moves the same as the demoted Bishop, but it can move 1 square orthogonally in any direction

Famous players

• Hiroe Nakai, Ichiyo Shimizu, Kana Satomi - One of the strongest women shogi players in Japan

Shogi Media

• 

  A traditional shōgi ban (shogi board) displaying a set of koma (pieces). The pieces on the far side are turned to show their promoted values. The stands on either side are komadai used to hold captured pieces. The board itself is raised for the comfort of players seated on tatami mats (background), and is hollowed underneath to produce a pleasing sound when the pieces are moved.

• 

  Closeup of shogi pieces. Top: +R, R, K (reigning), K (challenging), B, +B. Bottom: +L, L, +S, S, G, N, +N, P, +P

• 

  Another popular style of shogi pieces different from the usual Japanese characters. Shows a 7-move tsumeshogi problem. White has pawns on 13, 24, 34; king on 23; and a promoted rook on 29. Black has a bishop on 44, a pawn on 17, a lance on 19, and a rook, two golds, and a silver in hand.

• 

  Pieces in the most simplified typeface

• 

  An example set of "international" pieces. In this set, those pieces that do not have their equivalents in chess have symbols that iconically show their movement (e.g. the silver general's crown and ribbons point towards its possible directions of movement).

• 

  Shogi starting setup; Black (at bottom) moves first.

• 

  Deciding who goes first: Furigoma

• 

  Shogiking

• 

  Shogibishop

• 

  Shogisilver

• People arranging large shogi pieces in Shimbashi, 2018

Related pages

• History of chess
• Xiangqi
• Chess