Shogi
Japanese chess with a unique drop rule.
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Shogi is a chess-like game where captured pieces become "pieces in hand" that can be dropped back onto the board on a later turn.[1] Modern shogi has a game tree complexity estimated at about 10^226, and draws occur in only 2–3% of professional games.[1]
Making and release
Shogi in its present form was played as early as the 15th century, with a direct ancestor without the drop rule recorded from 1210.[2] Pairs of dots mark the players' promotion zones.[3] A furigoma, or "piece toss" using five pawns, decides who moves first.[4] If more promoted pawns (tokin) face up, the tossing player plays second (gote).[4]
Opponents sit on opposite sides of a board that has 9 horizontal rows and 9 vertical columns, creating 81 squares.[3] The board's shape is typically a rectangle, and its squares lack any distinguishing marks or colors.[3] A move that puts the opponent's king at risk of capture on the next turn is termed giving check.[5] When a king is in check, the player must eliminate that threat by shifting the king, taking the attacking piece, or putting another piece between them.[5]
In formal tournament play, it is not customary to call out check verbally.[6]
What the cited sources add
The Shogi Terms list by Reijer Grimbergen, submitted on 1 February 1993, defines furigoma as the tossing of usually five pawns to decide black and white.[7] That article notes the draw rate in chess generally holds steady around 50% and increases only very slowly.[8]
References
- Wikipedia, "Shogi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Shogi: Japanese Chess", The Chess Variant Pages; "Shogi history & the variants", 1980, p. 9–13; "Computer Chinese Chess", International Computer Games Association Journal, March 2004, p. 3–18; Hosking (1997), p. 26; Shogi in the Limelight, The Japan Foundation Newsletter, VOL. XXVI/NOS. 5–6 APRIL 1999; Sonas, "Sonas: what exactly is the problem?", en.chesbase.com, September 6, 2011; Kaufman 2021, pp. 91–101 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Shogi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Shogi". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2002. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Shogi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Fairbairn, John (1985), Shogi, in The Book of Games. New York, USA: Exeter Books . (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Shogi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Grimbergen, "Shogi Terms", www.shogi.net (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Shogi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Hansoku ni Tsuite 3. ōtehōchi", 日本将棋連盟 (Japan Shogi Association) (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Shogi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Shōgi no Ruru ni Kansuru Goshitsumon — Q: Taikyokuchū ni Ōte wo Kaketara, "Ōte wo Kaketa noni, 'Ōte' to Hasseishinai no wa Hansoku da" to Iwaremashita. Sonoyō na Kitei wa Aru no Deshōka.", 日本将棋連盟 (Japan Shogi Associatio; "【将棋のルール】対局時のマナーについて ゼロから始める将棋研究所", shogi-joutatsu.com, 2018-09-26; "将棋入門～将棋のルールまとめ～", 将棋講座.com, 2017 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Grimbergen, "Shogi Terms", www.shogi.net. facts only, no text reused. shogi.net
- Sonas, "Sonas: what exactly is the problem?", en.chesbase.com, September 6, 2011. facts only, no text reused. en.chessbase.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Shogi (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Shogi (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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