SHORT DESCRIPTION:
Shogi is played on the cells of a 9x9 board (shogi-ban). The 3 first raws form the player's camp and the last 3 raws represent his promotion zone. The cells are slightly rectangular - longer than wider - and small points help to visualize the promotion zones.
Each player has 20 men. The pieces are flat and wedge-shaped and are not distinguished by color. Ownership of the pieces is indicated by the direction in which they face, with a player’s pieces always pointing towards the opponent. South (arbitrarily designed as "Black") is named Sente and plays first. North (or "White") is named Gote.
The pieces bear their name with two black ideograms. On the reverse side, they also have the name - in red or in black - of their promoted form (except the King and the Gold General who do not promote). The pieces are the following:
Promotion and drop are the essence of Shogi. Those rules are:
*Promotion: a piece can be promoted at the end of a move finishing or starting in the promotion zone (the last 3 raws of the player). Then, the piece is flipped upside down. The promotion is compulsory for any Soldier, Lance on the last row and for any Knight on the 2 last raws.
*Drops: a captured piece belongs to the capturing player. Then, the new owner will be able to drop it again on the board, pointing towards its former camp! Drops count as a move.
*A promoted piece loses his promotion when captured.
*It is possible to drop a piece into the promotion zone. Then, that piece must accomplish at least one move before being promoted.
*A Soldier can not be dropped on a column where there is another friendly Soldier (not promoted) already. A Soldier can not be dropped to mate, but it can be dropped to check.
*It is forbidden to drop a piece where it could not move (this applies to Soldier, Lance and Knight on the last rows).
No comments:
Post a Comment