Table of Contents

What is Shogi?

Shogi is a two-player strategy game where each player simultaneously protects their king while capturing their opponent's.

Players take turns, moving one piece each turn until check-mate is achieved.

How to Play

Setup

Arrange the board so it looks like this. Take note of the Rook and Bishop positions for each player.

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image/svg+xml玉將2007-07-2213xforeverjagyokushougyokusho玉将shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml金將2007-07-2213xforeverjakinshoukinsho金将shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml銀将2007-07-2213xforeverjaginshouginsho銀将shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml桂馬2007-07-2213xforeverjakeima桂馬shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml香車2007-07-2213xforeverjakyoushakyosha香車shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml角行2007-07-2213xforeverjakakugyoukakugyo角行shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml飛車2007-07-2213xforeverjahisha飛車shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml歩兵2007-07-2213xforeverjpfuhyoufuhyo歩兵shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml飛車2007-07-2213xforeverjahisha飛車shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml角行2007-07-2213xforeverjakakugyoukakugyo角行shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml香車2007-07-2213xforeverjakyoushakyosha香車shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml桂馬2007-07-2213xforeverjakeima桂馬shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml銀将2007-07-2213xforeverjaginshouginsho銀将shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml金將2007-07-2213xforeverjakinshoukinsho金将shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml玉將2007-07-2213xforeverjagyokushougyokusho玉将shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml金將2007-07-2213xforeverjakinshoukinsho金将shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml銀将2007-07-2213xforeverjaginshouginsho銀将shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml桂馬2007-07-2213xforeverjakeima桂馬shougishogi将棋board game
image/svg+xml香車2007-07-2213xforeverjakyoushakyosha香車shougishogi将棋board game
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A B C D E F G H I

Pieces and Movement

Each piece has a unique set of moves. Some pieces, like the Pawn, may move only one tile per turn. Other pieces, like the Bishop, may move multiple tiles per turn.

A tile may only hold one piece and, except for the Knight, pieces may never move through each other.

Should your piece enter the tile of an opponent's piece, you must stop there and capture the opponent's piece.

Bishop
Rook
Pawn
Lance
Knight
Silver General
Gold General
King

Promotion

The furthest three ranks from your starting position is an area called the promotion zone. A piece may promote at the end of the turn when it moves in to, out of, or within the promotion zone.

Promoting changes the move-set available to the peice, and a piece must promote if it has no legal, future moves. An example of this is a Pawn moving the the furthest rank on the board such that it cannot go further. In this case, the Pawn must promote.

All pieces may promote except for the Gold General and King.

Promoted Bishop - Horse
Promoted Rook - Dragon
Promoted Pawn
Promoted Lance
Promoted Knight
Promoted Silver General

Capturing and the Hand

When you capture an opponent's piece, it becomes yours. It is placed in your "hand" and can be returned to the board later.

On any turn, instead of moving a piece, you may "drop" a captured piece onto any empty tile. This makes Shogi very dynamic as the board can change rapidly.

There are rules for drops:

  • Dropped pieces always start unpromoted.
  • You may not drop a piece where it has no future moves (like a Pawn on the last rank).
  • You cannot drop a Pawn into a column that already has another of your unpromoted Pawns.
  • You cannot drop a Pawn to deliver immediate checkmate.

The King and "Check"

If your King is under attack, it is in "check". You must make a move to protect the King immediately.

You can move the King to safety, capture the attacking piece, or block the attack with another piece.

Victory

The goal is to capture the opponent's King. If the King is in check and cannot escape, it is "checkmate" and you win.