Shogi - Play Japanese Chess Online Free
Play Shogi (Japanese chess) online free with full rules, four-difficulty AI opponent, and two-player mode. Drop captured pieces, promote in the zone, checkmate the king. No download required.
Source: GameZipper · Games hosted by GameZipper / PlayKovo
About this game
Play Shogi (Japanese chess) online free with full rules, four-difficulty AI opponent, and two-player mode. Drop captured pieces, promote in the zone, checkmate the king. No download required.
How to play
How do you play Shogi?
Shogi is Japanese chess on a 9x9 board. Each player has 20 pieces. Sente moves first. Pieces move differently by type, and when you capture an enemy piece it joins your hand and can be dropped back onto an empty square later. You win by checkmating the opponent's King.
What are the shogi pieces and how do they move?
There are 8 piece types: King (1 square any direction), Rook (slides orthogonally), Bishop (slides diagonally), Gold General (6 directions), Silver General (5 directions, the forward plus all diagonals), Knight (jumps 2-forward 1-sideways), Lance (slides straight forward), and Pawn (1 square forward). Each side also has a King, two Golds, two Silvers, two Knights, two Lances, one Rook, one Bishop and nine Pawns.
What is the promotion zone in shogi?
The farthest three ranks from your side are the promotion zone. When a piece starts in, ends in, or passes through this zone you may promote it (except Kings and Golds). Promoted pawns, lances, knights and silvers move like a Gold. A promoted rook (Dragon King) gains one-square diagonals; a promoted bishop (Dragon Horse) gains one-square orthogonals. Pawns and lances reaching the last rank must promote, and knights must promote on the last two ranks.
How do drops work in shogi?
When you capture an enemy piece it is demoted and added to your hand. On any turn you may drop a piece from your hand onto an empty square instead of moving. You cannot have two unpromoted pawns on the same file (nifu), you cannot drop a pawn or lance on the last rank or a knight on the last two ranks, and a pawn drop that immediately checkmates is illegal (uchifuzume).
How to play
How do you play Shogi?
Shogi is Japanese chess on a 9x9 board. Each player has 20 pieces. Sente moves first. Pieces move differently by type, and when you capture an enemy piece it joins your hand and can be dropped back onto an empty square later. You win by checkmating the opponent's King.
What are the shogi pieces and how do they move?
There are 8 piece types: King (1 square any direction), Rook (slides orthogonally), Bishop (slides diagonally), Gold General (6 directions), Silver General (5 directions, the forward plus all diagonals), Knight (jumps 2-forward 1-sideways), Lance (slides straight forward), and Pawn (1 square forward). Each side also has a King, two Golds, two Silvers, two Knights, two Lances, one Rook, one Bishop and nine Pawns.
What is the promotion zone in shogi?
The farthest three ranks from your side are the promotion zone. When a piece starts in, ends in, or passes through this zone you may promote it (except Kings and Golds). Promoted pawns, lances, knights and silvers move like a Gold. A promoted rook (Dragon King) gains one-square diagonals; a promoted bishop (Dragon Horse) gains one-square orthogonals. Pawns and lances reaching the last rank must promote, and knights must promote on the last two ranks.
How do drops work in shogi?
When you capture an enemy piece it is demoted and added to your hand. On any turn you may drop a piece from your hand onto an empty square instead of moving. You cannot have two unpromoted pawns on the same file (nifu), you cannot drop a pawn or lance on the last rank or a knight on the last two ranks, and a pawn drop that immediately checkmates is illegal (uchifuzume).
How do you win a game of shogi?
You win by checkmating your opponent's King - putting it under attack with no legal escape. In shogi, if a player has no legal moves at all they lose, even if they are not in check. Draws are extremely rare because captured pieces re-enter play, but the same position repeated four times is a loss for the repeating side.