Shogi

How to play

Checkmate the opposing king by leaving no legal move or drop that escapes attack; a position occurring four times ends under the repetition rule represented by this profile.

• Each side begins with the standard twenty-piece nine-by-nine Shogi army. Sente moves first, the farthest three ranks form each player's promotion zone, and both captured-piece hands start empty.
• Move pieces by their Shogi patterns while keeping your king safe. An eligible piece may promote when entering, leaving, or moving inside the zone, while pawns and lances must promote on the last rank and knights on the last two. Captured pieces demote into your hand and may be dropped, except for nifu, dead-rank drops, and a pawn drop that gives immediate mate.
• Checkmate the opposing king by leaving no legal move or drop that escapes attack; a position occurring four times ends under the repetition rule represented by this profile.

Strategy tips

• Build a coherent king castle before opening files, exchange pieces only after evaluating how each captured unit strengthens the opponent's hand, and use drops to create paired threats rather than isolated checks.
• Captured pieces change sides and can return anywhere legally, so a seemingly favorable exchange may supply the exact defender or mating drop your opponent needs; unpromoted pawns also cannot share a file.
• Count every checking move and defensive drop in order, remember that promoted minors move like gold generals, and preserve a hand piece that closes the king's final escape square.