Many variants of shogi

Shogi

, also known as Japanese chess, is a two-player board game in the same family as Western chess, chaturanga, and Chinese Xiangqi, and is the most popular of a family of chess variants native to Japan...

have been developed over the centuries, ranging from some of the largest chess

Chess

Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...

-type games ever played to some of the smallest. A few of these variants are still regularly played, though none are nearly as popular as shogi itself.

The drop rule, often considered the most notable feature of shogi, is absent from most shogi variants, which therefore play more like other forms of chess, with the board becoming less crowded as pieces are exchanged.

Predecessors of modern shogi

Some form of chess had almost certainly reached Japan by the 9th century, if not earlier, but the earliest surviving Japanese description of the rules of chess dates from the early 12th century, during the Heian period

Heian period

The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...

. Unfortunately, this description does not give enough information to play the game, but this has not stopped people from trying to reconstruct this early form of shogi, which is usually referred to as Heian shogi

Heian shogi

Heian shōgi is a predecessor of modern shogi . Some form of chess almost certainly reached Japan by the 9th century, if not earlier, but the earliest surviving Japanese description of the rules dates from the early 12th century...

 (平安将棋). Piece movements were as in modern shogi, but there was no rook or bishop. The board appears to have been 9×8 or 8×8. The setup is unknown, but can reasonably be assumed to have been the same as in modern shogi (minus the rook and bishop, and minus a gold general in the 8×8 case), but possibly the pawns started on the second rank rather than the third. It can safely be assumed that the game was played without drops.

By the 16th century the game had taken a form closer to the modern game: it was played on a 9×9 board with the same setup as in modern shogi except that an extra piece (a drunken elephant) stood in front of the king. This form of the game is known as sho shogi

Sho shogi

Shō Shōgi is a 16th century form of shogi , and the immediate predecessor of the modern game. It was played on a 9x9 board with the same setup as in modern shogi, except that an extra piece stood in front of the king: A 'drunk elephant' that promoted into what was effectively a second king...

 (小将棋), which means "little shogi". (While 9×9 may not seem 'little', it was smaller than the other shogi variants prevalent at the time.) The drunken elephant was eliminated by the Emperor Go-Nara

Emperor Go-Nara

Emperor Go-Nara was the 105th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from June 9, 1526 until September 27, 1557, at the end of the Sengoku period. His personal name was Tomohito .-Genealogy:He was the second son of Emperor Go-Kashiwabara...

 (reign 1526-1557), and it is assumed that the drop rule was introduced at about the same time, giving rise to shogi as we know it today.

Large-board variants

There are a number of shogi variants played on boards larger than 9×9. These variants are all quite old, and were probably all played without drops. It is thought that the really huge games (dai shogi and up) were never really played to any significant extent and were devised merely so that the creators could have the fun of inventing enormous games, amazing their friends and confounding their enemies. However, the games up to Tenjiku shogi at least appear to be quite playable, assuming one has the time.

The same 12th century document which describes the Heian form of shogi also describes a variant played on a 13×13 board, which is now called Heian dai shogi

Heian dai shogi

Heian dai shogi large chess') is an early large board variant of shogi as it was played in the Heian period. The same 12th century document which describes the Heian form of shogi also describes this variant...

 (平安大将棋). As with the smaller Heian shogi, the rules for this game have not been completely preserved.

The most popular large-board variant is chu shogi

Chu shogi

Chū shōgi is a board game native to Japan. It is similar to modern shogi in its rules and game play. Its name means "mid-sized shogi", from a time when there were three sizes of shogi variants in regular use. Chu shogi seems to have been developed in the early 14th century as a derivative of dai...

 (中将棋), played on a 12×12 board. The name means middle shogi, and the game is sometimes so called in English. Chu shogi has existed since at least the 14th century; there are earlier references, but it's not clear that they refer to the game as we now know it. Chu shogi is best known for a very powerful piece called the lion, which moves like a king but twice per turn. The game was still commonly played in Japan in the early 20th century, but has now largely died out. It has, however, gained some adherents in the West. The main reference work in English is the Middle Shogi Manual by George Hodges.

Other large medieval shogi variants were wa shogi

Wa shogi

Wa shogi is a large board variant of shogi in which all of the pieces are named for animals. It is played either with or without drops.- Game equipment :...

 (11×11, possibly played with drops), dai shogi

Dai shogi

Dai shōgi is a board game native to Japan. It is similar to standard shogi in its rules and game play. Dai shogi is only one of several large board shogi variants. Its name means large shogi, from a time when there were three sizes of shogi games...

 (大将棋, "great shogi", 15×15), tenjiku shogi

Tenjiku shogi

Tenjiku shogi is a large-board variant of shogi . The game dates back to the 15th or 16th century and was based on the earlier chu shogi, which itself was based on dai shogi.- Objective :The objective of the game is to capture the opponent's king and, if present, the crown prince, which counts as...

 (天竺将棋, literally "Indian shogi", but probably meant in the sense of "exotic shogi", 16×16), dai-dai shōgi

Dai dai shogi

Daidai shōgi is a large board variant of shogi . The game dates back to the 15th century and is based on the earlier Dai shogi. Apart from its size, the major difference is in the range of the pieces and the “promotion by capture” rule. It is the smallest board variant to use this rule.-...

 (大大将棋, "great great shogi", 17×17), maka dai-dai shōgi

Maka dai dai shogi

Maka daidai shōgi is a large board variant of shogi . The game dates back to the 15th century and is based on dai dai shogi and the earlier dai shogi. The three Edo-era sources are not congruent in their descriptions of the pieces not found in smaller games...

 (摩訶大大将棋, "ultra great great shogi", 19×19) and tai shogi

Tai shogi

Tai shogi is a large-board variant of shogi . The game dates to the 15th century and is based on earlier largeboard shogi games...

(泰将棋, "grand shogi", 25×25). These variants date back at least to the 17th century. Tai shogi was thought to be the world's largest chess variant

Chess variant

A chess variant is a game related to, derived from or inspired by chess. The difference from chess might include one or more of the following:...

, but recently records of an even larger variant, taikyoku shogi

Taikyoku shogi

Taikyoku shōgi is a large board variant of shogi . The game was created around the mid 16th century and is based on earlier large board shogi games. Before the rediscovery of taikyoku shogi in 1997, tai shogi was believed to be the largest playable chess variant ever...

 (大局将棋, "ultimate shogi", 36×36), was discovered.

The most recent large board variant is kō shōgi

Ko shogi

Kō shōgi is a large-board variant of shogi, or Japanese chess. The game dates back to the turn of the 18th century and is based on xiangqi and go as well as shogi. Credit for its invention has been given to Confucian scholar Ogyū Sorai.- Rules of the game :Unlike standard shogi, pieces may not...

 (廣将棋 or 廣象棋 "wide (elephant) chess", 19×19), which is played on a Go

Go (board game)

Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...

 board and incorporates elements of Chinese chess. Ko shogi is unusual for the interdependence of its pieces and the complex rules of promotion.

Modern variants

These are some of the new and old shogi variants which have been invented. Time will show which if any of the many recently-invented variants stand the test of usage and competition from other games, and stay in use.

Small variants

name	board size	pieces each	when invented	invented by	notes
Bushi Shogihttp://www.kolumbus.fi/geodun/bushi/bushi.htm	1×2	1	2000?	Georg Dunkel	The pieces are cubes, and move only by being rotated and set another face up.
Gufuu Shogihttp://www.kolumbus.fi/geodun/gufuu/gufuu.htm	2×3	2	2000?	Georg Dunkel	The players have a king each, & 2 shared pieces.
Nana shogi Nana shogi Nana shogi is a modern variant of shogi , however it is not Japanese... http://www.kolumbus.fi/geodun/nana/nana3.htm	3×3	3	1998/2001	Georg Dunkel	The pieces are cubes, and each piece's power and moves varies according to which of its 6 sides is up.
Dōbutsu shōgi Dōbutsu shōgi Dōbutsu shōgi is a small shogi variant for young children. It was invented by female professional shogi player Madoka Kitao , partially to attract girls to the game...	3×4	4	recently	Madoka Kitao	Children's game. Dōbutsu shōgi (official site, rules, in Japanese). Also sold as "Let's Catch the Lion!"
Micro shogi	4×5	5	modern, before 1982	Oyama Yasuharu?
Minishogi Minishogi |right|Minishogi board setupMinishogi is a modern variant of shogi . Shigenobu Kusumoto of Osaka, Japan, invented or rediscovered the game c. 1970...	5×5	6	c. 1970	Shigenobu Kusumoto	He actually may have rediscovered it instead of inventing it. Comparatively popular.
Kyoto shogi Kyoto shogi Kyoto shogi is a modern variant of shogi . It was invented by Tamiya Katsuya c. 1976.Kyoto shogi is played like standard shogi, but with a reduced number of pieces on a 5×5 board...	5×5	5	c. 1976	Tamiya Katsuya
Judkins shogi Judkins shogi Judkins shogi is a modern variant of shogi , however it is not Japanese. Credit for its invention has been given to Paul Judkins of Norwich, UK, prior to April 1998.- Game equipment :...	6×6	7	before April 1998	Paul Judkins of Norwich Norwich Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom... , England
Whale shogi Whale shogi Whale Shogi is a modern variant of shogi . It is not, however, Japanese: it was invented by R. Wayne Schmittberger of the United States in 1981...	6×6	12	1981	R. Wayne Schmittberger of USA	All pieces named after cetaceans.
Tori shogi Tori shogi Tori shōgi is a variant of shogi attributed to Ōhashi Sōei in the late 18th century. The game is played on a 7×7 board and uses the drop rule; it's the only Japanese variant to do so...	7×7	16	late 18th century	Ōhashi Sōei	All pieces named after birds. Uses the drop rule. One of the more popular shogi variants
Yari shogi Yari shogi Yari shogi is a modern variant of shogi , however it is not Japanese. It was invented in 1981 by Christian Freeling of the Netherlands...	7×9	14	1981	Christian Freeling Christian Freeling Christian Freeling is a Dutch game designer and inventor of various chess variants, notably Grand chess, invented in 1984.Other game inventions by Freeling include:... , Netherlands
Heian shogi Heian shogi Heian shōgi is a predecessor of modern shogi . Some form of chess almost certainly reached Japan by the 9th century, if not earlier, but the earliest surviving Japanese description of the rules dates from the early 12th century...	8×8 or 9×8	16 or 18	c. 1120 or before		early form of shogi Shogi , also known as Japanese chess, is a two-player board game in the same family as Western chess, chaturanga, and Chinese Xiangqi, and is the most popular of a family of chess variants native to Japan...

Standard-size variants

name	board size	pieces each	when invented	invented by	notes
Sho shogi Sho shogi Shō Shōgi is a 16th century form of shogi , and the immediate predecessor of the modern game. It was played on a 9x9 board with the same setup as in modern shogi, except that an extra piece stood in front of the king: A 'drunk elephant' that promoted into what was effectively a second king...	9×9	21	16th century		Ancestor of modern shogi Shogi , also known as Japanese chess, is a two-player board game in the same family as Western chess, chaturanga, and Chinese Xiangqi, and is the most popular of a family of chess variants native to Japan... .
Cannon shogi Cannon shogi Cannon shogi is a modern variant of shogi . It was invented by Peter Michaelsen in February 1998.- Game equipment :Two players, Black and White , play on a board ruled into a grid of 9 ranks by 9 files...	9×9	20	February 1998	Peter Michaelsen	Shogi plus xiangqi Xiangqi Xiangqi is a two-player Chinese board game in the same family as Western chess, chaturanga, shogi, Indian chess and janggi. The present-day form of Xiangqi originated in China and is therefore commonly called Chinese chess in English. Xiangqi is one of the most popular board games in China... -type cannons.
Hasami shogi Hasami shogi Hasami shogi is a variant of shogi .- Objective :The objective of the game is to capture five or eight of your opponent’s pieces.- Game equipment :...	9×9	9 or 18			Like ludus latrunculorum Ludus latrunculorum Ludus latrunculorum, latrunculi, or simply latrones is a board game played by the ancient Greeks and Romans... . Not much like shogi.
Hand shogi Hand shogi Hand shogi is a variant of shogi , however it is not Japanese. It was invented in early 1997 by John William Brown of Lewisville, AR, USA...	9×9	19 pieces	early 1997	John William Brown, Lewisville, Arizona	Starts with 10 pieces each side in hand.
Annan shogi Annan shogi Annan shogi also called Korean shogi, is a variant of shogi . Annan shogi is a popular shogi variant in Japan.- Gameplay :...	9×9	20			A Korean variation of standard shogi where pieces gain the powers of the pieces behind them. Popular in Japan.
Unashogi Unashogi Unashogi is a variant of shogi , invented in late 1994 by Edward Jackman and based on Unachess by Jeff Miller.-Rules:Same as standard Shogi except:...	9×9	20	1994	Edward Jackman	Starts with all pieces in hand.

Large variants

name	board size	pieces each	when invented	invented by	notes
Okisaki shogi Okisaki shogi Okisaki shogi is a modern variant of shogi . It was developed by Masayuki Nakayachi c. 1996 from suggestions by German chess player Ralph Blockhaus....	10×10	22	c. 1996	Masayuki Nakayachi
Wa shogi Wa shogi Wa shogi is a large board variant of shogi in which all of the pieces are named for animals. It is played either with or without drops.- Game equipment :...	11×11	27			All pieces are named after animals.
Chu shogi Chu shogi Chū shōgi is a board game native to Japan. It is similar to modern shogi in its rules and game play. Its name means "mid-sized shogi", from a time when there were three sizes of shogi variants in regular use. Chu shogi seems to have been developed in the early 14th century as a derivative of dai...	12×12	46	early 14th century?
Heian dai shogi Heian dai shogi Heian dai shogi large chess') is an early large board variant of shogi as it was played in the Heian period. The same 12th century document which describes the Heian form of shogi also describes this variant...	13×13	34	early 14th century
Dai shogi Dai shogi Dai shōgi is a board game native to Japan. It is similar to standard shogi in its rules and game play. Dai shogi is only one of several large board shogi variants. Its name means large shogi, from a time when there were three sizes of shogi games...	15×15	65	about AD 1230
Tenjiku shogi Tenjiku shogi Tenjiku shogi is a large-board variant of shogi . The game dates back to the 15th or 16th century and was based on the earlier chu shogi, which itself was based on dai shogi.- Objective :The objective of the game is to capture the opponent's king and, if present, the crown prince, which counts as...	16×16	76	15th or 16th century
Dai-dai shōgi Dai dai shogi Daidai shōgi is a large board variant of shogi . The game dates back to the 15th century and is based on the earlier Dai shogi. Apart from its size, the major difference is in the range of the pieces and the “promotion by capture” rule. It is the smallest board variant to use this rule.-...	17×17	96	15th or 16th century
Maka-dai-dai shōgi Maka dai dai shogi Maka daidai shōgi is a large board variant of shogi . The game dates back to the 15th century and is based on dai dai shogi and the earlier dai shogi. The three Edo-era sources are not congruent in their descriptions of the pieces not found in smaller games...	19×19	96	|15th century
Kō shōgi Ko shogi Kō shōgi is a large-board variant of shogi, or Japanese chess. The game dates back to the turn of the 18th century and is based on xiangqi and go as well as shogi. Credit for its invention has been given to Confucian scholar Ogyū Sorai.- Rules of the game :Unlike standard shogi, pieces may not...	19×19	90	turn of the 18th century		Based partly on xiangqi Xiangqi Xiangqi is a two-player Chinese board game in the same family as Western chess, chaturanga, shogi, Indian chess and janggi. The present-day form of Xiangqi originated in China and is therefore commonly called Chinese chess in English. Xiangqi is one of the most popular board games in China...  & projectile weapons.
Hishigata shogi	19×19	39	2005 or a bit before	Sean Humby	maka-dai-dai shogi with fewer pieces & different start setup
Tai shogi Tai shogi Tai shogi is a large-board variant of shogi . The game dates to the 15th century and is based on earlier largeboard shogi games...	25×25	177	15th century
Taikyoku shogi Taikyoku shogi Taikyoku shōgi is a large board variant of shogi . The game was created around the mid 16th century and is based on earlier large board shogi games. Before the rediscovery of taikyoku shogi in 1997, tai shogi was believed to be the largest playable chess variant ever...	36×36	209	around the mid 16th century

Three- and four-player variants

name	board size	pieces each	when invented	invented by	notes
Sannin shogi Sannin shogi Sannin shōgi , or in full kokusai sannin shōgi , is a three-person shogi variant invented circa 1930 by Tanigasaki Jisuke and recently revived. It is played on a hexagonal grid of border length 7 with 127 cells. Standard shogi pieces may be used, and the rules for capture, promotion, drops, etc...	7×7×7 hexagonal	18	circa 1930	Tanigasaki Jisuke	three-person shogi
Yonin shogi Yonin shogi Yonin shōgi, , is a four-person variant of shogi . It may be played with a dedicated yonin shogi set or with two sets of standard shogi pieces, and is played on a standard sized shogi board.- Objective :...	9×9	9	1993	Ota Mitsuyasu	four-person shogi

External links

• Shogi Variants Program
• International Chu Shogi Ladder
• Richard's Play-By-EMail Server - supports many shogi variants and chess variants.
• Shogi variants (French)