Wa Shogi

by Roger Hare, rhare[at]talk21[dot]com

Last modified: 8 September 2003

Roger Hare's Shogi Pages are brought to you by shogi-net-icon  the portal to the wonderful world of Shogi.


Contents


Introduction to Wa Shogi

Wa Shogi is played on an 11x11 board and the promotion zone comprises the three ranks furthest away from each player. It is thought to have been played without drops.

Wa Shogi equipment is available from G Hodges.


The Wa Shogi Board

The board looks like this:

The board is 11 'squares' by 11, but otherwise is the same as a shogi board The circular points are to mark promotion zones and to enable you to visually divide the board up easily. The letters and numbers are for notational purposes - eg: the top right square is a1, the bottom left is k11, and so on. As usual, black plays 'up' the board, and white plays 'down' the board.


The Wa Shogi Pieces

Wa Shogi pieces are all named after birds or animals.

The diagrams below are scanned in (with permission) from the leaflet describing Wa Shogi which is supplied by G F Hodges. The quality of the scanned images leaves something to be desired, but this is unavoidable due to the resolution of the scanner I am using.

In what follows, the moves of the pieces are described as if the piece were `black', ie: playing 'up' the board. To get the move for the white piece, simply rotate all directions (and the piece!) through 180 degrees.
A circle means that the piece can move to the square so marked.
An arrow means the piece may move any number of squares in that direction.
A cross means that the piece may move to that square, jumping other pieces if necessary.

The Moken (Blind Dog)

The moken and its move look like this:

The moken moves one square orthogonally sideways, backwards, or diagonally forward ( ie: n-w, n-e, e, s, w). Initially, each side has one moken. Blacks moken is sited at k10, whites at a2. The moken promotes to Violent Wolf.


The Toen (Climbing Monkey)

The toen and its move look like this:

The toen moves one square orthogonally forwards or backwards, or diagonally forward ( ie: n-w, n, n-e, s). Initially, each side has one toen. Blacks toen is sited at k2, whites at a10. The toen promotes to Violent Stag.


The Unju (Cloud Eagle)

The unju and its move look like this:

The unju moves any number of squares orthogonally forwards or backwards; one square orthogonally sideways or backwards; or one, two or three squares diagonally forwards. Initially, each side has one unju. Blacks unju is sited at j2, whites at b10. The unju does not promote.


The Kakugyoku (Crane-King)

The kakugyoku and its move look like this:

The kakugyoku moves one square in any direction. Each side has one kakugyoku. Blacks kakugyoku is sited at k6, whites at a6. The kakugyoku does not promote.


The Keihi (Flying Cock)

The keihi and its move look like this:

The keihi moves one square orthogonally sideways or diagonally forward (ie: w, n-w, n-e or e). Each side has one keihi. Blacks keihi is sited at k4, whites at k8. The keihi promotes to Raiding Falcon.


The Hiyo (Flying Falcon)

The hiyo and its move look like this:

The hiyo moves any number of squares in a diagonal direction, or one square forward. Each side has one hiyo. Blacks hiyo is sited at j10, whites at b2. The hiyo promotes to Tenacious Falcon.


The Ganhi (Flying Goose)

The ganhi and its move look like this:

The ganhi moves one squareorthogonallly forwards or backwards oe one square diagonally forward (ie: n-w, n, n-e, s). Each side has one ganhi. Blacks ganhi is sited at k8, whites at a4. The ganhi promotes to Swallows Wings.


The Fuba (Liberated Horse)

The fuba and its move look like this:

The fuba moves any number of squares orthogonally forwards or backwards or one or two squares orthogonally backwards. Each side has one fuba. Blacks fuba is sited at k1, whites at a11. The fuba promotes to Heavenly Horse.


The Gisha (Oxcart)

The gisha and its move look like this:

The gisha moves any number of squares orthogonally forwards. Each side has one gisha. Blacks gisha is sited at k11, whites at a1. The gisha promotes to Plodding Ox.


The Soto (Running Rabbit)

The soto and its move look like this:

The soto moves any number of squares orthogonally forwards, or one square diagonally, or one square orthogonally backwards. Each side has one soto. Blacks soto is sited at i4, whites at c8. The soto promotes to Treacherous Fox.


The Jakufu (Sparrow Pawn)

The jakufu and its move look like this:

The jakufu moves one square orthogonally forwards. Each side has eleven jakufu. Blacks jakufu are sited at i1, i2, i3, i5, i6, i7, i9, i10, i11, h4 & h8, whites at c1, c2, c3, c5, c6, c7, c9, c10, c11, d4 & d8. The jakufu promotes to Golden Bird.


The Uko (Strutting Crow)

The uko and its move look like this:

The suko moves one square diagonally backwards, or one square orthogonally forwards (ie: n, s-e, s-w). Each side has one uko. Blacks uko is sited at k9, whites at a3. The uko promotes to Flying Falcon.


The En'u (Swallow's Wings)

The en'u and its move look like this:

The en'u moves one square orthogonally forwards or backwards (ie: n, s), or any number of squares orthogonally sidewayse (ie: w, e) Each side has one en'u. Blacks en'u is sited at j6, whites at b6. The en'u promotes to Gliding Swallow.


The Shiko (Swooping Owl)

The shiko and its move look like this:

The shiko moves one square orthogonally forwards (ie: n), or one square diagonally backwards (ie: s-w, s-e). Each side has one shiko. Blacks shiko is sited at k9, whites at a3. The shiko promotes to Cloud-Eagle.


The Onko (Treacherous Fox)

The onko and its move look like this:

The onko moves one or two square orthogonally forwards or backwards or one or two squares diagonally forwards or backwards. Each side has one onko. Blacks onko is sited at i8, whites at c4. The onko does not promote.


The Moroku (Violent Stag)

The moroku and its move look like this:

The moroku moves one square orthogonally forwards or one square diagonally forwards or backwards (ie: . Each side has one moroku. Blacks moroku is sited at k5, whites at a7. The moroku promotes to Roaming Boar.


The Moro (Violent Wol)

The moro and its move look like this:

The moro moves one square orthogonally forwards, backwards or sideways, or one square diagonally forwards (ie: w, n-w, n, n-e, e, s). Each side has one moro. Blacks moro is sited at k5, whites at a7. The moro promotes to Bear's Eyes.


The following pieces appear only as promotions of the preceding pieces:

The Yugan (Bear's Eyes)

The yugan and its move look like this:

The yugan is a promoted moro. The yugan moves one square in any direction.


The Enko (Gliding Swallow)

The enko and its move look like this:

The enko is a promoted Swallow's Wings. The enko moves any number of squares in an orthogonal direction (ie: a rooks move).


The Kincho (Golden Bird)

The kincho and its move look like this:

The kincho is a promoted Sparrow Pawn. The kincho moves one square orthogonally forwards, backwards or sideways, or one square diagonally forwards (ie: w, n-w, n, n-e, e, s).


The Tenba (Heavenly Horse)

The tenba and its move look like this:

The tenba is a promoted Liberated Horse. The tenba moves two squares orthogonally forwards or backwards followed by one square orthogonally sideways (ie: a knights move).


The Sengyu (Plodding Ox)

The sengyu and its move look like this:

The sengyu is a promoted Oxcart. The sengyu moves one square in any direction.


The Enyo (Raiding Falco)

The enyo and its move look like this:

The enyo is a promoted Flying Cock. The enyo moves one square orthogonally sideways or diagonally forwards or any number of squares orthogonally forwards or backwards.


The Kocho (Roaming Boar)

The kocho and its move look like this:

The kocho is a promoted Violent Stag. The kocho moves one square in any direction except orthogonally backwards.


The Keiyo (Tenacious Falcon)

The keiyo and its move look like this:

The keiyo is a promoted Flying Falcon. The keyio moves any number of squares orthogonally forwards, backwards or diagonally, or one square orthogonally sideways.


The Initial Setup

The diagram below was scanned in (with permission) from the leaflet describing Wa Shogi which is supplied by G F Hodges.

At the start of play, the board is set up like this:

Notation
Wa shogi notation is the same algebraic form as that of shogi.


The Wa Shogi Rules

Wa-shogi rules are the same as for normal Shogi except that drops are not allowed.


Go to: [ Roger Hare's Shogi variants section | Roger Hare's Shogi main page | Shogi.Net main page ]