From: Pieter Stouten EMBL BITNET> Date: 4 jul 1990 Subject: List of Shogi literature in English. S H O G I B O O K S L I S T ============================= This is the list of ENGLISH Shogi literature. There are a few smaller issues to be added, but the list below already contains the most relevant information. This time I distribute it for once over all subscribers to SHOGI-L. In the future I will simply replace the file SHOGI BOOKS in the SHOGI-L archive and inform you of the update. Books 1 - 3 are beginners' books. I would recommend book 2 "Shogi for Beginners". It contains alll information for beginning Shogi players and also provides information to the slightly advanced ones. Books 4 and 5 are bilingual Shogi books, written by Aono Teruichi (7-dan pro at that time) and translated by John Fairbairn. Next to the diagrams text is written in Japanese. Below the diagrams the English translation is given. These two books are a must for every western Shogi enthousiast. Magazines 6 and 7 are English Shogi magazines. I have never seen an issue of "Shogi World" (#6). I tried to subscribe but have not heard any- thing yet. "Shogi" (#7) was published for 12 years and contains lots of useful information, but admittedly also a substantial amount of less relevant material. Clearly, the publisher wanted to satisfy a wide audience. Considering the fact that there is not a lot of English literature, this magazine served a very useful purpose. My advice to western Shogi fans would be to buy the whole lot. Books 8 - 10 are more general books on games. Book 8 is about writing programs that play games. Book 9 covers several games in rather great detail, gives some hints for playing and provides sample games. Book 10 contains many, many different games, does not deal with them in great detail, but provides a historical perspective and lost of references. Needless to say that books 8 - 10 all deal with Shogi. Pieter Stouten embl bitnet> 19-th June 1990. Updated 4-th July 1990. Will be updated again later ... --- 1. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "How to Play Shogi", by John Fairbairn, 1979. Published by: The Shogi Association, P.O. Box 77, Bromley, Kent, England. Available from: George F. Hodges, P.O. Box 77, Bromley, Kent BR1 2WT, England, Tel. (44) 81 - 468 7050, Fax (44) 81 - 295 1550. # 1.50. Booklet. English. --- 2. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Shogi for Beginners", by John Fairbairn, 1983. Published by: The Ishi Press, Inc., CPO Box 2126, Japan. Available from: George Hodges, for address see book 1. Might also be available from: Ishi Press International, 1400 Shoreline Boulevard, Building A7, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Superb book for beginners. English. --- 3. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Shogi - Japan's Game of Strategy", by Trevor Leggett, 1966. Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc. Rutland, Vermont, USA & Tokyo, Japan. $3.50 in 1971. Hard cover. English. Does have some good examples for moves and a few Shogi problems. Uncertain if it's still in print. --- 4. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Guide to Shogi Openings", by Aono Teruichi (7-dan pro), 1983. Sankaido Ltd., 5-18 Hongo 5 chome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. % 850. Book. Bilingual: English and Japanes. --- 5. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Better moves for better Shogi (The NHK Shogi Lectures)", by Aono Teruichi (7-dan pro), 1983. Sankaido Ltd., 5-18 Hongo 5 chome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. % 2500. Book. Bilingual: English and Japanes. --- 6. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Shogi World" Ishi Press International, for address see book 2. Magazine. English. The Ishi Press also publishes Go World, which is really en excellent magazine, so one might assume Shogi World is good too. --- 7. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Shogi" The Shogi Association, P.O. Box 77, Bromley, Kent, England. Available from: George Hodges, for address see book 1. Magazine. English. This bimonthly was published from January 1976 until November 1987 (70 issues). All issues, except #1, are still available. They can also be purchased as a bound hardcover edition. You can learn a lot from these magazines. --- 8. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Computer Gamesmanship: Elements of Intelligent Game Design", by David Levy. Simon & Schuster, Inc. (their Computer Division), New York. ISBN 0-671-49532-1. A very interesting book that gives ideas on how to write programs that play good games of Checkers, (western) Chess, Bridge, Poker, Othello, Dominoes, Backgammon, Go-Moku, Rummy and Shogi. It contains excellent information on how to program the main AI techniques of intelligent game design, such as Alpha-Beta search, evaluation functions, Killer Heuristics, etc. It's fun to read even if you never want to write a program. --- 9. -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Book of Games, editor P. Arnold, 1985. Newnes Books, 84-88 The Centre, Feltham, Middlesex, England. ISBN 0-600-35151-3. -- 10. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Board and Table Games (From Many Civilizations), R.C. Bell, 1979. Revised edition, two volumes bound as one. Dover Publications, Inc., 180 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014, U.S.A.. ISBN 0-486-23855-5.