From: Pieter Stouten <STOUTEN <at> EMBL <dot> BITNET>
Date: 14 may 1990
Subject: Shogi - Chess strategy (older posting on CHESS-L)

>From:   EMBL::STOUTEN      "Pieter Stouten" 23-APR-1990 13:02:40.51
To:     JNET%"buckbd@morekypr"
CC:     STOUTEN
Subj:   Shogi - strategic concerns
 
Dear Ben,
 
In your message about Chess/Shogi of Sun, 22 Apr 90 19:01:16 EDT on
the "The Chess Discussion List" you mention:
 
>If shogi is close enough to chess to involve the same kinds of topics
>I have no objection to shogi-related topics appearing on this list.
 
I can quote (from my mind, if you want I can provide you with the real
quotation) international Chess Master Larry Kaufman, who happens to be
the strongest Shogi player outside Japan. He says that in the time he
was studying and playing Shogi his Chess ELO went up quite considerably
while he did not play Chess much in that time. This was also true for at
least one other player. This indicates that at least the concepts are
similar. Shogi has normally the same distinct stages as chess: (more or
less established) openings, middle game and end game. Development of
pieces is important. In addition it is extremely important that no holes
are in one's own camp because pieces that are captured stay in the game
and can be dropped there.
 
 
Furthermore you ask:
 
>On the topic of related topics, are the strategic concerns in shogi much
>like those in chess such as center control?
 
The strategic concerns are similar but different. The centre control in
Shogi is important, but not directly in the initial stages. There are
three (entangled) reasons for this:
1) pawns cannot advance two squares, so controlling the centre requires
   more moves.
2) one cannot form a pawn-phalanx (is this the word ?) because pawns
   cannot cover each other diagonally. This means that pawns have to be
   supported by other pieces, which slows down their development.
3) since each player has only two long-range pieces (one rook and one
   bishop) a quick advance of pawns can only be sound when they are
   supported by these pieces. This would normally concern pawns which
   are somewhat outside the centre.
I hope this made clear that the same considerations apply, but that they
translate to different "concerns".
Feel free to ask for more information. All the best, Pieter.
 
To:      Ben Buckner     buckbd@morekypr (bitnet)
Copy to: Chris Sterritt  chris <at> adms-rad <dot> unisys <dot> com (internet)
>From:    Pieter Stouten  stouten@embl (bitnet)