From: Arnoud Kleynjan <akleynjan <at> IXONET <dot> NL>
Date: 16 apr 1996
Subject: Re: Checkmate

-- [ From: Arnoud Kleynjan * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --


Subject: Re: Checkmate

So, let's get things back in perspective:
-the discussed pawn move probably is illegal, the only one saying it isn't
so far is a computer program. Is that correct?

-I think most chess players have an identical idea of what mate is, and have
no problem applying it to shogi. The only difference is that in chess it
inmidiately is the end of the game, while *formally* a shogi game can
continue. That's a pretty obscure difference.

-the most interesting part about this for me at least, is strictly from a
historical point of view. See how games develop on different paths. I sure
am not going to let this stop me from enjoying a game of Shogi. Jonathan?
Come on, let's not make this discussion too heavy, guys. Surely this cannot
be a reason *not* to play Shogi??

>>I can think of dozens of reasons to bash chess as a comparative game, but
hardly on the grounds that it has a
> clear set of rules... but maybe Arnoud just wants to take kings.
Touchy? Apologies if that accidently hit a raw nerve, but I wasn't bashing
chess. I play it all the time, and like it very much. I was just signaling a
difference between chess and shogi, wondering about the historic backgrounds
of these rules, how they got to be the way they are, and noted that there is
a certain "cleanness" about the Shogi practice of letting a king be captured
.

>>What is missing is a logical explanation why the mating-pawn-drop is
prohibited. :-)
Perhaps we'll never know. Somewhere along the way a small piece of logic
turned into culture & tradition, while the logic behind it was forgotten?

Arnoud