From: "Randal J. Andrews" IX NETCOM COM> Date: 22 jan 1996 Subject: Re: Notation >1. As you might be well aware of, almost all of matured Shogi fans >abroad prefer using original pieces with Kanji rather than to western >pieces with alphabetic notations and direction of moves. > What do you think about it ? Yes, this is true. For face to face play, I prefer to use traditional Japanese pieces. However, I have a computer program, Shogi Master, and I don't use the kanji, but rather the English letters. To successfully promote shogi outside of Japan there must be a coordinated effort involving books, a magazine, playing software, database software and above all, play on the internet. All software should have many options including kanji, letters (English and even a user-definable system of letters). Even chess pieces with colors! For software, why not? (New designs needed for Gold, Silver, and Lance to complement the Staunton chess designs). I won't mention that an option to color the board like a chessboard could be added because that is TOO heretical. People should be able to enjoy shogi however they prefer it and at whatever level they play at. The players who choose to study it seriously will learn the traditional Japanese ways. >2. When you draw a board diagram, what kind of image or sign you like >to use there to indicate pieces ? I agree with Mr. Hiroki Kawada. Of course, even better would be an automated system for shogi e-mail or online play, so players could see the board using the system they prefer. (See comment about software above). >3. At further stage when western players are accustomed to Shogi >terms, when for example indicating the "twisting Rook", you intend to >say "Hineri-Bisha" or "Hineri-Rook" ? I can learn the Japanese names in order to read your book, but when I speak with my friends in English, the only Japanese name we use is Tokin. Perhaps, this is because it is an English word, token, and very appropriate for the piece and does not sound foreign. However, for promoted Bishop, horse is an abomination. If English terms should prevail, shouldn't we be calling this piece an Archbishop? I would never mix Japanese and English as in "Hineri-Rook". It is either "twisting rook" or "Hineri-Bisha". I also like using Sente and Gote instead of black and white. It avoids confusion with chess and there are no colors in shogi anyway. Perhaps a compromise is possible: use the Japanese names for the pieces, but use the English letter abbreviation. Thus the following: Gyok = K Gin = S Kin = G Kack = B Hisha = R Kyosha = L Keima = N Pawn = P The points here: 1) to avoid the necessity of 2 letters for a piece abbreviation 2) the confusion between G and K. >A lot of technical questions are available if you are ready to challenge. I'm ready! My question: when viewing a Japanese diagram, I have wondered why Gote's pieces are upside down. Why aren't they just printed right side up, but use a different color like red? It seems to me that the position would be easier to grasp. Unlike a real shogi game, pieces on a printed diagram aren't going to change sides, so why not use color? I think red for Gote and blue for Sente would brighten the page. Another question: On a very expensive, hand-carved shogi set, are the promoted pieces painted red or are they the same color as the unpromoted side of the piece?