From: "george (g.) jost" BNR CA> Date: 31 jan 1996 Subject: Re: game analysis and annotation Reijer-san writes and I promise not to make any more emails on this subject but I feel fairly strongly too.. >P.S.: Yes, you touched a nerve. >P.P.S.: I solemnly vow NEVER to play a Shogi game with Western style pieces >(and hope to die). >P.P.S.: OK, this could be considered a mild flame, so I am ready to >receive... 1) Using western stylised pieces or Kanji pieces or painted bolts doesn't change the nature of the game. And most important everyone knows that it is not the Authentic variety. This is unlike the case with asian food, where one may think one is having the real thing, but it is in fact specially constructed to "please" westerners ... I'd be really mad if someone went around selling 8x8 shogi boards with Kanji pieces but the standard "western"/indian rules claiming that this was the traditional Japanese game which is so dearly loved by those whove actually played the game. (Only known exception is my girl friend who claims that Shogi is a "cheating" game) -My grandfather played GO in the 1930s using nuts and bolts - I think that is cool! 2) The western pieces have the advantage of having the moves inscribed on them. A Kanji board with the moves inscribed on them would be equally nice for me. My experience is that my chess playing friends either don't have patience to learn the Kanji pieces or keep getting confused. I only see my brother once a year and I found he could immediately give me an o.k game using the western pieces=, but with the Kanji pieces would mix up silvers and golds. 3) I think that using Kanji only for tournaments is a good idea. If someoene is of tournament calliper, they should be able to pick up the Kanji. I solemnly vow never to play a Shogi game against someone who knows the Kanji pieces using the westernized sets unless I don't have a Kanji set available. If I was of the calliper of Reiger-san and/or in Japan, I could perhaps afford to be more picky. I envy the Japanese who according to my uncle can even play at lunch time!!! I wish I could have the chance to visit that country in the near future. > >-- > >Dr. Reijer Grimbergen >Electrotechnical Laboratory Palcious Tsukuba 302 >1-1-4 Umezono 1-24-8 Ninomiya >Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken >305 JAPAN 305 JAPAN >E-mail: grimberg etl go jp Tel: 0298-59-1606 >WWW: http://www.etl.go.jp:8080/etl/suiron/~grimberg >Tel: +81-(0)298-54-5080 extension: 67431 >Fax: +81-(0)298-58-5918 -- George (613)-765-2895 :) e-mail: jost bnr ca In Shogi, your rook may come back to haunt you ... ---------------------------------------------------- This memo does not represent the views of BNR/Nortel.