From: Jonathan Tisdall <jonathat <at> POWERTECH <dot> NO>
Date: 31 jan 1996
Subject: pop shogi

OK, two cents time, since this discussion is becoming both interesting and
popular, my mailbox is bursting. Disclaimers and background: I cannot claim
to *play* shogi, just love it, study it and follow it. Probably it is known
that I am a chess GM. It may or may not be relevant that I am half Japanese,
just mention it in case I offend anyone...

First, I too cannot imagine playing on a westernized set. Second, I cannot
see any more compelling argument to shogi's continued lack of "approval" in
the west than the language hurdle. If one could access the literature, shogi
would automatically leap in popularity.

This protectionism theme gives me problems though. Until the font tech that
allowed for figurine notation, chess games could come in an infinite variety
of notations which could cause minor confusion, though given the very
limited number of pieces, this was no big hurdle. And who says that chess
enjoys a universal lingo? From country to country, the pieces have different
names, and no one has a fit  when dealing with bishops, alfils, fou,
laufers, etc. Why can't the pieces simply be called what the locals want to
call them??

*If shogi WERE widespread, this would already have happened.* *The fact that
everything is "foreign" is due to the fact that shogi *hasn't* travelled.*
Further evidence of this is no doubt to be found in those pockets of
acceptance in other countries, where the pieces are called by the names the
local players find most comfortable.

 If you are going to disseminate shogi literature in English, it is only
natural to give the pieces accessible, probably English, names. Just like
zugzwang is part of the chess lexicon because it is apt and has no fine
English equivalent, so will tesuji, et al, endure when appropriate. I mean,
chess isn't German, if you get my drift. In Norwegian, there *is* an
equivalent for zugzwang. It doesn't cause any arguments.

Also the staunton argument has some holes to my way of thinking. OK, you
can't see how a pawn  moves by looking at the appropriate lump. But the
point is attaching a symbol to a piece or movement. An accessible symbol.
And everyone can recognize a horse. So horse=hopping L, becomes an easier
association to make. I repeat, I do not want to see spears, arrows, plovers
or metallurgical symbols on shogi pieces. I can't help feeling that at some
level, such a practice *would* help popularize the game.  I don't see the
problem with learning to associate the moves with the relevant kanji, but I
know plenty of people who do. This discussion is most crucial considering
the names of the pieces, and perhaps the look of the pieces, because with
obstacles at that stage, you will suffer irretrievably.

Ummm, that's all for now.

Jonathan Tisdall