From: George Jost <gjost <at> CA <dot> NEWBRIDGE <dot> COM>
Date: 12 feb 1997
Subject: are the shogi variants playable?

I am curious about other's experience with Shogi variants.

I think Tori shogi should be fun with simuliar feel to Shogi. Is it played
in Japan at all? Is there any T.S lore? How old is this variant. Are there
any common castles or other patterns studied for this form of the game?


I wonder if Chu(Dai, ...) Shogi can be very fun? Seems to have an awful
lots of pieces, I wanted to try it as a novelty. I also wonder what
ste]rategies here have been developed. I guess the simuliarity between
this game and Shogi is the element of promotion and slow moving pieces?
I suppose no way has dared to try this with drops?? (Imagine Tai shogi
with drops, what a nightmare? Would the champion be significanlty better
than a beginner? (Game too complex))

************************************************************************
When a novice makes a stupid move         G. Jost
one can generally laugh, but when         gjost <at> ca <dot> newbridge <dot> com
an expert makes a "stupid" move
the joke is usually on you!
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