From: Colin Paul Adams <colin <at> COLINA <dot> DEMON <dot> CO <dot> UK>
Date: 14 feb 1997
Subject: Re: the shogi variants

>>>>> "Benjamin" == Benjamin Good <bg18+ <at> ANDREW <dot> CMU <dot> EDU> writes:

    Benjamin> Excerpts from mail: 12-Feb-97 are the shogi variants

    Benjamin> unimaginative extension of chu shogi. tenjiku: also an
    Benjamin> excellent game. i've been playing w/ colin adams via
    Benjamin> telnet, our main concern is that black can always win.

I would like to qualify that a bit.

Black appears to be able to come out of the opening with something
less than a lead of a Free King.

Now, since each player starts with thirteen pieces stronger than a
Free King, this such not such a big lead as it would be in Chu Shogi.
If you're strong enough (say, like Habu at Shogi, or Kasparov at
Italian Chess), then no doubt Black wins every time. But for lesser
mortals, the game is still to be played.

I suspect that evem in Chu Shogi, the initial position is a forced win
for Black - if you're God!
--
Colin Paul Adams
Preston, Lancashire, England
colin <at> colina <dot> demon <dot> co <dot> uk