From: Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> WIZARD <dot> NET>
Date: 27 may 1998
Subject: Re: Gold is better than silver. -Reply

-----Original Message-----
From: The Shogi Discussion List
[mailto:SHOGI-L <at> techunix <dot> technion <dot> ac <dot> il]On Behalf Of George Jost
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 1998 2:42 PM
To: SHOGI-L <at> techunix <dot> technion <dot> ac <dot> il
Subject: Gold is better than silver. -Reply


Actually I think there is also a growing number of players in the
high Kiu range such as myself who may still require strong handle
caps when playing dan players. Your  discussion is I think still quite
relevant to us as well. For myself I'd like to hear about strategy
in all types of handicaps  from both sides. The Art of Shogi has
some discussion on this topic as well.

I do have a question though: is there a handicap at which a rank
beginner can have an interesting game against a top notch
professional (such a Habu, Tanakawa, S...)??? I know I had
a good game against a (rusty) low kiu player with a rook
handicap. (He figured a rook bishop game might have been even)

George ;
(Insanity is a frame of mind.)

Yes, but it depends on what you mean by a complete beginner.  Normally
someone who just learned the moves would take ten piece handicap from a pro
(keeping only king and pawns}, while normally a novice who had played a
dozen or so games would be well matched with a pro at 8 piece handicap
(keeping the golds).  In my experience strong chessplayers who learn shogi
can beat me at 8 piece after just two or three games, but weak chessplayers
may require fifty games or more.  One pro, Iida, has published a number of
his 8 piece handicap games with annotations.
     Larry