From: teruko <teruko <at> PO2 <dot> NSKNET <dot> OR <dot> JP>
Date: 2 apr 1999
Subject: Re: variant preference

Dear Reijer,
Thanks for your thought provoking reply to my mail. Mini shogi and
judkins shogi appear to be small versions of shogi, whereas micro and
kyoto appear to be genuine variants and games of quite distinct
character. I'm investigating their history at present but it seems
certain that they are modern creations. I think there is no danger of a
draw in kyoto shogi, in micro shogi there are times when the first wave
of fighting ends inconclusively and for a while it can be difficult for
either side to initiate a new offensive, however a decisive result is
likely as the eventual result. (I am making these statements from very
limited experience, I only heard of kyoto shogi last week, nevertheless
I believe them to be true). I think that such games may have been
created by shogi players throughout the period of modern shogi, they are
only now coming to be preserved on account of greater dissemination of
information and increase in the number of enthusiasts. The larger
variants have already died once and are perhaps not really suited to our
present social condition. It's possible that a forced win for one side
or the other can be more easily demonstrated in these small variants but
as they aren't serious tournament games or challenges for software
designers I dont think anyone is really looking for one. A game such as
noughts and crosses is very simple yet provides hours of entertainment
to children. Mancala type games are reputedly suited to computer
thinking but not to human thinking, their solubility doesn't interfere
in any way with their amusement value. The least that can be said for
micro and kyoto shogis is that they can be fun for shogi players. Apart
from chuu and tenjiku I dont know if anyone is playing the variants
larger than regular shogi, their appeal maybe more philosophical than
practical. Micro and kyoto both require a kind of thought that has
similarities to but remains quite different from the thinking required
by shogi. This (perhaps) gives these games appeal for shogi players
whilst keeping them sufficiently perplexed to hold their interest. About
the aesthetics of symmetry, I think it's primarily to do with habit, as
a chess player I was disturbed initially by the change from oppositional
to rotational symmetry when I began playing shogi, as a mancala player I
am used to the 8x4 boards of bao and mweso and find other sizes
distracting. Kyoto shogi has a disturbingly naked feeling due to all the
pieces being on the back rank in the initial position. I dont suggest
that these or any other game be flawless however the survival of shogi
maybe akin to the international status of english language and not at
all indicative of superiority.
That's it for now, best wishes from Michael.