From: Steve Evans <trout <at> NETSPACE <dot> NET <dot> AU>
Date: 2 feb 1999
Subject: Re: Beginner Question

Hi Steven,

Shogi Master is an attractive program that has international pieces. However,
Pauli Misikangas' Shocky program is a little stronger and has the advantage of
being free. You can find it at:

http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/~pmturune/Shocky_e.html

If you use Shocky with Pieter Moerman's PMShocky Windows interface, you get
international piece sets for shogi and several variants. PMShocky is at:

 http://www.ping.be/pmoerman/Shogi/Shocky.html

Hope this is some help.

Regards,

Steve Evans

Steven Walters wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I am a newcomer to Shogi. I asked some players in Little Tokyo (Los Angeles)
> If they could teach me something about Shogi. They were all Japanese
> speakers but spoke enough English to show me some of the basics. They were
> great to me, it was really a great experience and left me wanting more.
>
>  My questions are these... Where can I buy a Shogi Board? I would like to
> get 2 sets of pieces. One with the Kanji symbols and one with the
> international markings. I would like to learn the Kanji symbols, but I think
> the international pieces will be easier for my 9-year old daughter and I to
> get the movement down. I would like to get high quality equipment that is
> affordable.
>
> Also, Is the program Master Shogi worth getting? I think it would be good
> for me to play the computer for practice. I downloaded a couple of Shogi
> computer programs and have been playing a few games. I have Shogi Variants
> V1.55 and it seems pretty good. I have also ordered the book Shogi for
> Beginners by John Fairbairn.
>
> One last question... The players at Little Tokyo Said that gold or silver
> (not sure which) could not move into f4 and f6 is this a normal rule?
>
> Any information would be appreciated!
>
> Thank you,
>
> --Steven Walters
> HeroSW <at> WGN <dot> Net