From: Doug Dysart EMAIL UC EDU> Date: 8 feb 1999 Subject: Chess vs. Shogi, etc. I was very pleased by Kaufman-san's recent posting on the different chess games of the world. I will be printing it out and showing it to most of the chess players I know, as well as newbies to the chess scene. Larry really hit the head on the nail when showing why shogi is every bit as "valid" a game as chess. This email of his will be so useful, especially coming from as reputable source as Kaufman-san is. The discussion of shogi variants has actually been a drag for me. This would seem very ironic to most chess players who know me. The fact is, I don't really like chess variants! Most chess players cannot believe it when I tell them this, because they see shogi as a chess variant. This really is not true. Without consulting the dictionary, I can say that shogi is not a *variant* of chess, but its close *relative*. Chess and shogi are both "variants" of Chaturanga, if anything. Here's an example of the attitudes of chess players: a well-known chess organizer and variant enthusiast/creator is about to demonstrate his newest game, Lotus Chess. Everyone keeps coming to me as a source of information. To their surprise, I always reply with a sigh, saying, "I don't know, and I really don't care." Then everyone says, "But you're Shogi Man. You should know these things." I may be Mr. Shogi Man around Cincinnati, OH, but I sure ain't Lotus Man, Grand Chess man, etc. I stick to only those games that are related to chess and have a strong tradition and history. People usually see shogi as some sort of alien game, played by "those people", if you will. Am I a sellout for playing shogi? What about chess players? Are they all communists? C'mon. I enjoy the culture. It's exciting, educational, and fun to play shogi with Japanese people. So while this talk of "big shogi", "little shogi", etc., may make me yawn, I am very happy to see people discussing the merits of shogi, chess, xianqi, and the like, since those are the same issues I tackle on a daily basis. I'm a major organizer of chess and, of course, shogi in my town. Whenever I have a chance to make a schedule for a club, I try to squeeze shogi in. I am met with some groans, some grins, and some indifference. I'm used to it, and I keep pushing the shogi. One thing I like to mention to people is that, unlike chess, shogi almost never results in a draw. Larry pointed out that this is seen by some as not drawish *enough*. Oh my goodness!! That's what makes shogi so fun. I hate spending 6 hours on a chess tournament game and winding up with a weak little draw. Aaaaarrgghh!! Give me shogi! Shogi also makes me a more aggressive chess player. I remember talking to Fassil Bekele in New York about that. It really does help your chess! Larry also said, "I was once thought to be the strongest non-oriental player in the U.S. of Shang-chi (Chinese chess)." Sam Sloan, if I remember correctly, once said he was the strongest non-Chinese American at xianqi. Time for a match, eh Larry? Speaking of Sam, I wonder what he has to say about this whole chess/shogi comparison. The reason I like Sam, other than his ability to report on chess proficiently, is because he plays well at xianqi, shogi, chess, and makruk. Speaking of makruk, Larry, you neglected to mention Thai chess. If you would like my opinion on Thai chess, or Chiaki Ito's opinion for that matter (he's probably a better source - more strength), let me know. I'd give it a whopping 5 1/2! I like shuffle/fischer-random chess, too. It may replace chess someday. As for Go, which all chess players think I love (sigh), I can't take it. It gets on my nerves. I just want to capture things and throw them off the board. I want to chase the enemy king across the board. I want to promote my pawns and eat up the enemy pieces. In Go, though, I'm stuck with these monotonous chips that just sit there, while I rack my brain for something resembling a plan. No way, buddy. I'll never be a Go player. I've got a couple of sets, just for the heck of it. I respect Go players, but I could never be one. Shogi and chess are still my favorite two games, with makruk and xianqi coming next. Keep up the good work, Larry! This is where your dual expertise really comes in handy for us shogi organizers across America, which suffers from having so many cultures within it, yet being paranoid and fearful of all things foreign. SHOW ME THE SHOGI! Doug Dysart Paid Member of the Ohio Shogi Club