From: Michael Vanier BBB CALTECH EDU> Date: 8 feb 1999 Subject: Re: Shogi vs Chess (Evangelism and comparison) > Reply-To: The Shogi Discussion List techunix technion ac il> > Sender: The Shogi Discussion List techunix technion ac il> > From: George Jost HOTMAIL COM> > > Interesting discussion about the issue of Shogi vs Chess. > This is very much on the minds of those of us in small clubs in the > West. I think the best mechanism of encouraging chess players > to play Shogi is for them to be exposed to it in a manner > that convince them it is fun by example. That is, play amongst > them until some of them give it a try; we play in a cafe full of chess > players. The sales job tactic does not work; people tend to get annoyed. > Another favorite tactic of mine is > to invent a rivalry; friendly discussions comparing the merits of both > games with those who are curious about Shogi. Of course in such > discussions I always take the tact that Shogi is superior but without > taking myself too seriously; after all both are good games. Some > initially hostile players have been eventually won over in this way. It might also be worth mentioning that shogi appears to be objectively a harder game than chess; for instance the branching factor per move is about 80 (on average) vs. about 35 for chess (of course, this is a very superficial benchmark of complexity). That ought to get the old competitive juices flowing :-) Also, you might look into westernized or international sets with the piece moves on the pieces as a transition to the Japanese sets. Probably the best way, as you say, is just to play shogi in the presence of chess players until they get curious. I converted one good chess player a long time ago and he used to beat me regularly at shogi :-) Mike