From: SalvaAC <at> AOL <dot> COM
Date: 16 jan 1999
Subject: Re: shogi questions

In a message dated 1/16/99 1:57:22 AM Central Standard Time,
ghira <at> MISTRAL <dot> CO <dot> UK writes:

<<
 I don't know the reason for this. Perhaps it's so that you can't
 assume it's always correct to promote bishops, rooks and pawns. This
 issue arises in tsume-shogi not infrequently. I've no idea how common
 it is in real games. ("not at all" is the impression I get)
  >>

I actually did have a situation arise in a game where the key move in a mating
sequence involved a pawn drop mate.  It was in byoyomi, and I almost played
the move, noticed it was mate on the move and sat stunned.  Fortunately I
remembered the proverb, "If there is mate with a pawn drop, there is a legal
mate as well."  I happened to have a lance in hand to accomplish the same goal
and won the game.  I don't know that I have a game score for that one -
probably would be full of errors if an endgame was getting that involved.

Tony