From: Steve Evans <trout <at> NETSPACE <dot> NET <dot> AU>
Date: 30 jan 1999
Subject: Re: Lion Dogs

For a while now I've thought that a jump to the 3rd square for the lion-dog
would be one way of solving the teaching king dilemma and providing a better
balance in the array for the bigger games. It would also make the furious
fiend (promoted lion) a little less wimpy. So, it is interesting to see that
the lion-dog incorporates this power in taikyoku.

Nevertheless, a lot of the taikyoku pieces seem quite different from their
equivalents in the other big games, so I think the only reliable way of
telling whether the lion-dog move was intended to incorporate a 3 square
leap would be for someone to closely re-examine the original source texts.

But certainly, in terms of aesthetics and balance, this interpretation of
the lion-dog move makes a lot of sense.  From this point of view it has my
vote.

Steve Evans



Luke Merritt wrote:

> In the taikyoku rules, the lion dog is listed (pg 227, middle of second
> row) as being able to jump to the 3rd square in all directions or range
> move in all directions. The move I've seen everywhere else is for it to
> move 3 spaces all directions...however, in the rules I have for tai
> shogi, the move of a teaching king (promoted deva) is described as a
> combination of a free king and a lion dog, which is the move given in
> the taikyoku rules.
>
> I propose that the move intended for the lion dog was to jump to the 3rd
> square any direction (as opposed to step moving 3 spaces); this more
> powerful move would explain why lion dogs are placed (in tai shogi, for
> example) on the same file as the emperor, crown prince, lion, etc. It
> would make the teaching king more powerful than a simple free king, as
> well.
>
> Opinions?
>
> --Luke
>
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