From: Takenobu Takizawa <takizawa <at> MSE <dot> WASEDA <dot> AC <dot> JP>
Date: 6 nov 1999
Subject: CSA standard kifu file format

CSA standard Kifu (Game Record) file format

1.  Overview
  A kifu file is a text mode file, and consists of

     (1)  the names of the players
     (2)  the starting board (including mochigoma (pieces in hand)
          and the mark of the next player)
     (3)  move and time spent
     (4)  comments

  The order (1) through (3) may not change.  (1) through (3) can
be omitted.  It is possible to show many kifu or boards using
the special line (slash)

/  (one slash only)

as a separator.

2.  Pieces
  Piece names: FU (Pawn), KY (Lance), KE (Knight), GI (Silver),
KI (Gold), KA (Bishop), HI (Rook), OU (King), TO (Promoted Pawn),
NY (P-Lance), NK (P-Knight), NG (P-Silver), UM (P-Bishop),
RY (P-Rook).
  Position "11" (1a) through "99" (9i).  "00" shows piece in hand.
"+" and "-" show that the piece belongs to sente (black, the first
player) or gote (white, the second player) respectively.

3.  Names of the Players
  "N+" followed by the name of sente.  "N-" followed by the name
of gote.  These are one line each, and may be omitted.

Examples:
  N+Tanigawa
  N-Habu

4.  Starting Board
(1)  "PI" means the initial hirate location of pieces.  Removed
    pieces (for handicap) follow "PI".

Example:
  PI82HI22KA    Two pieces (Rook and Bishop) handicap.

(2)  "P" and rank number (1-9) followed by nine marks (a mark
    consists of "+" or "-" and piece name for a piece belonging
    to sente or gote or " * " for none) show the piece located
    in numbered ranks.

Examples:
  P1-KY-KE-GI-KI-OU-KI-GI-KE-KY
  P2 * -HI *  *  *  *  * -KA *

(3)  "P" followed by "+" or "-" and many locations and piece names
    shows the pieces in those locations.  "00" shows piece in hand.
    "00" followed by "AL" means all pieces other than those above.

Examples:
  P-22KA
  P+99KY89KE
  P+00KI00FU
  P-00AL

(4)  Turn
  "+" and "-" mean sente's and gote's turns respectively.
  A turn must take one line and follow the "P" line(s).  The turn
  must be given.

N.B.  Do not use (1) and (2) at the same time.


5.  Move and Time Spent
  A move must take one line.  The time spent must be on the next
line.

(1)  Ordinary move
  "+" or "-" (sente or gote) followed by the original location,
  the location after the move, and the piece name after the move.

Example:
  +2726FU

(2)  Special moves
  resign:       %TORYO
  take back:    %MATTA
  interruption: %CHUDAN
  repetition:   %SENNICHITE
  draw:         %JISHOGI
  error:        %ERROR
  declare win:  %KACHI

(3)  Time spent
  "T" followed by the number of seconds taken.  This may be
  omitted.


6.  Comments
  A line starting with "'" (single quote) is a comment line.


7.  Multi-Statement
  The separator is ",".


8.  The last four characters of the file name must be ".csa".


9.  Example of a Kifu File

'----------"example.csa"----------
'Player names
N+Tanigawa
N-Habu
'Hirate
P1-KY-KE-GI-KI-OU-KI-GI-KE-KY
P2 * -HI *  *  *  *  * -KA *
P3-FU-FU-FU-FU-FU-FU-FU-FU-FU
P4 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
P5 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
P6 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
P7+FU+FU+FU+FU+FU+FU+FU+FU+FU
P8 * +KA *  *  *  *  * +HI *
P9+KY+KE+GI+KI+OU+KI+GI+KE+KY
'Sente's turn
+
'Move and time spent
+2726FU
T12
-3334FU
T6
%CHUDAN