From: Peter Banaschak <Peter.Banaschak <at> T-ONLINE <dot> DE>
Date: 8 nov 1999
Subject: Re: Chu shogi rules question

Ahoi!

Frankly, I do not really understand the question. I do _not_
think it's a question of bare kings.

> Rikard> !
> Rikard> !---!---!---!
> Rikard> !   !   ! FK!
> Rikard> !---!---!---!
> Rikard> !   ! +g!   !
> Rikard> !---!---!---!
> Rikard> ! k !   ! K !
> Rikard> !---!---!---!---
>
> Rikard> It is white (upper case letters) to move, and he takes the black
> Rikard> promoted gold with the
> Rikard> free king. What happens now? Is the bare king rule applicable here (and
> Rikard> thus black gets a draw if he simply retakes) or is it simply mate?

In a position like this, it a simple mate (as demonstrated
below by Colin, and regardless whether there are other
pieces on the board). The FK gives check, the black K cannot
retake -- Game Over.

> "if one player is reduced to a bare king (said player has only one
> piece on the board, and that piece is a king or a crown prince), then
> he immediately loses the game, except in the following circumstances:
> a) said player can reduce the opponent to a bare king immediately
> (i.e. with the very next move of the game).
> b) said player can demonstrate a forced reduction of the opponent to
> a bare king, without first losing said player's own bare king.
> In these two cases the game is to be declared a draw.
> c) Said player can immediately (i.e. on the very next move of the
> game) capture the opponent's sole king/crown prince. In which case the
> opponent loses the game."

> Clearly, rules a) and b) will need emending to say something like:
>
> "unless the opponent can then capture your bare king with his very
> next move."
>
> In which case, the result is then (properly - surely everyone will
> agree), a win for White, with the sequence:
>
> FK x +g, K x FK, K x K

In fact I doubt that the second of these moves is legal. If
it were, the third move makes it clear: the result is a loss
for black.

Greetings, Peter