From: Peter Banaschak <Peter.Banaschak <at> T-ONLINE <dot> DE>
Date: 11 nov 1999
Subject: Chu shogi rules

Ahoi!
Back to the rules question (+g exchanged through +p).
By the way, some of what has been attributed to Nick was
really what I thought, so hit me instead of him.
I re-read the rules, and of course it is legal to move into
check (but still it is stupid...).

> Rikard> Consider the following setup in the corner of the board:
> Rikard>
> Rikard> !
> Rikard> !---!---!---!
> Rikard> !   !   ! FK!
> Rikard> !---!---!---!
> Rikard> !   ! +p!   !
> Rikard> !---!---!---!
> Rikard> ! k !   ! K !
> Rikard> !---!---!---!---
>
> Rikard> It is white (upper case letters) to move, and he takes the black
> Rikard> promoted pawn with the FK.

1. I agree that there is no concept of check in Chu as there
is in chess. But even if there were, it were liable to
change as soon as there is a CP on the board. In that case
it would be safe to sacrifice the K, as the CP _is_ in fact
a second king. (as stated in MSM, p8-9)
2. If one chooses to adhere to the rules in MSM, Black loses
the instant the +p is taken. (as stated by Colin)
3. If one chooses to follow the rule prepared for Münster
(did we ever need this special rule? I don't think so -- one
would have resigned long before...)
> "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).
which would result in
!
!---!---!---!
!   !   !   !
!---!---!---!
!   ! k !   !
!---!---!---!
!   !   ! K !
!---!---!---!---
with two 'bare' K's, but White would immediately take the
Black K. Why this should be a draw, I don't see. (cf. c) below)
> 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.
Same as above,as
> 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."
This is it: in this case, White _can_ immediately capture
Black's K. Indeed, in this position it's all the same.

Peter