From: Nick Bardsley <nbardsley <at> KEYNOTE <dot> CO <dot> UK>
Date: 11 aug 2000
Subject: Re: Regarding Shogi Impasse

It strikes me as a bad concept as it inevitably (and, after all, if you are
using this rule, legitimately) becomes an alternative war aim that, if used
widely, would lead to the development of strategies designed to effect this
rather than mate of the enemy king.

Nick

> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Shogi Discussion List
> [mailto:SHOGI-L <at> TECHUNIX <dot> TECHNION <dot> AC <dot> IL]On Behalf Of Ralf Lundberg
> Sent: 11 August 2000 12:15
> To: SHOGI-L <at> TECHUNIX <dot> TECHNION <dot> AC <dot> IL
> Subject: Regarding Shogi Impasse
>
>
> Regarding Shogi Impasse.
>
> I am currently playing in a Shogi email tournament (at
> Richard's PBeM server).
>
> In this tournament it was stated that a alternate
> rule should be used in the case of entering kings.
> (After that I have heard that several different ways
> to handle this exists, and are used at some occasions.)
>
> The rule used in this tournament states that:
>      The first player to legally move his king onto
>      the opponents initial king square wins.
>
> I think this alternate rule is worth mentioning. It
> appeals to me much more than the resolution by counting
> for several reasons; it is simple to formulate, there
> can be no discussion upon if the situation has occured
> or not, and it avoids draws.
>
> I think this rule affects a normal shogi game very little.
> (However having an anaguma would not be nice if the
> opponents king is entering and you use this rule..)
>
> Any comments?
>
>
> Michael Breier wrote
> > IMPASSE
> > There are very rare cases in which both players have moved
> their Kings into
> > the opponent's camp and there is no prospect of a
> checkmate. This situation
> > is called "Impasse".
> > Impasse is adjudicated by counting pieces: each major piece
> counts as 5
> > points, the minor pieces as 1 point each. A game ends in a
> draw when both
> > players have 24 points or more: one player loses when he
> has under 24 points.
> >
> > In SHOGI, a "piece" refers to any unit, including the Pawn.
> The Rook and
> > Bishop are called major pieces; the other pieces, with the
> exception of the
> > King, are called minor pieces.
> >
> > http://www.jwindow.net/LWT/SHOGI/INTRO/shogi_intro.html
> ...
>
> --
> ___________________________________________________________________
> Ralf Lundberg           http://www.cd.chalmers.se/~ralf/index.html
> ralf <at> carmenta <dot> se        (email home: ralf <at> cs <dot> chalmers <dot> se)