From: Arnoud Kleynjan IXDIRECT COM> Date: 19 mar 2001 Subject: Re: Colored pieces... hmmm... Hi, Color coding would probably make it easier to learn. Much better than those strange move-based symbols I think, and more helpfull to learn to play with a "real" set right from the start. However, it might make Shogi look less "serious" then chess? But as a training tool it might be perfect: if I show a color coded set, *and* a reference card with the same colored pieces that shows the moves for each piece, I think it would be a lot easier to tempt chess players to try it. (For someone completely new to kanji, comparing black kanji on the board with black kanji on a reference card can be quite a job. I know, because I remember from when I started to play Shogi). Do all the pieces need to be coded with their own individual color? For example: I agree about black for the pawn, but the king could be black as well: the distinction is pretty hard to miss... And there's no need to turn the whole game into a rainbow... ;) Also: this leaves green available for the rook because: > Rook/Tour/Hisha--red (from previous suggestion) I think I've seen sets where red characters were used for promoted pieces? Is that some sort of standard we need to keep in mind? Perhaps use green for the rook so people who have played with such a "red=promoted" board won't be confused? > Promoted rook and bishop would > be orange (red+yellow) and green (blue+yellow) A bit far-fetched, isn't it? Not everybody (particularly kids) understand how color-mixing works. And the promoted pawn, rook and bishop look very different from their unpromoted states. So why not do the promoted Pawn, Rook and Bishop in their "unpromoted color". Or, if you really must do something to show it's promoted: -do the promoted pawn in gold (that's consistent with the other pieces that promote to gold); -add a red dot to the promoted Bishop (he get's a little bit of the rooks move added to it); -add a blue dot to the promoted rook; Long story short: Rook--dark green. (promoted: dark green or dark green and blue dot?) Bishop--blue (promoted: blue or blue and and green dot?) Gold--gold Silver--silver (promoted: gold and silver) Knight--purple (promoted: gold and purple) Lance--light green (promoted: gold and light green) Pawn--black (promoted: gold) King--black I've been teaching the movements of chess and shogi pieces to my almost 5 year old son. Although he likes the shogi pieces, he's picking up on the chess pieces much better, including "inconsistencies" like pawns move straight and capture sideways. I wonder if this color coding would help him with Shogi. If I can get myself to mutilate my set I'll let you know what happens. Perhaps I can borrow some of his water-washable paints ;) Arnoud Kleynjan