From: Ho-chi Yuen HOTMAIL COM> Date: 7 aug 2003 Subject: Re: Beginner's Lessons No.1, Getting Orientated: Perspectives on Shogi and Chess >This article was the first and only instance I have ever read where it was >stated that the "definition" of shogi means 'the world's greatest game'. >Can anyone verify this statement with a second source? you mean its etymological definition, it's meaning in Japanese? if so, certainly not. "sho" means general (as in shogun,) and "gi" means piece as in the piece in a boardgame, though it's shorthand for boardgame in general. so, roughly, it means "the generals' boardgame." the Japanese probably got the name from the Chinese -- the Chinese call Chinese chess "Xiang qi," while "Xiang" means elephant. when transliterated into Japanese, perhaps because the Japanese for elephant doesn't sound like "xiang," so they used the word "sho" instead. that way the transliteration is close to Chinese and stil makes sense. you probably knew all this, and if you did, then I misunderstood your question. peace, Michael 8-7-2003 > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "bogin" YAHOO CO JP> >To: TECHUNIX TECHNION AC IL> >Sent: Friday, August 01, 2003 9:20 PM >Subject: Re: Beginner's Lessons No.1, Getting Orientated: Perspectives on >Shogi and Chess > > > > I think the comment you quote about the goals of chess and shogi are way > > off and show of a lack of understanding about both games. > > > > Of course, shogi and chess are both interesting games. They are quite > > similiar and also quite different. And, I believe that it may be true >that > > for some people shogi may improve there chess and for some people chess >may > > improve their shogi. But, I think that the ultimate goal of any game is >the > > win and shogi and chess are decided by checkmate or by forcing your > > opponent to resign when mate is unavoidable. > > > > I've played a lot of chess and I've lost a few games even though I had > > queened a pawn. It makes no difference how many queens you make in >chess, > > just as it makes no difference how many tokins you make in shogi. If you > > get mated you lose. > > > > In chess, people resign in position when a pawn is promoted probably > > because they feel that they will eventually be mated. Quite possibly a > > strong shogi player may also immeadiately resign immeadiately if their >rook > > or rook or bishop were to be taken without leaving them any compensation >at > > all. They feel that with best play they will be mated. Both games are >won, > > especially at high levels of play, due to a combination of small >mistakes > > that over time add up to make a position unteneable. > > > > The fact that shogi allows you to use captured pieces does add an >exciting > > dynamic that chess doesn't have, but it doesn't change the fact that the > > games are won by taking advantage of your opponent's mistakes. That is > > completely a war of attrition. You wait and wait for your opponent to >make > > an error and then you take advantage of it. > > > > Beginners at shogi and chess may feel that you win by capturing the most > > pieces, but a 1 dan should be well beyond that naive way of thinking. > > Strong chess players, like strong shogi players go straight for the >king. > > They don't waste time queening pawns unless it actually helps them > > eventually mate their opponent. Since in chess, you can't use captured > > pieces again the need to queen pawns to mate may be greater than the >need > > to promote pawns in shogi. But, queening a pawn is only one way to get >to > > mate. > > > > Saying that queening a pawn is the main goal of ches is like say that > > promoting your rook is the main goal of shogi. They are only a means to >the > > end. Checkmate is the first and foremost goal of both. > > > > > > Bill Gaudry > > > > > > --- "T.Rogalski" ACCESS-4-FREE COM> $B$+$i$N%a%C%;!<%8!' (B > > > The above article does not teach the basic fundamentals of shogi, it > > > highlights the merits of shogi over chess from a chess player's > > > perspective; such as -- the goal of chess is to queen a pawn and win > > > by attrition, while the goal of shogi is, first and foremost, to > > > checkmate the opponent's king. > > > > > > If you email me your postal address, I'll be happy to snail mail you > > > a copy. You have to promise to make further copies and distribute > > > them to others who show interest in shogi. I believe that the > > > article is important enough for someone to post on a webpage, but > > > that hasn't happened yet. > > > > > > In my opinion, the best shogi primer is John Fairbairn's "How to Play > > > Shogi". It is 24 pages packed full of concentrated shogi > > > information. Ex. page 24 is a raw listing of dozens of shogi > > > proverbs -- very useful. > > > > > > Maybe another Shogi-L member would know if "How to Play Shogi" is > > > still available somewhere? > > > > > > Tim > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Yahoo! BB is Broadband by Yahoo! > > http://bb.yahoo.co.jp/ _________________________________________________________________ Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail