From: arose323 aol com Date: 17 aug 2004 Subject: Re: The myth of the "kanji barrier" --part1_1f1.27f11970.2e53401d_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Get a Great Credit Card for You Today=20 You can find a credit card to fit your credit needs.=20=20 All types of credit cards -- 0% APRs, Rewards, & Bad Credit. http://click.topica.com/= caacvgua2i6YsbnuqMaa/411Web ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi, > But I have one nagging question about this kanji-iconic pieces debate. Wh= at=20 > happens when the non-kanji players have to go over to kanji? Does anyone= =20 > have experience with this? Do they find it easier to do once they know ho= w to=20 > play (and if so, why?)? Do they never make the switch?=20 When I first started playing shogi some 15-20 years ago, the biggest proble= m=20 was finding anyone to play. My first set was the old Games Gang set: pieces= =20 with letters and arrows, black on one side, red on the other, and a board w= ith=20 alternating dark and light squares and a solid red line to show promotion= =20 zones. My desire was to find a kanji set - took a while but did finally hap= pen.=20 Finally found opponents, too! It was probably easier to switch over at that= time=20 because I didn't have anyone to guide me in learning the kanji. I've done a lot of teaching over the years (not so much recently, though) a= nd=20 have found that most prefer the kanji. I've probably taught more kids than= =20 adults - my experience has been that kids like to learn with traditional se= ts.=20 Maybe it's because they learn something that few of their peers know, maybe= =20 because of the enthusiasm I show, maybe because they don't know that there = are=20 iconicized sets (because I don't show them or tell them!). I constantly poi= nt=20 out moves to them, describing piece movement rules, providing a card that s= hows=20 pieces and movement, and will start my bare king against their king and fou= r=20 generals. Fewer pieces to learn, they learn the two that are least like wes= tern=20 chess, and helps them see how they have to coordinate pieces in a mating= =20 attack without having to worry about a counter-attack. Adults are different, of course. Many will learn the kanji - and I generall= y=20 follow the same process as above. I've been to various get-togethers where = one=20 or two newcomers prefer the western set. That's fine - I'm happy to come to= =20 them where they're at in understanding and comfort level. I've even=20 occasionally played with parallel sets - where we're actually playing on th= e westernized=20 set while also moving the pieces on an adjacent Japanese set. As a rule, I'm a purist about most things - I'd rather play with a=20 traditional set. But I'm not going to deny someone a game simply because th= ey're more=20 comfortable with a western set. Sal Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Save up to 67% on Omaha Steaks + Get 6 FREE Burgers and a=20 FREE Cutlery Set + Cutting Board! http://click.topica.com/= caacvgpa2i6YsbnuqMaf/OmahaSteaks ------------------------------------------------------------------- --^---------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to: = shogi-l shogi net EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a2i6Ys.= bnuqMa.= c2hvZ2kt Or send an email to: shogi-unsubscribe topica com For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit: http://www.topica.com/?p=3DTEXFOOTER --^---------------------------------------------------------------- --part1_1f1.27f11970.2e53401d_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable = 
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Hi,

But I have one nagging questi= on about this kanji-iconic pieces debate. What happens when the non-kanji p= layers have to go over to kanji? Does anyone have experience with this? Do = they find it easier to do once they know how to play (and if so, why?)? Do = they never make the switch?


When I first started playing shogi some 15-20 years ago, the biggest proble= m was finding anyone to play. My first set was the old Games Gang set: piec= es with letters and arrows, black on one side, red on the other, and a boar= d with alternating dark and light squares and a solid red line to show prom= otion zones. My desire was to find a kanji set - took a while but did final= ly happen. Finally found opponents, too! It was probably easier to switch o= ver at that time because I didn't have anyone to guide me in learning the k= anji.

I've done a lot of teaching over the years (not so much recently, though) a= nd have found that most prefer the kanji. I've probably taught more kids th= an adults - my experience has been that kids like to learn with traditional= sets. Maybe it's because they learn something that few of their peers know= , maybe because of the enthusiasm I show, maybe because they don't know tha= t there are iconicized sets (because I don't show them or tell them!). I co= nstantly point out moves to them, describing piece movement rules, providin= g a card that shows pieces and movement, and will start my bare king agains= t their king and four generals. Fewer pieces to learn, they learn the two t= hat are least like western chess, and helps them see how they have to coord= inate pieces in a mating attack without having to worry about a counter-att= ack.

Adults are different, of course. Many will learn the kanji - and I generall= y follow the same process as above. I've been to various get-togethers wher= e one or two newcomers prefer the western set. That's fine - I'm happy to c= ome to them where they're at in understanding and comfort level. I've even = occasionally played with parallel sets - where we're actually playing on th= e westernized set while also moving the pieces on an adjacent Japanese set.=

As a rule, I'm a purist about most things - I'd rather play with a traditio= nal set. But I'm not going to deny someone a game simply because they're mo= re comfortable with a western set.

Sal= 
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