Shoko Shogi
Shoko Shogi (小鉤将棋 shōkō shōgi, "small hook shogi") is inspired by Hook Shogi, which is probably one of the wildest games I have ever conceived. Hook Shogi can be a bit intimidating, though, with 78 pieces of 36 types on a 16x16 board. Shoko Shogi is an attempt to shrink Hook Shogi to a smaller game, with only 54 pieces of 31 types on a 13x13 board, without losing much of the original flavor of the original game.
Setup
TBCL
Pieces
The move of pieces from the initial setup is already given in Betza notation above, and should also be clear from the mnemonic piece glyphs in the diagram. Some pieces that move in special ways are discussed below.
Hook Mover
The Hook Mover is a Rook that can (but does not have to) make one 90-degree turn in its path. Like any slider, it has to stop at the point where it captures, and the (bent) path it moves along must be empty up to that point.
It cannot capture a Hook Mover or Tengu.
Tengu
The Tengu is a Bishop that can (but does not have to) make one 90-degree turn in its path. Like any slider, it has to stop at the point where it captures, and the (bent) path it moves along must be empty up to that point. In addition, it can move one square orthogonally.
It cannot capture a Hook Mover or Tengu.
Lion, Lion Hawk, and Divine Spirit
The Lion, Lion Hawk, and Divine Spirit are double movers: they can make up to 2 King steps per turn, changing direction between them, even when this returns them to their starting square. They can make the first step as a jump, when they choose to do so. So each of them can:
- Jump directly to any square in the 5x5 area surrounding it,
- Annihilate any opponent standing next to it, without moving (formally one step, and then a step back),
- Annihilate any opponent standing next to it, moving on to an empty square next to that ('hit and run'),
- Annihilate any opponent standing next to it, and normally capture an opponent standing next to that ('double capture'),
- Stay in place without capturing anything if one of the neighboring squares is empty (effectively passing a turn)
The Lion Hawk and Divine Spirit can in addition move as a normal Bishop and Queen, respectively.
Lion Dog, Great Elephant, and Teaching King
The Lion Dog, Great Elephant, and Teaching King can make up to three steps along any ray passing through it. It can return to, but not overshoot its starting square. Each of the steps can be a move, a capture or a hop, with the exception that it cannot hop back to its starting square. So it can:
So it can:
- move and capture as King, optionally taking out an enemy on the second square (2 steps out, 1 in, or jump 2 out, 1 step in)
- move or capture to the second square on any ray, optionally taking out an enemy on the square it passes over in the process
- move or capture to the third square on any ray, optionally taking out any enemies on the squares it passes over in the process
- capture a piece adjacent to it without moving
- pass a turn if there is an empty square next to it
The Great Elephant and Teaching King can in addition move as a normal Lion and Queen, respectively.
Free Eagle
The Free Eagle can move as a Queen, but as an alternative can make two diagonal steps, in independently chosen directions, even when this makes it return to its starting square. It can make the first step as jump, when it chooses to do so. So it can:
- Jump directly to the second square in any direction,
- Annihilate any opponent standing diagonally next to it, without moving (formally one step, and then a step back),
- Annihilate any opponent standing diagonally next to it, moving on to an empty square diagonally next to that ('hit and run'),
- Annihilate any opponent standing diagonally next to it, and normally capture an opponent standing diagonally next to that ('double capture'),
- Stay in place without capturing anything if one of the diagonally neighboring squares is empty (effectively passing a turn)
In other words, the Free Eagle is a Queen enhanced by the diagonal moves of a Lion.
Great Eagle and Great Falcon
The Great Eagle and Great Falcon move as Queen, and can jump to the second or third square before sliding in the same direction, except that in some directions they do not slide or jump and slide, but have a 'stinging' move, which can:
- move and capture on the first square, optionally taking out an enemy on the second square (2 steps out, 1 in, or jump 2 out, 1 step in)
- move or capture to the second square, optionally taking out an enemy on the square it passes over in the process
- move or capture to the third square, optionally taking out any enemies on the squares it passes over in the process
- capture a piece on the first square to it without moving
- pass a turn if the first square is empty
They can do any of this while capturing an opponent on the final square, or when moving to an empty square. The Great Falcon does this only straight forward, and the Great Eagle in the two diagonally forward directions.
Soaring Eagle and Horned Falcon
The Soaring Eagle and Horned Falcon move as Queen, except that in some directions they do not slide, but have a 'stinging' move, which can:
- Move to the first or jump to the second square,
- Jump to the second square, annihilating an opponent on the first square,
- Annihilate an opponent on the first square without moving (formally one step, and then a step back),
- When the first square is empty, move there and step back (effectively passing the turn).
They can do any of this while capturing an opponent on the final square, or when moving to an empty square. The Horned Falcon does this only straight forward, and the Soaring Eagle in the two diagonally forward directions.
Violent Falcon and Fierce Eagle
The Violent Falcon and Fierce Eagle move as Bishop and Rook, respectively. In addition, they can make a (1,2) leap in any direction.
Vertical Chariot
The Vertical Chariot slide vertically. In addition, they can step one square diagonally.
Free Wolf
The Free Wolf can slide sideways or move one square in any direction.
Lance
The Lance, in addition to sliding directly forward, can slide up to two squares directly backward.
Roaring Dog
The Roaring Dog can step one square in any direction. In addition, it can jump to the second square in any direction before optionally stepping one square in the same direction.
Poisonous Snake
The Poisonous Snake can step up to two square orthogonally, or one square diagonally forward.
Old Kite
The Old Kite can step up to two square diagonally, or one square sideways.
Flying Horse and Flying Dragon
The Flying Horse and Flying Dragon move up to two squares diagonally and orthogonally, respectively.
Tile General
The Tile General can step one square in any forward direction.
Pawn
The Pawn occurs in its Shogi form, moving as well as capturing one square directly forward.
Rules
TBCL
Notes
TBCL
This 'user submitted' page is a collaboration between the posting user and the Chess Variant Pages. Registered contributors to the Chess Variant Pages have the ability to post their own works, subject to review and editing by the Chess Variant Pages Editorial Staff.
By A. M. DeWitt.
Last revised by A. M. DeWitt.
Web page created: 2023-02-18. Web page last updated: 2023-04-22