Sho-Chan Shogi (6x5) - How to play

5 4 3 2 1

White s g k g s a

b

p p p c

P P P d

e

Black S G K G S f

5 4 3 2 1

Introduction:

2 players make alternate moves on a 6x5 board attempting to capture their opponent's King.
Black moves first.
The 1 rank (row) furthest from each player is their "promotion zone".
Each player has 8 pieces in an even game and the pieces can be distinguished by the Black piece names being in upper-case and the White piece names in lower-case.

The King (K) can move to any adjacent space on a rank, file (column) or diagonal.
The Gold General (G) is similar to the King, except it cannot move diagonally backwards.
The Silver General (S) is also similar to the King, except it cannot move backwards on a file or sideways on a rank.
The Pawn (P) can move 1 space forwards on a file.
The Pawn can only move forwards.

When pieces move partly or completely in their promotion zone they may or may not be promoted. Normally the piece name is prefixed by a "+".
The promoted Pawn (+P) moves like a Gold.
The Silver, Gold and King cannot be promoted.
When a piece has been promoted, it stays promoted unless that piece is captured, in which case it reverts to its unpromoted state.
Pawn reaching the last rank MUST be promoted, otherwise they could not make any more legal moves.

A piece moves onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece and that piece is removed. The piece is placed in a storage area, "in hand".

A piece "in hand" may be used and dropped at any vacant space on the board instead of making a move, but please note that pieces are dropped in an unpromoted state, and MUST be able to make a legal move.
Also a Pawn cannot be dropped on a file where there is an existing unpromoted Pawn, and a Pawn cannot Checkmate by a DROP.

The object of the game is to capture the opponent's King.
When a King cannot avoid being captured, it is said to be "Checkmated" and the game is over.
No stalemate can occur as it is legal for the King to move into "Check" (the King may be captured).
Agreed draws are not allowed.
Once a sequence of moves has been repeated 3 times, the next player to move MUST break this sequence.

An illegal move results in the loss of the game, no matter when the illegal move has been discovered.

When writing game scores the following notation is recommended:

eg.

S-3e : move Silver to file 3 and rank e.
Gx5a : capture piece on file 5 and rank a with Gold.
P-2a+ : move Pawn to file 2 and rank a, and promote it.
P*5e : drop Pawn on file 5 and rank e.
+P-4c : move promoted Pawn to file 4 and rank c.
G5a-4b : move Gold to file 4 and rank b from file 5 and rank a (to avoid ambiguity!).

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(since 23rd June 1997)