Tori-Shogi (7x7) - How to play

Introduction:

• 2 players make alternate moves on a 7x7 board attempting to capture their opponent's Phoenix.
• Black moves first.
• The 2 ranks (rows) furthest from each player are their "promotion zone".
• Each player has 16 pieces in an even game and the pieces can be distinguished by the Black piece names including an upper-case character and White piece names being completely lower-case.

Moves:

• The Phoenix (Ph) can move to any adjacent space on a rank, file (column) or diagonal.
• The Falcon (Fa) is similar to the Phoenix, except it cannot move backwards on a file.
• The Crane (Cr) is similar to the Phoenix, except it cannot move sideways on a rank.
• The Swallow (Sw) can move 1 space forwards on a file.
• The Pheasant (Pt) can move 1 spaces diagonally backwards, or jump 2 spaces forward on a file.
• The left Quail (QL) can move any number of spaces forwards on a file, any number of spaces diagonally right backwards, or 1 space diagonally left backwards.
• The right Quail (QR) can move any number of spaces forwards on a file, any number of spaces diagonally left backwards, or 1 space diagonally right backwards.
• The left and right Quails can move any number of spaces in the directions indicated, but may not jump over a piece.
• The Swallow can only move forwards.
• The Pheasant can jump over a piece to move forwards.

Promotion:

• When pieces move partly or completely in their promotion zone they are promoted.
• The promoted Pawn, or Goose, (Go) can jump 2 spaces diagonally forwards left or right, or jump 2 spaces backwards on a file.
• The promoted Falcon, or Eagle, (Eg) can move any number of squares diagonally forwards left or right, move any number of squares backwards on a file, move 1 or 2 spaces diagonally backwards, 1 space forwards on a file, or 1 space left or right sideways.
• The Phoenix, Crane, Pheasant, and both Quails 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.

Capture:

• 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".

Drops:

• 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 Swallow cannot be dropped on a file where there are 2 existing unpromoted Swallows, and a Swallow cannot Checkmate by a DROP.

Object of the game:

• The object of the game is to capture the opponent's Phoenix.
• When a Phoenix 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 Phoenix to move into "Check" (the Phoenix 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.

Illegal moves:

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

Notation:

When writing game scores the following notation is recommended:

• Sw : Swallow.
• Fa : Falcon.
• Cr : Crane.
• Pt : Pheasant.
• Ph : Phoenix.
• Go : Goose (promoted Swallow).
• Eg : Eagle (promoted Falcon).
• QL (or Q if not ambiguous) : left Quail
• QR (or Q if not ambiguous) : right Quail
• - : move.
• x : capture.
• * : drop.
• + after move : promotion.

eg.

• Sw-3e : move Swallow to file 3 and rank e.
• Gox5g : capture piece on file 5 and rank g with Goose.
• Fa-2b+ : move Falcon to file 2 and rank b, and promote it.
• QL*5e : drop left Quail on file 5 and rank e.
• Cr5b-6c : move Crane to file 6 and rank c from file 5 and rank b (to avoid ambiguity!).

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(since 23rd June 1997)

Email: Postal Shogi League <psl@hollandnumerics.demon.co.uk>