Shogi (Japanese Chess)
The Japanese game of chess featuring piece drops and promotion zones.
Board and Drops
Shogi is played on a 9×9 uncheckered board. Sente (Black) moves first.
- Captured Pieces (Drops): Captured pieces enter your hand and can be dropped back onto any empty square as your own piece.
- Drop Restrictions:
- Nifu (Two Pawns): You cannot drop a pawn onto a file that already contains one of your unpromoted pawns.
- Uchifuzume (Pawn Drop Mate): A pawn cannot be dropped to deliver checkmate immediately.
- No Moves Left: A piece cannot be moved or dropped onto a square where it would have no legal moves (pawn/lance on the last rank, knight on the last two).
Promotion and Impasse
- Promotion Zone: The opponent's three home ranks constitute the promotion zone. Moving into, out of, or within this zone allows promotion.
- Sennichite (Repetition): Fourfold repetition of the same board state and hand is a draw, unless one player checked every turn, in which case the checker loses.
- Impasse: The 27-point declaration rule applies when both kings invade opponent territory.