What is Shogi?
Q: What is Shogi?
A: Shogi (将棋, shōgi, generals' chess) is a two-player board game also known as Japanese chess. It is in the same family as International chess and Chinese Xiangqi.
Q: What does "Shōgi" mean?
A: Shōgi means general's (shō) boardgame (gi).
Q: Where did the game originate from?
A: The earliest predecessors of the game, chaturanga, originated in India in the 6th century AD and spread from China to Japan where it spawned a number of variants.
Q: When was Shogi first played?
A: Shogi in its present form was played as early as the 16th century, while a direct ancestor without the "drop rule" was recorded from 1210 in a historical document Nichūreki.
Q: What makes Shogi so popular?
A: According to ChessVariants.com, one reason for its enduring popularity may be attributed to its 'drop rule', which allows captured pieces to be returned to the board and used by either player. This has resulted in fewer games being drawn compared with international chess.
Q: Who is credited with introducing this drop rule?
A: David Pritchard credits this drop rule to 16th century mercenaries (ronin) who switched loyalties when captured - likely an alternative to execution.
