Basic shogi information in English available on Internet(2)

With this entry,  I am focusing on shogi technical volumes in English available on Internet.

<General>
Shogi Vault - Comprehensive Guide to Advanced Shogi - Very good to read the articles using many replayable or static board images. Highly recommended. (Missing)

HIDETCHI's video series - Lessons of How to play Shogi --- These are excellent video series available to watch on Youtube for novices/beginners.(added on October 25, 2008)

<Commentary/Annotated Games/Q&A>

HIDETCHI's Famous Shogi Games - HIDETCHI's showing many historic professional shogi games with annotations. (added on March 23 2009)

HIDETCHI's Shogi Exercise --- HIDETCHI is presenting many Shogi problems to you. Solve them and learn many tactics!(added on March 23 2009)

HIDETCHI's Shogi Openings --- HIDETCHI is explaining many Shogi Opening Strategies and the Jouseki (standard sequences) for them.(added on March 23 2009)

Site to help you get to the Kurnik rating of 1500 or more. - The reason for the autohr to have this site is to share some info on Shogi techniques so that you quickly "graduate" from the novice stage to more advanced stage. (added on December 7 2007)

Quest of the lost systems　- This is the translation of the book titled "Kieta Senpo no Nazo" by Takako Tombo Noda. The original book was written by Katsumata 5 dan and published in 1995 in Japan. According to Kisho Michelin(Japanese shogi book review site), the book has been ranked S(highest) and considered good for dan players.

Shogi kakugen - This is the translation of the book titled "Shogi Kakugen Mame Jiten" by Takako Tombo Noda. The original book was written by Urano 7 dan and published in 1999. According to Kisho Michelin, the book has been ranked S(highest) and considered good for beginners/intermediates.

How to defend in Shogi - This is a contents of Patrick Davin's Shogi Nexus and the translation of the book titled "Shogi no Ukekata" by Yoshinori Sawada, Randy Andrews and Patrick Davin. The original book was written by Great Oyama 15th permanent Meijin. and published in 1966. According to Kisho Michelin(Japanese site), the book has been ranked B? and considered good for intermediates/dan players. I am afraid Translation efforts seem suspended.

Yamajunn's Basic Shogi Opening - This is a shogi-lover's personal website with easy-to-read diagrams. It contains "Shogi Opening for Beginner", "Shogi Opening", "Opening moves index", "Kakoi" and "Opening Traps" I think it is good for beginners/intermediates. His new project started here named Wikishogi by yamajunn.(Wikishogi information was added on September 1 2008)

Joseki Essence by Yoshiharu Habu - This is the translation of the Japanese contents, provided by Habu with 4 crowns, by ISC members. It contains commentary on the three openings such as "Side Pawn openings - 33Keima(knight) tactics", "Exchange Bishop - Climbing Silver tactics" and "Yagura - 35pawn tactics, 37silver tactics & Morishita system". I think it's good for beginners/intermediates.

Better Moves for Better Shogi - This is the ISC's online effort of reprinting the book with the same title written by Aono 9 dan and translated by John Fairbairn. It was published in 1983. It's good for beginners/intermediates. Java-capable browser is required to read the contents.

Guide to Shogi Openings - This is another ISC's online effort of reprinting the book with the same title written by Aono 9 dan and translated by John Fairbairn. It was published in 1983. Java-capable browser is required to read the contents. You can learn the openings such as Primitive Climbing Silver, Wing attach reclining Silver, Side pawn 45Boshop tactics, Quick-Attack Line vs Ranging Rook, Yagura Basics 37 silver tactics and Yagura 37 knight tactics with answering a lot of problems. Java-capable browser is required to read the contents.

Tips by Yamato Takahashi - This is the ISC's translation of the articles in the weekly shogi paper, Shukan Shogi written by Yamato Takahashi ex-lady pro. You can learn a lot of tactful moves with answering the problems there. Java-capable browser is required to read the contents.

Professional Games with Comment - This is the Reijer Grimbergen's long-lasting effort of translating the commentaries of title matches published in the weekly shogi paper, Shukan Shogi into English. It is absolutely good for intermediates/dan players. ISPS is updating Opening strategy Index for you to get to a commentary with your favorite opening easily. 

Lightning Speed Endgame Technique - This is the ongoing translation of Tanigawa 9dan's book titled "Kosoku no Shuban Jutsu" by Richard Sams who is a professional Japanese - English translator and likes shogi. Tanigawa is very famous for his sharp approach to his opponent's King in the endgame and he has unveiled his secret how to play in the endgame in the book. According to Kisho Michelin, the book has been ranked S(highest) and considered good for dan players. I hope translation effort will be restarted.

Handicap Series by Larry Kaufman - Larry is Ama-5dan and won US championship many times. Now his articles from 6 piece handicap to Bishop handicap are available to read in English as well as French with easy-to-read diagrams. I think this is good for novices/beginners/intermediates.

Kifu by Opening Strategy - This blog is to help for English readers to utilize Kifu Database(棋譜でーたべーす）which is a Japanese website and contains lots of professional shogi gamerecords for learning and/or appreciating the art of shogi(shougi,Japanese chess). It's maintained by myself. Kifu-for-Java capable browser is needed to read the pages there.

<Mating (Tsume) problems>

HIDETCHI's Famous Mate Problems - .HIDETCHI is showing many brilliant classic mate problems with annotations.(added on March 23 2009)

Mating Problem - There are 17 basic mating problems which is very good for novices/beginners. In addition, 71 problems created by Tanigawa 9dan, one of the greatest pro players, are available.

Take & Drop - 3 move tsume practice - There are forty problems which are suitable for beginners. You will unconciously learn that you may drop a piece effectively soon after you take it through solving them. Repeating to solve them until you solves all of them without fail is recommended. (Added on February 2 2008).

Atamakin Tsume Practice - There are twenty-four problems to learn what Atamakin is. Atamakin is an tactical move of dropping a Gold ahead of the opponent's King in a mating situation.

Tsume Shogi World by All-or-Nothing - There are 16 practical problems. I think they are  good for dan/players.

Tsumeshogi Challenge Warmups - This is a content of Patrick Davin's Shogi Nexus. There are 40 problems. I think they are good for intermediates/dan players.

Tsumeshogi Challenge - This is also a Patrick Davin's Shogi Nexus. There are 80 problems, I think they are good for intermediate/dan players.

Try Tanagura Tsumeshogi/Shooting Star's Shower - Both pages are the contents of Kouhei's Tsume-Shogi Web. The former contains 20 tsume problems in the playable boards. You can select the piece you would like to move or drop by clicking it, and can move or drop it to your desirable square. Please give it a try. The latter is extraction from Kouhei's tsumeshogi book "Shooting Star's Shower" publihsed in 1990. If you are interested in the puzzling aspect of Tsumeshogi, this is the site for you.(revised on November 22, 2006)

Comments

[joel]

Hi there. I've been wanting to try to learn shogi for a while, but I don't really have money to justify buying a proper board and pieces, when i have very little time to spend on it. Thats why i was really chuffed when i found the print and play Western shogi set. Now all i need to give it a go is a friend willing to learn. Unfortunately i can see learning the kanji is going to pose a problem for me. My memory is absolutely rubbish, and while i might be able to memorize the layout, theres no way, i'll be able to able to remember which piece is which mid game, making planning ahead next to impossible. I might be able to convert some of the simpler shogi problems to solve, but..

Its really ashame that the language probably puts alot of people off. I feel like i'm being quite disrespectful as a result. Nonetheless, do you know of any resources on shogi tactics with western characters, or maybe chess style pieces?

[takodori]

>Joel

How about Shogi: Japan's Game of Strategy?
http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0804819033?showViewpoints=1

I think second-hand available to buy at amazon.com.