Takodori's Entrance to Shogi World

HIDETCHI released a video about "Let's Catch the Lion(Dobutsu Shogi)"

HIDETCHI just released a video about "Let's Catch the Lion(Dobutsu Shogi).

YouTube: Shogi Topics: Animal Shogi - どうぶつしょうぎ ("Let's catch the lion!")

A new shogi vatriant without Kanji pieces - Let's Catch the Lion(Dobutsu Shogi, Animal Shogi)

Dobutsu Shogi is a new shogi variant. The rules has been invented by Kitao Madoka(Joryu Shodan) and the design has been done by Fujita Maiko(Joryu 1 kyu). It's started to be sold in Japan since last year and the mass production version has started to be sold since this September. Briefly, it a simple version of Shogi. Both sides have four seperate pieces and captured pieces can be reused like shogi. The board has 3x4 squares. It's easy to remember the rules but I hear there are possible 200 million positions.

It will be demonstrate for the first time to the foreign markets at the opportunity of Essen Spiele. But I was told there is alreday a video review about it in English. Here is the link of it.

YouTube: Let's Catch the Lion Review

And here is the link to the review thread of "Let's Catch the Lion" on boardgamegeek.

[Video Review] Let's Catch the Lion! | Let's Catch the Lion! | BoardGameGeek

It seems it'll be available to buy it online at FunagainGames.

Funagain Games: Let's Catch the Lion! (Shogi for kids)

I hope this will be an entry game for childrens so that they will get interested in Shogi with growing up. And it's fun for adults as well.

Bishop exchange up to the 10th move is increasing significantly

According to Katsumata Kiyokazu(6 dan) in latest Shogi Sekai which is a monthly magazine, the rate that Bishop exchange occurs up to the 10th move comparing between 1998 and 2008 is as below;

1998 --- 62/2238 games(2.7%)
2008 --- 545/2379games(22.9%)

As you see above, the openings with Bishop trade at the early stage increased significantly. I guess this has been caused by the increase of Gote's adoptation of Itteson Kakugawari(Bishop exchange losing a tempo) and Gokigen Nakabisha(Gokigen Central Rook)

As to Gokigen Nakabisha, HIDETCHI already started making several videos linked below;

YouTube - Shogi Openings: Gokigen Central Rook #1
YouTube - Shogi Openings: Gokigen Central Rook #2 (G(R)-5h variation)

And HIDETCHI is also started making videos of Bishop Exchange. I hope Itteson Kakugawari will be covered in his videos in the near future.

YouTube - Shogi Openings: Bishop Exchange #1
YouTube - Shogi Openings: Bishop Exchange #2

I highly recommend you to be a subscriber of HIDETCHI's Channel on YouTube if you are not yet. The number of the subscribers has already exceeded 1000. In order to do that, go to the link and click the Subscribe button you can find in the page like below.

Subtitles Project for "How to play Shogi"

HIDETCHI-san posted how to proceed the Subtitles Project for "How to play Shogi".

<<< Subtitles Project for "How to play Shogi" >>>

In order to promote shogi more to the world, I'm working on making subtitles for my "How to play Shogi" series, as to which, I would like to ask you for your cooperation. If you can translate my English subtitles into any other language, please help me by doing that. :-)

Here's how it works:

1. Check the table here to see which subtitles are not available yet....

There are several volunteers who have raised their hands for the translation into Polish, Chinese, Spanish, Italian and Poruguese, but I think more people will be preferable to take part. I wish I could join but the linguistic requirement is beyond my ability. If you are of ability and interested, please click the link above to read the project in details.

Hirohiigo released two new videos on YouTube

Hirohiigo, who is the author of Louisiana-shogi and a co-founder of the 81 Square Universe, released the following videos on YouTube. I would recommend you to subscribe to his channel if you have an YouTube account since he has been and will be releasing videos of Shogi proverbs and so on.

YouTube: How to import PlayOK games into BCMShogi

YouTube: Shogi Forum: The 81 Square Universe

Video about a trun-based shogi server

One of my Swedish friends has uploaded his video about the turn-based shogi playing server he has developed on YouTube. Here is the link to it.

YouTube: shogi intoduction

Top Menu of HIDETCHI's Shogi Videos has been released

September 5 2008 is the date when HIDETCHI has released his first Shogi Video. He has made Top Menu video which will let you navigate all his videos more easily on the anniversary. Happy anniversary, HIDETCHI!!

YouTube: Top menu of HIDETCHI's Shogi(将棋) Videos

Shogi Kakugen(Proverb) video #2

Hirohiigo released the video #2 - "Don't put your King and Rook close together."

YouTube: Shogi Proverbs #2: Don't put your King and Rook close together

Shogi Kakugen(Proverb) video

Today I found the following video has been uploaded on YouTube. It's produced by Hirohiigo who is the site owner of Louisiana Shogi utilizing Shogi Kakugen translated by Takako Noda.

YouTube: Shogi Proverbs #1: Avoid a Sitting King

It explains a pitfall which almost every experienced player used to fall into when he/she was a beginner.

5 videos of Shotest Shogi vs Kakinoki Shogi for iPhone uploaded on YouTub e by AoiFurisode

I found the following 5 videos uploaded by AoiFurisode recently.

Other than Shotest Shogi on Xbox 360, I play Kakinoki Shogi on my Iphone during work. However, during all of this time, I always wondered why I get slaughtered so bad in Kakinoki Shogi so I did a little test. I put both games on defaults (Kakinoki difficulty 3 and Shotest on Easy) and have them fight it out. Sente is Kakinoki and Gote is Shotest.

1. Kakinoki vs Shotest: Part 1
2. Kakinoki vs Shotest: Part 2
3. Kakinoki vs Shotest Part 3
4. Kakinoki vs Shotest: Part 4
5. Kakinoki vs Shotest: Part 5