Fencer: The gnushogi site has decent references for the eight piece handicap. I don't think it would hurt to have it as an option; I could certainly make use of being offered it.

flummoxed: Thank you. As I can see, there is this set of handicaps:

1. Six Piece Handicap - White removes rook, bishop, both lances, and both knights.
2. Five Piece Handicap - White removes rook, bishop, both lances, and either knight.
3. Four Piece Handicap - White removes rook, bishop, and both lances.
4. Two Piece Handicap - White removes rook and bishop.
5. Rook and Lance Handicap - White removes rook and his left lance.
6. Rook Handicap - White removes his rook.
7. Bishop Handicap - White removes his bishop.
8. Lance Handicap - White removes his left lance.

The gnushogi site describes an eight-piece handicap too. Should it be added to the list?

Fencer: Thank you for introducing Go to BrainKing.

Here is some information on the Shogi handicap system:

http://eric.macshogi.com/shogi/handicap/handicap-intro.html
http://eric.macshogi.com/shogi/handicap/handicap.html
http://www.cs.caltech.edu/~mvanier/hacking/gnushogi/gnushogi_13.html

takodori: It shouldn't be a problem (handicaps). But I don't know how the Shogi handicap system works.

Together with Igo release in Brainking(http://brainking.com/en/News), the colors of players has switched each other in Shogi, i.e. Black for Sente(the first mover) and White for Gote(the second mover). They used to be reversed here.

I would like to say thank you to Fencer for doing a good job as always. And I hope the handicapped game feature will be added to shogi shortly.

Dear Shogi players,
As you may already know, the European Shogi Championship / World Open Shogi Championship will take place in France, at Colmar from the 6th to the 9th of July 2006.
On the 6th of July evening, we'll start the event with a blitz tournament.
On Friday 7th, the "real" tournament will start on the morning but it will be possible to get in in round 1,2,3 and 4 so that players only available on Friday evening can come too.
All kind of level will be present and we think to reward players of different category with cups and small prizes.
In paralell of this event some exhibitions and paralell events (like a human shogi) will be organized to make Shogi better known.
Don't miss this event and take profit of the special registration price by registering online before the 1st May 2006!
All details are here in english and french: http://esc2006.free.fr

Fabien <at> shogi.fr

takodori: I sent screenshot on yours e-mail.

YuryShpilev: Thanks for input. It seems like that I have to admit the problem is common to the people outside Japan. If possible, can you email me the screenshot of the moves in left side board? I will inform asahi.com of the problem. It will be helpful to explain the problem to them better.

takodori: I can't see moves in Japanese in left side board. There can be this and it is the reason for the fact that flash-program does not reflect motions on the board.

takodori: I can get the page to show up ok. I see the board, BUT when I try to get the pieces to move along the board nothing happens. I have flash player so I dont think that is the problem.

It requirs for Flash Player to be installed onto your PC before viewing the board. I don't think Flash Player has a Japanese specific version. Just now I uninstalled my Flash Player from my PC and installed it through the following page; http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash&P5_Language=English
Then the page showed up without fail again. My PC uses XP and IE6.

I've never been able to play any of the games from the asahi site... I wonder if it requires the Japanese version of Flash

DragonKing: I tried to play it too, with no success. I'm just not Japanese.

YuryShpilev: Is anyone else having trouble replaying that game? I can get the site to come up- but I can't get the pieces to move across the board. Thank you for telling me who won.

Habu won.

Fujii 9 dan challenges Asahi Habu in the 3 wins match. The 1st game started.
As a result of Furigoma, Habu made a first move(lower side of the board
diagram). Each player has 3 hours as thinking time. You can watch and replay
the game at
http://www.asahi.com/shougi/kifu24/s060404.html

Have fun.

If you are interested, please refer to šógi at
http://www.hrejsi.cz/sogi/index.htm

If you are interested in US shogi championship to be held in Washington DC on April 1-2, please refer to the following announcements.
http://lists.topica.com/lists/shogi/read/message.html?mid=811886420&sort=d&start=1305
http://lists.topica.com/lists/shogi/read/message.html?mid=811894601&sort=d&start=1330
http://lists.topica.com/lists/shogi/read/message.html?mid=811959456&sort=d&start=1355

The following sites are good shogi sites in French. I appreciate your input about leaks in my list.
http://shogifrance.fr-bb.com/index.forum (Forum Shôgi France)
http://shogi.alsace.free.fr/ (Association Shogi d'Alsace)
http://forumjapon.free.fr/shogi.paris/ (Shogi Paris)
http://eric.macshogi.com/ (Eric's shogi page)
http://mapage.noos.fr/shogi/ (Florian's shogi page)
http://www.shogi.fr/ (Shogi France)

Nico: Hello. Here is my answer.
http://www.thaibg.com/SGOnline/ (in Thai)
http://game.www.infoseek.co.jp/ (in Japanese)
http://www.hangame.co.jp/ ( - ditto - )
http://game.livedoor.com/ ( - ditto - )
http://internet3.shogidojo.net/kinsho/dojo.htm (in Japanese, licensed by SC24)
http://taisen.mycom.co.jp/taisen/ (in Japanse, pay service)
http://www.nsn.co.jp/(in Japanse, pay service)

And I heard Yahoo HK has it on service.

DragonKing: Thanks for your response. I'm not at home with chushogi. So please contact the people in GCSA.

bengood24: Hello. Nice to hear you started learning shogi.
How about the section of 'Some Opening strategy' in Basic Rules of Shogi or Japanese chess by Sam Sloan at http://www.shamema.com/shogi.htm ? although I do not upload the site to my blog since the page is with music! So don't see it in your workplace which might surprise your colleague if any.

I'm compiling a list of all the online shogi sites in realtime, so far I only know of:

-shogidojo
-kurnik
-yahoo! japan
-yahoo! america
-javashogi

Anyone feel like contributing more sites to my list?

bengood24: I would recommend shogi.net and if you want to learn about handicap Shogi, Google "Handicap Shogi by Larry Kaufman." I hope this helps.

takodori: Thank you for the information about the Chu shogi site. I think the large variations of Shogi are very interesting. I have a question about handicaps though- What exactly is a "3 Lions" handicap? All the rest I understand. Thank you!

YuryShpilev: I did find some good links from your site, but I don't speak Russian :) Thanks.

bengood24: See http://shogi.ru/ - shogi books and articles in Russian!

Hello everyone, I've just started playing shogi mainly because of this site. I have been watching takodori's page and I have played some on shogidojo and kurnik.org. I've also looked at the webpage with openings for beginners and the Reijer Grimbergen page with professional games.

It seems that there isn't much online info for English-speaking players. Can anyone suggest some places to look for some more beginner info?
Thanks

Black Forest Shogi Workshop will be held on Oct. 6(Fri.) through 8(Sun.) in Germany. Beginners will be welcomed. I think there are many European(especially Czech) players here. It will be a good opportunity to learn shogi more and meet friends through shogi. For more information, please look at
Annoucement in English:http://shogi.alsace.free.fr/files/invitat
ion_engPDF.pdf
Announcement in German:http://shogi.alsace.free.fr/files/einladun
g_deutPDF.pdf

the German Chu Shogi Association (GCSA), founded in this January, renewed its website recently. If you are interested in Chu shogi, pleased refer to
http://www.chushogi.de/ (The contents are mainly written in English.)

May 20-21, the Austrian Shogi Open 2006 will be held in Graz, Austria. There will be 5 rounds swiss system tournament. If you are interested, please refer to the followings;

http://www.shogi.at/7ShogiMeisterschaft.html (Announcement in German)

http://forum.shogishop.de/viewtopic.php?t=106&sid=4403ee602b... (Announcement in English)

takodori: Thank you! That is great news! I think Moriuchi is in fine form to defend his Meijin title. What is your opinion? Has a contender been decided yet to play against him for that title? Thanks again!

DragonKing: Moriuchi did. He took Kio title from Habu.

takodori: Would you please tell me who won?

You can watch and replay the game at
http://www.hokkoku.co.jp/syougi/

takodori: Thanks all for the links.

Nasmichael: There have been lot of title match games between Habu and Moriuchi which are available to replay on the Net with comments. Please refer to Reijer's page at http://gamelab.yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp/SHOGI/kifumain.html if you are interested.

DragonKing: Thanks for referring to my blog. It can be found at
http://shogi.typepad.jp/eweblog/

Or you can go there through my profile page in Brainking.com

Nasmichael: I don't know how to give you a link- I have it in my favorites- but if you type "Takodori's Entrance to Shogi World" in Google you will find it. Hope that works! It's a great site to keep up with pro shogi.

DragonKing: Would you pm me the link to Takodori's blog? I would like to see the gamescores for the Habu-Moriuchi match.

ughaibu: Thank you. I had a chance to see the analysis of this game on Takodori's blog. (And "Thanks" to him for all the work he does!) What an interesting final position. Habu's King has wandered almost to the top of the board- but is safe. While Moriuchi has a Rook, Gold, Silver, Lance, 2 Knights and 3 Pawns in hand- but he can't avoid checkmate in no less than 8 different variations! I love it when Habu and Moriuchi play! The next game is scheduled for March 3rd. I can't wait to see how this plays out.

2-1 to Habu.

Does anyone know who won the third Kio between Habu and Moriuchi that was played today? I've seen a link to the game- but I don't read Japanese so I'm not sure who played black or what the outcome was. (I'm hoping that Moriuchi won in a sweep as great preparation to defend his Meijin title!)

playBunny: Thanks very much - I'll keep in touch.

playBunny: Thanks for your reply, Here is the url relevent to my query The game

[Edit: To fix the link, which was broken by a BK message formatting bug]

Shogi Face-Off
Single Elimination for 8 people

playBunny: Thanks, I thought this might be the case. How do you put a game reference?

flummoxed: Thanks alot flummoxed. Does anyone know why a player keeps on accumulating more time, after, their allowed time is run out? Even after 1 weekend?

much appreciated Eriisa.

tim steggall: Tim, here's the FAQ entry on getting a BKR rating: http://brainking.com/en/FAQ?ht=4