Chu Shogi

I recently discovered Chu Shogi, an ancient (1350 ad) Japanese Chess variant:

It features a very interesting piece, the Lion, which can make two King moves in one turn (possibly capturing two pieces at once). Of course the Japanese would play it with horrible pieces, all the same color and Chinese characters written on them, but the picture above shows a culture-free, highly mnemonic board representation. (Can you spot the Rooks? They are in front of the Bishops!)

The two back rows on either side are all new pieces? And 12x12? Looks like it's the most complicated game ever.

It can be worse...

I'll stick to chess 0_0

I believe the Japanese actually tend to write Japanese characters on their Shogi pieces. The Chinese characters tend to go on the Xiang-Qi pieces.

Well, I could not see the difference. Except that in Shogi they usually write two characters on each piece, and in Xiangqi only one. But the characters for Horse, Chariot etc. seem to be the same to my Western eye. There seems to be more difference between simplified and traditional Chinese. (The Xiangqi pieces use traditional script, even in mainland China.)

Anyone got a video of bullet Chu Shogi?

yes  me and friend played chu shogi bullet (2min) i won attack kingside with 20 peices

I equipped WinBoard with the capability for peer-to-peer connection over the internet (through an adapter, disguised as a normal Chess engine). So it is possible now to use it for playing such games as Chu or Tenjiku Shogi (and of course Chess and hosts of other Chess variants) by connecting directly to your opponent, without the need for any server.

As an exercise I tried to create some mate positions, and from this position black can give mate in 1 if it is black's move, but white can give mate in 1 if it is white's move

http://scrybqj.com/images_diversen/chu_shogi_mate1_both_01.jpg

Also, I've created some open invitations for this game here:

http://play.chessvariants.com/pbmlogs/index.php?age=0&stat=open

Here a position where it should be mate in 2 for white in case of white's move, but mate in 2 for black in case of black's move. Note: I'm assuming that the promotion area consists of 3 rows.

http://scrybqj.com/images_diversen/chu_shogi_mate2_both_01.jpg

This is getting a bit tough for myself, but I just think that black can get the enemy Lion in very big trouble here. (Position is shown from black.)

http://scrybqj.com/images_diversen/chu_shogi_catchlion_01.jpg

In Chu Shogi, a prince counts as a second king that must be captured along with the king.

Black can mate win both the white king and white prince in one move, which wins the game.

http://scrybqj.com/images_diversen/chu_shogi_mate_king_prince_both_01.jpg

I don't get it. Does have white a King, Prince and Elephant there?

The red-colored one on the left is actually a promoted GoBetween. And I need to correct this last exercise as white actually does have a way to save either his king or his prince.

 OK, I see. I suppose he attacks the checking +R with the +F.

After Rx32+,  +DK could move to 33 threatening to take the promoted rook on 32 but also allowing BT36. I must still find something about this option.

OK I replaced the +DK with a rook and GB, now it should work.

 And what if white plays +FL 65 ?

Btw, I imagine that it would be considered bad form to put GB in unreachable locations.

It's harder than I thought