Talk:Sannin shogi

Discussion
The Chessvariants site offers jpegs of a very well-written Shogi Magazine article, which I can't really improve on. (Perhaps we could use the term 'cell' instead of 'hexagon', and 'rows' & 'radians' for the two types of movement direction?)
 * [No, they match the definition of 'orthogonal' (at right angles to the face of a polygon) and 'diagonal' (through a vertex of a polygon).]

Since there is no digitized text to copy or search, I repeat here a copy of the magazine article, with explanations in place of the diagrams:

Shogi Magazine article
Kokusai Sannin Shogi

International three-handed shogi. This game was invented around 1930 by Tanigasaki Jisuke.

Though long forgotten, to the extent that no-one now knows for certain what the true meanings of some of the piece names are, it has recently been revived.

PLAYERS This game begins with three players who each sit at one side of a roughly triangular board. The three opponents, representing three separate countries, are called First, Middle, and Last.

If each player chooses to play separately they can decide who will be First, Middle and Last by any random method, but if two players choose to start the game as allies the other player automatically becomes First. Middle and Last are then decided at random.

Allied or not each player makes one move at a time starting with First then passing clockwise to Middle then to Last.

BOARD The board is a roughly triangular plain grid of 127 hexagons, as shown below with the pieces in their initial positions. The three rows of hexagons nearest to each player (i.e. those three rows they occupy at the start of the game) form their respective territories, but these territories are also promotion zones for both opponents.

The central hexagon, specially marked, is known as the Pleasure Garden.


 * [illustration of board. 7 hexagons per side, numbered 1-7 along the top (opposide Middle), 7-13 along the upper left (home to Last), a-g along the upper right (home to First), and g-m along the right sides of the hexagons of the lower right (opposite Last). Rank one has the generals and lances surrounding the King; rank two has the Bishop and Rook; rank three has the pawns and Knight; rank four is empty; rank five enters into the corners of enemy territory, and rank seven contains the central Pleasure Garden.]

[pn][pn][pn][pn][Kt][pn][pn][pn][pn] [ ][Bp][  ][  ][  ][  ][Rk][  ] [La][Si][Go][*K][Go][Si][La] Board and initial set-up for three-handed Shogi

PIECES Each player has 18 pices set up as below, these symbolizing in the original version: Public Opinion (1), Diplomacy (1), Military Preparation and Education (1), Financial Influence (2), Customs (1), Industry and Trade (2), Propaganda (2), and Colonists (or Pioneers) (8). These represent what the inventor of the game regarded as the significant elements of international relations at the time.

The pieces are of exactly the same type as in ordinary shogi, that is identically coloured, pointed wedges with the name written on the top and the promotion (if any) underneath.

Each player's pieces point away from him and towards the gap between the two opponents. Each piece can move in accordance with its power of move to a vacant hexagon or to a hexagon occupied by an enemy piece, but in this case enemy piece refers to a piece belonging to either opponent whether or not he is an ally.

Since, from their moves, the pieces are clearly meant to correspond to normal Shogi pieces, it is far easier to use pieces from ordinary Shogi sets and the explanation below will assume that is being done.

The pieces are step-movers (can move one step to the circled hexagons) or ranging pieces (can move any unobstructed number of hexagons in one of the straight lines marked by an arrow). Except for the King when it is castling, no piece can jump in this game.


 * King (Public Opinion): [step all 6 adjacent cells]
 * Rook (Military training): [range 4 forward & side rows; and 1 backward radian (directly backward along the line)]
 * Bishop (Diplomacy): [range all 6 radians]
 * Gold (Financial influence): [step 4 adjacent forward & side cells; 'skip' to 2 forward or backward radial cells (to next cell along the lines)]
 * Silver (Industry & Trade): [step 4 adjacent forward & backward cells; 'skip' to 2 forward diagonal radial cells]
 * Knight (Customs): [step 2 adjacent side cells; 'skip' to 4 diagonal radial cells]
 * Lance (Propaganda): [range 2 forward rows]
 * Pawn (Pioneer): [step 2 forward cells]

Note that some of the pieces move through lines to get to an adjacent hexagon [not truly adjacent! this is what I'm calling a radial direction rather than a row. -K]. They can thus pass between two pieces on the hexagons at each side. This is not classed as jumping.

In addition to its ordinary move shown above, the King can, on its first move only and provided that it is not in check or has not previously been in check, move to any hexagon inside its own territory that is either vacant or occupied by an enemy piece (which is thus captured). For this "castling" move alone jumping is allowed.

As soon as an alliance is formed all Kings that have not already exercised the right to this special move lose the option so to do.

PROMOTION Whenever a promotable piece makes a move wholly or partly within either of the opposing territories (promotion zones) it has the option of promoting. If it does not promote it can again earn promotion at any time later by the same process. Pawns or Lances that reach the last rank and so run out of legal moves must promote. Promotion is shown by turning the piece over upon completion of its promoting move and it stays promoted unless captured. This is all similar to ordinary Shogi but there is an additional way of promoting: any promotable piece that moves into or out of the Pleasure Garden (the central hexagon) -- passing through does not count -- can promote.

The Gold and Knight cannot promote; their reverse sides are blank.

Note: it is believed that the shape of the original board was:
 * [three rectangular territories on each side of a triangle, so that it looks like it could fold up into a topless box]

The promoted Pawn (+P; a Dollar in the original version) moves exactly and only like a Gold.

The promoted Silver (+S; Treasure) adds the power to range forward and back:
 * [steps 4 adjacent cells, 'skips' along 2 radians, ranges forward & back radians]

The promoted Lance (+L; Transformation) adds the pwer to range back in two directions:
 * [that is, symmetrical with the unpromoted move: range 4 forward & back rows]

The promoted Bishop (+B; Witchcraft) adds stop moves:
 * [that is, = B + K]

The promoted Rook (+R; Heroism) alters its backward ranging powers:
 * [now ranges all 6 rows]

The promoted King (+K; Rising Sun) becomes virtually omnipotent, ranging in every direction:
 * [ranges all 6 rows and 6 radians, for a total of 12 directions]

In addition it acquires the power to "kill by illumination". That is, on its own turn it can without moving capture any enemy piece that is unprotected by either opposing player and that it directly attacks. It can thus capture several pieces in one go but no more than one in any direction on that turn. It can move and capture one piece by displacement in the normal way instead but cannot combine the two powers of capture and move.

(If Shogi sets are used the promoted King is shown by turning the King blank side up.)

CAPTURE Except for the special promoted King's capture just described all pieces capture in the same way: if upon completion of their move they go to a hexagon occupied by any opposing piece they capture that piece and remove it from the board. Captured pieces are enlisted into the forces of the capturing player and are kept in front of that player, just off the board.

DROPS Captured pieces can be dropped (i.e. re-entered) at any vacant hexagon (subject to some limitations) at any time instead of making a move on the board. As in Shogi, pieces are dropped in the unpromoted state but may promote subsequently; Pawns or Lances cannot be dropped on end ranks where they would never have a legal move; and a Pawn cannot be dropped in front of an enemy King to give checkmate on that move. But there are no restrictions on dropping Pawns on the same file as other Pawns of the same side.

OBJECT A game can be decided in two ways:

1) Unless he is part of an alliance, if a player gets his King or promoted King into the Pleasure Garden (the central hexagon) so that on completion of that move it is not directly attacked by any enemy piece, that player wins and the game ends; or

2) If there is no alliance, if one King is checkmated (i.e. is in a position of capture but is unable to escape). The checkmated player then drops out of the game, removing from the game all the pieces he has on the board (including his King) and all the captured pieces he is currently holding. Irrespective of the normal order of play the player who made the actual mating move then resumes the game and the two remaining players continue until one is checkmated. The unmated player is then the winner.

If there is an alliance, should the unallied player checkmate either of the enemy Kings he wins and the game ends. If the unallied player is, however, checkmated he drops out, removing all his pieces, and the two allies then play against each other as above. The alliance is cancelled.

FORMING AN ALLIANCE An alliance can be formed in two ways:

1) Voluntarily, by any two players before a game starts,

2) Automatically, whenever any of the following conditions apply:

a) When two players in turn make an "attacking move" (as defined below) on the other player's pieces so forcing him to suffer loss of material (i.e. to lose a piece for nothing or to lose a piece for one of lower value).

Rook and Bishop are regarded for this purpose as equivalent to each other but of greater value than the other pieces. Golds, Silvers, Knights and Lances are all regarded as equivalent to each other but superior to Pawns. For this purpose promotions are ignored.

An "attacking move" is a move that puts a King in check, or threatens checkmate next move, or threatens to win material on the basis of the classification above. (i.e. attacks an undefended piece or attacks a piece of high value with one of low value).

Sequences of moves are disregarded, even if they prove the loss of material is more apparent than real. But any move that is a direct defence to an "attacking move" cannot be counted itself as an "attacking move" even if it fits the description. The actual move is still allowed.

The two attacking moves that form the alliance must also be separate threats (e.g. one is check, the other threatens a Rook) in such a way that the third player cannot escape from one of the moves. The fact that the third player may be able to capture something elsewhere is disregarded.

b) When one player uses another player's pieces to make an "attacking move" against the third player (e.g. discovered check -- moving a piece blocking a check out of the way) provided again that this move is not itself a defence against an "attacking move".

In both cases as soon as the conditions apply the alliance must be formed, and once it is neither player can withdraw from it. Therefore there can be only one alliance in a game.

CHANGE IN RULES AFTER AN ALLIANCE


 * 1) The allies' pieces lose the power to promote (though not to enter the promotion zone or Pleasure Garden) but pieces already promoted remain so.
 * 2) The Kings lose the right, if not already exercised, to make the special first move inside their own territories.
 * 3) Both allies lose the right to win by getting their King or promoted King into the Pleasure Garden.
 * 4) If one player in the alliance is checkmated his ally is also deemed to lose.
 * 5) Neither ally can put the other ally's King or promoted King in check. Neither ally can play his King or promoted King into check from his ally.
 * 6) The allies can capture each other's pieces and drop pieces captured from the ally but cannot move the ally's pieces or use the ally's captured pieces.
 * 7) Each ally must take his own steps to defend against check or the threat of mate next move. (i.e. they still cannot call on the ally's resources even though mate of one of them affects both of them).
 * 8) As soon as the alliance is made the other player promotes his King (if it has not already been promoted) on the spot. But it does not acquire its special immobile capturing move until that player's normal turn.

SPECIAL RULES


 * 1) It is not permissible to stay in check or move into check. It is, however, possible to pass through check.
 * 2) Repetition of moves is not allowed. The person starting the repetitive sequence must vary his move (this differs from modern Shogi).

Note: Detailed though these rules are some situations are not covered, e.g. draws, so that players may have to make ad hoc rulings within the spirit of the game. The need for this should be rare.

SUMMARY OF MOVES


 * King steps 1-6; +K ranges along 1-12
 * Rook ranges along 1,2,3,4,12; +R ranges along 1-6
 * Bishop ranges along 7-12; +B adds step to 1-6
 * Gold steps to 1,2,3,4,7,12; Does not promote
 * Knight steps to 3,4,8,9,10,11; Does not promote
 * Silver steps to 1,2,5,6,8,9; +S adds ranging along 7 & 12
 * Lance ranges along 1 & 2; +L adds ranging along 5 & 6
 * Pawn steps to 1 or 2; +P = Gold

[07]  [08][01][02][09]     [03][xx][04] [10][05][06][11]        [12]


 * [here [xx] marks the hexagon with the piece to move. Bold [01] to [06] are "rows" where a piece moves directly from cell to cell; [07] to [12] are "radians" where a move skips alternate rings of cells.]

NOTATION The notation used here follows the general pattern of all the Shogi games with some allowance made for the shape of the board (see diagram of initial set-up). The numbers refer to columns [files] of hexagons running from top left to bottom right; the letters refer to rows [ranks] running horizontally. The Pleasure Garden is thus 7g and the three Kings are on 1d, 10m, 10d. The three Knights are on 3e, 9k, 9e.

ILLUSTRATIVE GAME

The following game was played by three top-ranking Shogi professionals at a meeting of the International Shogi Research group. It was played on 28th May 1932 and appeared in Shogi Geppo in September of that year. The game began without an alliance.

Despite the high tactical skill of the players there are some strange moves.


 * First: Kimi Kinjiro, 8-dan
 * Middle: Miyamatsu Kanzaburo, 7-dan
 * Last: Yamamoto Kusuro, 7-dan

1. P3c-4d P10k-10j P11g-10g 2. S-2d  S-9l     S-10e 3. S-2e  P7k-6j   P8d-7d 4. P-4e  R-7g+    Bx12l 5. G-3d  Sx12l    P-9g 6. P4d-5e +R-7l   R-10g

[end of article]

board photos?
Does anyone have any boards of this, or set up in play?

In addition, the article talks about the limitations of HTML to prevent them from displaying the pieces properly, but the Hexagonal Chess article uses illustrations that correctly show hex pieces. The look & feel of this artcile could greatly be improved upon if the person/s who created those illu. could create them for this article as well. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.201.148.152 (talk) 04:33, 8 October 2007 (UTC)


 * Finally got around to it. It does make a difference! kwami (talk) 07:38, 9 August 2008 (UTC)