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==============
Yari Shogi was invented by the noted chess variant and games inventor
Christiaan Freeling in 1981.
In Shogi most of the pieces in their unpromoted form are very weak in
defense (ie: they have very limited powers of movement in the reverse
direction). In Yari Shogi this trait has been extended to its logical
conclusion in that none of pieces in the initial array other than the
'King' can move backwards at all.
THE GAME
=========
Yari Shogi is played on a board of 7 x 9 squares and each player has 14
pieces (including 7 pawns).
The pieces are flat and wedge-shaped and are not distinguished by colour.
Although the pieces are of uniform colour the first player is still
conventionally referred to as 'Black' and the second player as 'White'.
Ownership of the pieces is indicated by the direction in which they face,
with a player's pieces always pointing towards the opponent.
The players make alternate moves, with the object being to capture the
opposing 'King'.
As in Western Chess, when a 'King' is about to be captured next move and
no legal move can be made to prevent the capture, the piece is said to be
'Checkmated'.
On each turn a player can either:
a) move one piece according to its power of movement to a vacant square
on the board, or to a square occupied by an enemy piece (in which
case the enemy piece is captured and removed);
or,
b) 'Drop' (re-enter) a previously captured piece on almost any vacant
square.
THE PIECES
===========
The Piece Help screen provides the names, notation symbols, promotion
details, and powers of movement for all of the pieces in the game.
[The Piece Help screen can be reached by clicking on the 'Pieces' button]
JUMPING PIECES
===============
The 'Yari Knight' is the only piece in Yari Shogi that has the power to jump
over occupied squares. The 'Yari Knight' has the same move as the
equivalent piece in the Western game (ie: it is a jumping piece that may move
one square orthogonally then one square diagonally), except that its move is
limited to the forward direction only. Unlike the Shogi 'Knight', the Yari
piece can also move directly forwards any number of unobstructed squares
(effectively combining the moves of the 'Knight' and 'Lance' in Shogi).
PROMOTION
==========
Each player has a Promotion Zone consisting of the three ranks (rows of
squares) furthest away from him. All pieces except the 'King' have a
promoted rank and can promote on entering, moving within, or leaving the
Promotion Zone.
On promotion:
- The 'Yari Rook' gains the power to move any number of unobstructed
squares orthogonally backwards. The promoted 'Yari Rook' is therefore
identical to the 'Rook' in Shogi or Western Chess.
- The 'Yari Bishop' and 'Yari Knight' promote to 'Yari Gold'. The 'Yari Gold'
has the same powers of movement as the 'Gold' in Shogi, but can also move
any number of unobstructed squares orthogonally backwards.
- The 'Pawn' promotes to 'Yari Silver'. The 'Yari Silver' can move to any
of the adjacent 3 squares on the row in front of it, and can also move
any number of unobstructed squares orthogonally backwards.
Promotion is not compulsory unless the piece would be unable to make a
further legal move in its unpromoted state. This means that all pieces
except the 'Yari Rook' must promote on reaching the last rank (that
furthest from the player)
As in all the games in the Shogi family, in Yari Shogi sets the promoted
rank is shown on the reverse side of the piece, and the piece is turned
over on promotion to reveal the new rank.
CAPTURES
=========
A captured piece is removed from the board and is held by the capturing
player. The held piece (which is said to be 'in hand') may subsequently be
'dropped' back into play on the side of the player who made the capture.
All promoted pieces revert to their unpromoted ranks when captured.
DROPS
======
In place of a move a player may elect to 'drop' a piece held in hand back
into play. In general, a piece held in hand may be re-entered on any vacant
square, subject to the following restrictions:
a) A piece may not be dropped on a square from which it has no further
legal move. (ie: only the 'Yari Rook' can be dropped on the last rank).
b) A 'Pawn' can not be dropped in any file (column of squares) already
containing an unpromoted 'Pawn' of the same side.
NOTE: Unlike in many other variants, in Yari Shogi it IS legal for a 'Pawn'
to be dropped in front of the opposing 'King' to give 'Checkmate'.
A piece dropped inside the player's Promotion Zone is not promoted until
after it has made a further move on the board.
REPETITION OF MOVES
=======================
It is not legal to move so as to repeat a board position for the third
time.
STALEMATE
=========
While it is a very rare occurence, 'stalemate' is possible in Yari Shogi.
When it occurs the game is drawn.
HANDICAP PLAY
===============
Handicaps are often given when players of unequal strength play Shogi in
Japan. The reason that handicap play is common is that the handicap system
in Shogi works far better than that used in Western Chess.
In a handicap game a player offers a handicap of one or more pieces to an
opponent of less strength. In Japan, there is a comprehensive system of
determining the appropriate handicap according to the respective rankings
of the players.
The player offering the handicap plays 'White'and his opponent (as 'Black')
removes the handicap pieces as the first move of the game. In handicap play
'White' therefore makes the first move on the board.
Pieces removed as a handicap are totally removed from play and are not
held in-hand by 'Black'.
Handicaps are also offered in this program as an option for Yari Shogi.
NOTATION
==========
The following notation system is used for recording Yari Shogi games in
this program.
The files are designated by numbers (1 to 7), and the ranks by letters
(a to i). The files are numbered from right to left (in the Japanese
fashion), and the ranks from top to bottom (from Black's point of view).
The top right square is therefore 1a.
A move is described by giving:
a) the designation of the piece (eg: P for Pawn); this designation is
preceded by a '+' if it is at its promoted rank,
b) followed by the method of moving;
'-' for a simple move on the board,
'x' for a capture,
'*' for a drop,
c) then the destination square is recorded,
d) finally if the piece promoted on that turn, this is recorded by
adding '+' after the move, or if promotion was possible but was
refused, the symbol '=' is added.
If more than one piece of the same type can reach the destination square
then the starting square is also given after the piece designation to
avoid confusion.
A 'Yari Knight' moving from 5d to 5c (which was occupied by an enemy piece)
and promoting is therefore recorded as YNx5c+.
NOTE: This system is the official notation system of 'The Shogi
Association' for Shogi variants.
DISPLAYING LEGAL MOVES
=========================
If the 'Show Move' option is selected from the Moves Menu, clicking the left
mouse button on a piece on the board or 'in hand' during play will show all
the legal moves of that piece:
- All legal moves (including 'drops') to vacant squares are represented
as White Circles,
- Legal captures are shown as Red Circles. "
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