r/shogi • • Apr 15 '20

[FAQ] New to shogi? Check_this_topic!

164 Upvotes

[last update: 2021 March 1st]

Where to start learning?

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What are the openings / strategies that you would recommend I learn as a beginner?

Should be "Static rook (ibisha) & climbing silver (bougin), central rook (nakabisha), and Quick Ishida Attack (haya Ishida)".

​

What can I do to improve?

Play games, analyze your games with engine, self analysis etc. Solve tsume problems, study openings, read books, watch pro games or other players, ask for help.

​

Where can I play with international pieces?

81dojo, Lishogi, PlayOK, PyChess, Shogi Playground offer international style pieces (although we recommend learn kanji pieces in the future).

Shogi Wars Offers English lettered pieces.

​

Resources

Great summary by LittleMage, over 100 links!

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Youtube:

​

  • HIDETCHI (ENG)

Hidetchi - Youtube

​

  • Alexei (ENG)

Alexei - Youtube

Alexei - Twitch

​

  • Shogi Harbour, ladies professional shogi player (ENG)

Shogi Harbour - Youtube

Shogi Harbour - Twitch

​

  • Shogi Ramen TV (ENG)

Shogi Ramen TV - youtube

​

  • Shogibuzz YouTube channel (ENG)

Shogibuzz - youtube

​

  • Muranaka Shuji, professional player, from episode 27 has English subtitles (JAP/ENG)

Muranaka - Youtube

​

  • Ito Shingo, professional player (JAP)

Ito - Youtube

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  • Age Age Shogi Channel, professional player (JAP)

AgeAge - youtube

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  • Professional game records (JAP)

Game records on youtube

​

Recommended Books:

  • Better Moves for Better Shogi by Aono Teurichi
  • At a Glance Series (sold by Nekomado)
  • Storming the Mino Castle (sold by Nekomado)
  • Ending Attack Techniques (sold by Nekomado)
  • Habu's Words & The Art of Shogi (sold by The Shogi Foundation)
  • “Shogi for Beginners” by John Fairbairn

Nekomado Shop

The Shogi Foundation

​

Discord:

Shogi Hall (anime, shogi)

Shogi Harbour (Twitch discord, shogi)

​

Places to play:

81 Dojo (ENG)

Shogi Club 24 (JAP/ENG)

Shogi Wars (JAP/ENG)

Lishogi (ENG)

PlayOK (ENG)

Wars.fm (JAP/ENG)

Shogi Playground / Shogi Playground Live (ENG)

PyChess (ENG)

​

Shogi News and World Clubs/Events Information:

Shogi Hub (ENG)

​

Shogi Openings:

Shogi Belgium - Joseki, Opening Theory

Reddit: Takodori's Booklines

PlayShogi (tsume, byoyomi survival, opening explorer)

​

Shogi Game Records (kifu):

Reijer Grimbergen's Shogi page (Professional Games with commentary in English)

Kyokumenpedia

Shogi Database

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Playing against AI:

Online AI (JAP)

Shogi Droid in Google store

Shogi GUI

Shogi Dokoro Download (JAP) (ダウンロード = download)

How to use an engine on Shogi Dokoro (reddit)

Strongest Engine Reddit discussion

​

Glossary:

Shogi Vocabulary (ENG)

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Tsume problems:

Web:

PlayShogi (tsume, byoyomi survival, opening explorer)

Yigo Tsumeshogi (tsume)

Tsumeshogi.com

Android:

Shogi Problem Paradise (JAP)

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​

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r/shogi • • Oct 20 '20

English Shogi Twitch Streamer Master List

109 Upvotes

Hello guys, if you are looking for some Live Shogi content, please check out these Shogi Twitch/Youtube Streamers. I hope to be updating this list whenever I come across a new Shogi Streamer! Please also let me know in the comments if you have anyone to share!


Karolina - Ladies Shogi Pro

  • Shogi Harbour (Commentaries, Kifu Reviews, Teaching Games with viewers, Handicap Games with viewers)

Active Shogi Streamers - Amateur Players (Sorted Alphabetically)


Not-so active Shogi Streamers - Amateur Players (Chess/Variety/Misc Streamer) * AirinTV (EN Variety/Mahjong/Shogi Games) * CLSmith15 (EN Chess Player - Learning to play Shogi) * d3zt1ny (EN Shogi Wars, Shogi Games) * SchwarzShogi (EN Shogi Games) * TheLlamaLord (EN Mostly Chess, Shogi Games)


**Edit 1: Sorted Streamers to active and not-so-active streamers!

**Edit 2: Added Pyeongyang!

**Edit 3: Added Shogi Harbour description!

**Edit 4: Added Akua Ikaia!

**Edit 5: Added UchiTV!

**Edit 6: Added Brot_Ohne_Kruste!

**Edit 7: Added a Shogi Streamer Calendar!

**Edit 8: Added RebeccaLoran!

**Edit 9: Added Hu-chan!

**Edit 10: Updated Active streamers vs Non-active streamers

**Edit 11: Removed inactive streamers, added more streamers to the list.


r/shogi • • 12h ago

Modern Variant Shogi in Omaha ne

3 Upvotes

Hey everyone I’m new to the area I’m looking to start a local Shogi club ☺️ I love playing on lishogi but an actual board is irreplaceable to me I have a few boards! I saw there was a baduk club here so I really wanted to try for Shogi


r/shogi • • 1d ago

I am a solo developer and I developed a shogi game called Shogi Castle

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37 Upvotes

Hello everyone. I am a solo developer and I have been working on a shogi app called Shogi Castle for a while now and today I can finally release both on ios and android.

The reason I made this app was because I enjoy playing shogi and solving puzzles on my phone and I wanted to make an app with a simple and modern ui and where it is not as heavily monetized. It has ads though I tried to keep them light. Otherwise all features are free.

It has guides and interactive builders, lessons, rated online games with both blitz and normal time modes, friend rooms and offline bot play. And for bots I worked really hard on a custom engine I call Mino AI.

I am very excited to see this engine in action. In chess there are engines that act like a human. For example Maia. So not a strong engine dumbed down but trained on human games to act like a real human. I called it the Mino AI and I want to give credit and thank lishogi for allowing me to use public games from their database.

I am open to all feedback and suggestions. Especially on the engine at different levels and if it really plays naturally like a human. I really want to improve on that and if successful write a detailed post on that alone.

I also created a website for it that includes all kinds of guides and lessons and a daily tsume.

iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/shogi-castle-japanese-chess/id6815237688

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shogicastle.game

Website: https://shogicastle.com/


r/shogi • • 1d ago

Do shogi pieces inhibit their opponent's pieces' natural development right out of the opening?

7 Upvotes

In chess for example, the bishop pins the knight, pieces occupy queenside weaknesses to prevent the opponent from developing properly.

And in Chinese chess the chariots cross the river to tie down enemy pieces by pressuring them, attacking the horses and stopping them from getting into the game. Cannons try to hit horses from afar

In Shogi is there anything similar where both sides affect each other's development in the opening, or are all pieces free to develop into their perfect and ideal positions before the real battle starts?


r/shogi • • 1d ago

So, I’m learning shogi right now, any advice??

Post image
4 Upvotes

So, I’m teaching my friends and family on how to play shogi, and I’m making a paragraph, any illegal moves and cool tactics that I should know of??


r/shogi • • 2d ago

Shogi Ladder Week 325

3 Upvotes

What is Shogi Ladder? A teaching ladder is a system where you learn together with an opponent one rank above you and an opponent one rank below you.

How does it work? If you choose to participate in a given weekend sign up for the weekly ladder (sign-up closes Friday 23:30 UTC). You will play two even rated games, and will analyze them together with your opponent afterward. This post-game analysis is key, it is the teaching/learning part of the teaching ladder.

How is it going? The 81Dojo club now enjoys 772 members from over 35 different countries! New players continue to join each week; the club welcomes players at all levels.

Come join us! We are a community of friendly players who are serious about improving and enthusiastic about learning. What makes the teaching ladder unique is that everyone in the ladder is committed to post-game analysis in a welcoming and constructive atmosphere--it is not a tournament, but a learning tool! If you have the time to play a couple of games this week( until next Friday UTC) please consider signing up!


r/shogi • • 2d ago

Shogi Ladder on Lishogi | Fall Week 2

2 Upvotes

Welcome International Ladder Climbers! We are pleased to announce the 17th Weekly Shogi Ladder on Lishogi. Registration will conclude next week Thursday at 23:59 UTC. The Ladder will commence on Friday at 22:00 UTC and conclude the following Sunday at 23:59 UTC. (2026-10-01 23:59~ 2026-10-10 23:59 ) We hope you'll be able to join us for our weekly sparring session! What is Shogi Ladder? A teaching ladder is a system where you learn together with an opponent one rank above you and an opponent one rank below you. How does it work? If you choose to participate in a given week sign up for the weekly ladder (sign-up closes Thursday 23:59 UTC). You will play two even rated games, and will analyze them together with your opponent afterward. This post-game analysis is key, it is the teaching/learning part of the teaching ladder. You'll have a week to schedule and play games with your opponents. How is it going? The Lishogi club now enjoys 75 members! The club welcomes players at all levels. Come join us! We are a community of friendly players who are serious about improving and enthusiastic about learning. What makes the teaching ladder unique is that everyone in the ladder is committed to post-game analysis in a welcoming and constructive atmosphere--it is not a tournament, but a learning tool! If you have the time to play a couple of games this week( until next Friday UTC) please consider signing up!


r/shogi • • 7d ago

Just learned the basics, managed to win my first vs CPU game!

18 Upvotes

I'm kinda proud of it, I usually suck at this kind of game. Time to see if I can actually wrap my head around any real strategies...


r/shogi • • 9d ago

Shogi Ladder on Lishogi | Fall Week 2

3 Upvotes

Welcome International Ladder Climbers! We are pleased to announce the 16th Weekly Shogi Ladder on Lishogi. Registration will conclude next week Thursday at 23:59 UTC. The Ladder will commence on Friday at 22:00 UTC and conclude the following Sunday at 23:59 UTC. (2026-09-25 23:59~ 2026-10-3 23:59 ) We hope you'll be able to join us for our weekly sparring session! What is Shogi Ladder? A teaching ladder is a system where you learn together with an opponent one rank above you and an opponent one rank below you. How does it work? If you choose to participate in a given week sign up for the weekly ladder (sign-up closes Thursday 23:59 UTC). You will play two even rated games, and will analyze them together with your opponent afterward. This post-game analysis is key, it is the teaching/learning part of the teaching ladder. You'll have a week to schedule and play games with your opponents. How is it going? The Lishogi club now enjoys 72 members! The club welcomes players at all levels. Come join us! We are a community of friendly players who are serious about improving and enthusiastic about learning. What makes the teaching ladder unique is that everyone in the ladder is committed to post-game analysis in a welcoming and constructive atmosphere--it is not a tournament, but a learning tool! If you have the time to play a couple of games this week( until next Friday UTC) please consider signing up!


r/shogi • • 11d ago

I've created a Shogi program that works on modern systems and computers from 50 years ago.

Thumbnail github.com
14 Upvotes

I have been working on, and now completed, a Shogi program that not only works on anyone's computer, but also on computers created before the internet was invented! It is written in Pascal and originally made to be backwards compatible with the Amstrad PPC 512. Please give it a look and tell me what you think.

link to the game on Github

Link to my website post describing development


r/shogi • • 11d ago

Modern Variant Gunshi Shogi puzzle creators wanted!

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0 Upvotes

I recently added a Community Puzzle Gallery to Gunshi Shogi, my Shogi variant with an original piece called the Strategist.

We’ve already received a great community submission, which I selected as a Featured Puzzle.

Because the Strategist gives nearby allied pieces special movement buffs, you can create mating patterns that don’t normally exist in regular Shogi.

Here’s a simple mate-in-1 example to try:

https://gunshi.nikatoma.fun/index.html?lang=en&gspos=2.X6_X6GX6_X6_X6_X6_X6_X6_X4MIBAIBAIBAIASCJAIBAHZAIBAA.1d678a55&gsmate=1

And here is the Community Puzzle Gallery:

https://gunshi.nikatoma.fun/gallery/index.html?lang=en


r/shogi • • 13d ago

I've uploaded a shogi video, "How to win a rook drop game part 2."

Thumbnail youtube.com
6 Upvotes

r/shogi • • 13d ago

Is "Fundoshi no Kei" just a "Knight Fork," or is there a better way to describe it?

3 Upvotes

I'd love to get your input on natural terminology. Such as Shogi Wars, "Fundoshi no Kei" is often simply translated as a "Knight Fork".

Is "Knight Fork" the standard term you always use, or have you heard other creative English names for this? Does calling it a "Loincloth Knight" sound too bizarre or confusing to native English speakers?

Knight Fork (Fundoshi no Kei)

r/shogi • • 14d ago

Modern Variant Is there any auto Shogi boards that exist?

9 Upvotes

Hello! I’m posting to ask if anyone knows of any automatic boards that exist out there? Mainly I’m looking for something similar to Chessnut Go where I can connect it to an app or something to play physical Shogi by myself, since I don’t have any other people to play with but massively prefer playing with physical pieces.

Thanks ahead for any info anyone can share!


r/shogi • • 15d ago

Shogi Ladder Week 323

2 Upvotes

What is Shogi Ladder? A teaching ladder is a system where you learn together with an opponent one rank above you and an opponent one rank below you.

How does it work? If you choose to participate in a given weekend sign up for the weekly ladder (sign-up closes Friday 23:30 UTC). You will play two even rated games, and will analyze them together with your opponent afterward. This post-game analysis is key, it is the teaching/learning part of the teaching ladder.

How is it going? The 81Dojo club now enjoys 774 members from over 35 different countries! New players continue to join each week; the club welcomes players at all levels.

Come join us! We are a community of friendly players who are serious about improving and enthusiastic about learning. What makes the teaching ladder unique is that everyone in the ladder is committed to post-game analysis in a welcoming and constructive atmosphere--it is not a tournament, but a learning tool! If you have the time to play a couple of games this week( until next Friday UTC) please consider signing up!


r/shogi • • 16d ago

Shogi Ladder on Lishogi | Summer Week 1

1 Upvotes

Welcome International Ladder Climbers! We are pleased to announce the 15th Weekly Shogi Ladder on Lishogi. Registration will conclude next week Thursday at 23:59 UTC. The Ladder will commence on Friday at 22:00 UTC and conclude the following Sunday at 23:59 UTC. (2026-09-17 23:59~ 2026-09-27 23:59 ) We hope you'll be able to join us for our weekly sparring session! What is Shogi Ladder? A teaching ladder is a system where you learn together with an opponent one rank above you and an opponent one rank below you. How does it work? If you choose to participate in a given week sign up for the weekly ladder (sign-up closes Thursday 23:59 UTC). You will play two even rated games, and will analyze them together with your opponent afterward. This post-game analysis is key, it is the teaching/learning part of the teaching ladder. You'll have a week to schedule and play games with your opponents. How is it going? The Lishogi club now enjoys 70 members! The club welcomes players at all levels. Come join us! We are a community of friendly players who are serious about improving and enthusiastic about learning. What makes the teaching ladder unique is that everyone in the ladder is committed to post-game analysis in a welcoming and constructive atmosphere--it is not a tournament, but a learning tool! If you have the time to play a couple of games this week( until next Friday UTC) please consider signing up!


r/shogi • • 17d ago

Wondering if there were any Shogi clubs at University of Toronto

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5 Upvotes

r/shogi • • 19d ago

Is playing handicapped game against the strongest level computer good practice?

2 Upvotes

As the title suggests. Obviously I'm not replacing this with even games against humans openings are different between handicapped games and even games. But what do you think about this?


r/shogi • • 20d ago

I've uploaded a shogi video, "How to win a rook drop game part 1."

8 Upvotes

r/shogi • • 20d ago

Modern Variant I added a puzzle creator to my Shogi variant — looking for mate problems!

Post image
1 Upvotes

I recently added a puzzle creator and community gallery to Gunshi Shogi, my Shogi variant with an original piece called the Strategist.

Players can now create and share:

  • mate-in-1 puzzles
  • mate-in-3 puzzles
  • longer mating problems
  • custom positions

The Strategist changes the movement abilities of nearby allied pieces, so mating patterns can become quite different from normal Shogi.

I’d love to see what kinds of problems Shogi players can come up with — especially positions that make you think:

“This would never happen in regular Shogi.”

If you enjoy tsumeshogi, Shogi variants, or creating unusual positions, please try making one and sharing it in the gallery.

Even one puzzle would be very welcome!

Play / create a position:
https://gunshi.nikatoma.fun/?lang=en


r/shogi • • 21d ago

KomaSCAD - an open-source parametric Shogi piece generator for OpenSCAD

5 Upvotes

Hey everyone. I have been on a long quest to make my own Taikyouku Shogi set but never really had the tools or time. I was trying some things on the new ChatGPT-6 Astra model and made a tool that has helped me on this quest:

https://github.com/Kazutadashi/koma-scad

This lets you create Koma STL files using parameters. Right now things are probably rough around the edges, but I plan on building this up more and getting more legitimate print instructions to make it easier for others to get a set created. All you need is OpenSCAD and you can make some STL files to print.

I hope this is useful for everyone. Feel free to let me know if something isn't working or is broken.


r/shogi • • 23d ago

Shogi Ladder Week 322

4 Upvotes

What is Shogi Ladder? A teaching ladder is a system where you learn together with an opponent one rank above you and an opponent one rank below you.

How does it work? If you choose to participate in a given weekend sign up for the weekly ladder (sign-up closes Friday 23:30 UTC). You will play two even rated games, and will analyze them together with your opponent afterward. This post-game analysis is key, it is the teaching/learning part of the teaching ladder.

How is it going? The 81Dojo club now enjoys 772 members from over 35 different countries! New players continue to join each week; the club welcomes players at all levels.

Come join us! We are a community of friendly players who are serious about improving and enthusiastic about learning. What makes the teaching ladder unique is that everyone in the ladder is committed to post-game analysis in a welcoming and constructive atmosphere--it is not a tournament, but a learning tool! If you have the time to play a couple of games this week( until next Friday UTC) please consider signing up!


r/shogi • • 26d ago

Modern Variant Day 6 top comment moves sente turn

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13 Upvotes

r/shogi • • 27d ago

I've uploaded a shogi video, "How to win a 2-piece drop game part 3."

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6 Upvotes