How to Buy Shogi: A Comprehensive Guide

Your Guide to buying the best Shogi

Overview

Shogi is a traditional Japanese board game that has been around since the Heian period in the 10th century and is still played today. Despite its age, the game has been updated with modern rules and strategies, making it a challenging game for both casual players and experienced professionals. This guide provides an overview of the rules, pieces, boards, and other key elements of Shogi to help you understand the game and its history, and to help you make the best purchase of Shogi materials for your playing needs.

Key features

  1. Board: Consider the size, design, and material of the board. Is it suitable for your needs? Does it look aesthetically pleasing?
  2. Pieces: Look for the thickness and design of the pieces. Are they solid with no flaws? Do they move easily on the board?
  3. Storage: If you plan on taking your Shogi set with you, make sure to check if it comes with a carry case or if it has a storage compartment.
  4. Durability: Check the material of the board and pieces to make sure they are sturdy and won’t break easily.

See the most popular Shogi on Amazon

Important considerations

Pros

  • Strategy: Shogi is a strategy board game that requires players to carefully plan their moves and anticipate their opponent’s moves in order to win.
  • Simplicity: Shogi is relatively easy to learn, with simple rules that make it accessible to all ages and skill levels.
  • Accessibility: Shogi can be played with a traditional Shogi board and pieces, or as an online game.
  • Competition: Players can compete against each other in local tournaments or in a virtual setting, adding to the excitement of the game.

Cons

  • Price: Shogi can be quite expensive, especially if you purchase a high-quality set. Lower-end sets are much cheaper, but may not provide the same level of quality in the pieces and board.
  • Time Commitment: Shogi can be quite an involved game, as most matches can take quite a while to complete, and require a lot of strategic thought to play well.
  • Availability: Shogi is not widely available in most areas, and may be hard to find at most local stores.
  • Learning Curve: Shogi can be quite difficult to learn, and may require a lot of practice and patience to master.

Best alternatives

  1. Go – a board game that originated in China two thousand years ago and uses black and white stones on a 19x19 board.
  2. Chess – a two-player strategy board game played on a checkered gameboard with 64 squares arranged in an 8×8 grid.
  3. Mancala – an ancient family of board games played around the world with stones, beans, or seeds and several rows of holes or pits in the earth, a board or other playing surface.
  4. Backgammon – a two-player board game where each player has 15 checkers that move around the board according to the roll of dice.
  5. Taiwanese Chess – a two-player strategy board game similar to Chinese Chess, also known as Xiangqi.

Related tools, supplies, and accessories

  • Shogi board - A board for playing Shogi, usually made of wood or plastic.
  • Shogi pieces - Pieces, sometimes referred to as ‘pawns’ or ‘tokens’, used for playing Shogi.
  • Storage box or bag - A box or bag used to store the Shogi pieces when not in use.
  • Shogi scorekeeper - A device used to keep track of the score during a Shogi game.
  • Scorebook - A book used to record the moves and outcome of a Shogi game.
  • Kifu - A record of a Shogi game, written on paper or in digital form.

Common questions

  1. What is the difference between Shogi and Chess? Shogi is a Japanese version of Chess, but there are several differences. Shogi pieces can move in more directions than Chess pieces, and Shogi pieces that are captured are returned to the board and switch sides. Additionally, Shogi has more pieces, resulting in more strategies and a longer game.
  2. What pieces are used in Shogi? Shogi is typically played with 9 different pieces. These include the King, Rook, Bishop, Gold General, Silver General, Knight, Lance, Pawn, and promoted pawns.
  3. Are there different variations of Shogi? Yes, there are a variety of different variants of Shogi, including Dai Shogi (which has more pieces than standard Shogi), Tori Shogi (which has more pieces than Dai Shogi), Tenjiku Shogi (which has even more pieces), and many others.
  4. What materials are needed to play Shogi? The materials required to play Shogi include a Shogi board and Shogi pieces.
  5. How do I choose the right Shogi board? When choosing a Shogi board, consider your needs. Do you need a board that is portable? Do you need one with larger pieces for visibility? Do you want it to have a traditional or modern look?
  6. How do I choose the right Shogi pieces? When choosing Shogi pieces, consider your needs. Do you want wooden or plastic pieces? Do you want a traditional or modern look? Do you need pieces with larger bases for stability?

Trivia

A funny fact about Shogi is that in Japan, the creators of the game are often referred to as the 'Shogi Masters'. This is because the game of Shogi is considered a form of art, and those who are very skilled in playing it are regarded as 'masters' in the same way a master artist would be. This can be seen in the 78th Annual All-Japan Shogi Championship, which is highly respected in Japan and is watched by millions of people every year. The tournament is also referred to as the 'Meijin tournament', which is a title traditionally awarded to the winner of the tournament. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shogi#Tournaments.

Disclaimer: This buying guide was not created by humans, and it is possible that some of it's content is inaccurate or incomplete. We do not guarantee or take any liability for the accuracy of this buying guide. Additionally, the images on this page were generated by AI and may not accurately represent the product that is being discussed. We have tried to convey useful information, but it is our subjective opinion and should not be taken as complete or factual.