Sage-Tips

How popular is xiangqi?

It is one of the most popular board games in China, and is in the same family of games as Western chess, chaturanga, shogi, Indian chess and janggi. Besides China and areas with significant ethnic Chinese communities, xiangqi is also a popular pastime in Vietnam, where it is known as cờ tướng.

Is Chinese chess the same as shogi?

Shogi, like Western chess and Chinese chess, is played by two persons on a board with pieces of varying powers, and the object of the game is to checkmate (“trap”) the opposing king. Most pieces have only short-distance moves, so games typically develop more slowly than in other chess variants.

Is go or shogi more popular?

Shogi is extremely popular in Japan; it has been estimated that 20 million Japanese can play shogi, of which perhaps 1 million are active players. It is even more popular there than the game of go, Japan’s other favorite board game.

Is shogi good?

Shogi is a very fun game, but I do not consider it bound by tradition (there are many new openings developed all the time, trust me, I follow the professional games as much as possible). There are of course openings standards which have been used for many many years.

What is the difference between chess and shogi?

In Shogi the pieces recycle meaning that you never have endgames. In chess the game gets less complex the longer it goes because the material is reduced. In Shogi it actually gets more complex as material never leaves the game and pieces promote. Shogi games rarely are drawn.

What is the difference between xiangqi and chess?

Chess has lots of tactics but the pawns in chess can support each other and they work together. You must know these structures and how to play a given position. You can only use tactics when you have a good position. Xiangqi doesn’t have long pawn chains and structures.

What is the endgame like in shogi?

The chess endgame can sometimes be quite boring and predictable with very few pieces left on the board. In shogi, all 40 pieces can still be used in the endgame given the possibility of dropping taken pieces.

How many pieces do you need to play shogi?

In shogi, all 40 pieces can still be used in the endgame given the possibility of dropping taken pieces. The greater range of moves available with dropping pieces, placing taken pieces down to block check moves, and the choice between promoting or not promoting pieces all make shogi mating problems infinitely more complex and interesting.