hume@humming.UUCP (Christopher Hume) (11/27/86)
The Japanese actively play a game that is quite similar to the Paratrooper Chess variant under discussion. The game has common, although ancient, origin with Chess. It's played on a 9 x 9 board. Each side has 9 Pawns on the 3rd Rank, 1 Rook and 1 Bishop on the second Rank, and flanking the King in order are paired: Gold, Silver, Knight, and Lance. These 40 pieces never leave the game. Pieces are oriented by means of their shape, and although they are associated with the Black or the White side, they are not colored. Upon capturing a piece it goes into the capturing side's "hand". The side on the move may move a piece on the board or may drop a piece in hand just about anywhere. There are two restrictions on Pawn drops: 1. Can't drop a Pawn on a file with another unpromoted Pawn. 2. Can't mate on a Pawn drop. Every piece except for the King and the two Golds have the option of promoting on any on board move originating or ending within the enemy's 3 home ranks. The piece's movement then receives greater power. "Shogi: Japan's Game of Strategy" by Trevor P. Leggett (Charles E. Tuttle Company) describes the game including a brief history and a cardboard punch-out set. Compared to Chess, the pieces are relatively slow moving and there is more board area to cover. However, once a little material has been exchanged the game heats up due to the "paratrooping ability" of the pieces held in hand. It's hard to find people who know how to play, but it's a very amusing game. Computer Play is said to exist in Japan, but it is viewed as being quite weak. The mean fan-out might be twice that of Chess. Chris