If you’ve ever played chess and thought, “This is fun, but what if my captured pieces could come back and help me?” …then welcome to shogi.
Shogi is often called Japanese chess, but it has one big twist that makes it feel totally different: when you capture an opponent’s piece, it becomes yours and you can drop it back onto the board later. That one rule creates a lot of cool surprises.
Let’s walk through the rules in a simple, easy way. (more…)
Shogi (将棋) is the Japanese version of an ancient Indian game that became Chess in Europe and xiangqi in China. In fact, Shogi is frequently referred to as Japanese chess in the English speaking world.
Shogi is played on a 9×9 board, unlike the 8×8 board of Western chess. Shogi has some pieces that are very similar to Western chess, a king, pawns, rook, bishop, and knight. Shogi also has pieces that are not found in Western chess such as gold generals, silver generals and the lance.
The most interesting difference between shogi and chess is that when opposing pieces are captured in shogi, they become loyal to the player that captured them. These captured pieces are then dropped back on the board to continue the game. (more…)
By Galo S Mirth
The ALSOK Cup 75th Osho title match took a decisive turn in Game 4. According to the Japan Shogi Association news listing, challenger Takuya Nagase won Game 4 against Osho Sota Fujii. Coming after Nagase’s Game 3 win, the result changed the emotional and strategic balance of the seven game match before Game 5.
The official JSA news stream records 「藤井聡太王将VS永瀬拓矢九段 ALSOK杯第75期王将戦七番勝負第4局 永瀬九段の勝利」 (updated 2026-02-18). With Nagase also listed as winner of Game 3 in the same official stream, the match narrative has shifted from a Fujii control scenario to a level, high pressure race toward the final stages. (more…)
By Galo S Mirth
The 51st Kioh title match (KONAMI Group Cup) has quickly become one of the most important storylines of early 2026. In the official Japan Shogi Association news flow, challenger Yasuhiro Masuda is recorded as winner of Game 1 against title holder Sota Fujii. Game 2 is now a pressure point for the entire five game structure.
The JSA news listing includes the result line 「藤井聡太棋王VS増田康宏八段 第51期棋王戦コナミグループ杯五番勝負第1局 増田八段の勝利」 (updated 2026-02-08). In a best of five, a challenger taking the opening game changes everything. It compresses the champion’s margin for error and forces earlier strategic adaptation than in a seven game title format.
JSA also lists Game 2 as an active event update (2026-02-20). At this stage, Game 2 carries asymmetric stakes. If Fujii equalizes, the match resets into a practical best of three. If Masuda extends his lead, the title holder enters must win territory for the remainder of the match. That structural pressure influences opening risk choices, time management, and endgame decision thresholds.
The broader title calendar shown on the JSA match index underlines how unusual this moment is. Fujii remains central across multiple major titles, while Masuda’s early strike in Kioh creates a distinct battleground where challenger momentum can override reputation. This is exactly why Game 2 draws intense attention from both technical fans and general sports audiences.
Because this is a five game match, the opening phase has outsized influence. Masuda’s Game 1 win already shifted probability and narrative. Game 2 is therefore not just another chapter. It is the checkpoint that decides whether this match becomes a long defensive response by Fujii or a genuine breakthrough run by the challenger.
By Galo S Mirth
Early February 2026 has been unusually dense for Japanese shogi news. The official Japan Shogi Association feeds show major title match swings, a historic career milestone announcement, new event recruitment notices, and community facing updates that matter for both dedicated followers and casual fans.
The biggest competitive stories in the official news list were from the two top title fronts. In the Osho match, Takuya Nagase’s Game 4 win over Sota Fujii reset the tension in the series. In the Kioh match, Yasuhiro Masuda’s Game 1 win and the run up to Game 2 set up a high pressure early phase in a five game format. Together, these results reinforced that even in the Fujii era, challenger adaptation remains decisive. (more…)
By Galo S Mirth
COVID-19 disrupted the shogi world at every level. Professional title matches, qualifier events, local classes, and amateur tournaments all had to adjust quickly from 2020 onward.
This article looks at how the scene adapted and which changes stayed after the emergency years. (more…)
By Galo S Mirth
Modern shogi fans often learn by watching full match series, highlights, and commentary clips. That viewing culture has changed how many players study and improve, especially beginners and club-level competitors.
This article looks at how series-style viewing reshaped player development in Japan.
Earlier generations often followed major matches through print reports and periodic broadcasts. Today, digital archives, live streams, and replay clips make it possible to watch opening plans, time usage, and endgame technique repeatedly.
That repeat viewing encourages practical pattern recognition, not only passive fandom. (more…)
By Galo S Mirth
Dōbutsu shōgi, often called Animal Shogi, is one of the most successful modern gateways into Japanese board game culture. It keeps core shogi ideas such as capture, drops, promotion, and king safety, but compresses them into a small board and a ruleset that children and first time players can learn quickly.
The standard game uses a 3×4 board and four piece types per side: lion, giraffe, elephant, and chick. Like standard shogi, captured pieces switch sides and can be dropped back onto the board. A player wins by capturing the opposing lion, or by a successful “try” where their own lion reaches the back rank and cannot be captured on the next move. (more…)
By Galo S Mirth
Kana Fukuma, one of the most decorated women’s professionals in modern shogi, has announced that she will take the professional admission exam (棋士編入試験). The Japan Shogi Association news page framed this as a major institutional development and later added schedule details. For shogi fans, this is not just one player’s challenge. It is a high visibility test of the crossover path between the women’s title world and the open professional system.
On 2026-02-16, the Japan Shogi Association posted an official news item titled 「福間香奈女流六冠、棋士編入試験受験へ【日程追記あり】」. The wording itself signaled two things: first, that Fukuma would proceed to the exam, and second, that scheduling information would be updated as the process advanced. Because the exam is run under formal JSA procedures, timeline updates are expected to come through official JSA channels. (more…)
By Galo S Mirth
Visibility for women’s shogi did not rise from one event alone. It grew through layered changes in tournament structure, sponsor commitment, media formats, and fan access. Looking at official tournament and organization records, the pattern is clear: the women’s circuit moved from limited spot coverage to a year round ecosystem with stronger branding and broader public reach.
The Japan Shogi Association’s current women’s tournament list shows a broad official circuit, including 白玲戦, 清麗戦, マイナビ女子オープン, 女流王座戦, 女流名人戦, 女流王位戦, 女流王将戦, and 倉敷藤花戦. This breadth matters for visibility because each title adds additional league rounds, match days, and news cycles across the year, instead of concentrating attention into one short period. (more…)
By Galo S Mirth
Makoto Nakahara (中原誠) is one of the central figures of postwar professional shogi. He won 64 major titles, held five lifetime title qualifications, and defined an era with his long run at the top of the game.
By Galo S Mirth
Tanase Shogi (棚瀬将棋) is one of the important bridge engines in computer-shogi history. It came from the same development lineage as Tōdai Shogi, but it represented a rebuild by programmer Yasushi Tanase (棚瀬寧). In the late 2000s, it was strong enough to sit near the top of major computer-shogi events and became a familiar benchmark in conversations about practical, tournament-ready engine strength.