Shogi is distinctive because captured pieces do not leave the game. They enter the capturing player's hand, change direction, and can later return to the board. That means a position includes not only the forty pieces in play, but also every piece in hand that could be dropped next. This guide follows the order in which the rules arise during a real game instead of asking you to memorise a glossary.
How to win: leave the opposing king with no escape
Standard shogi uses a 9×9 board, with twenty pieces per side. Sente moves first, then the players alternate. Pieces are not divided by colour: a piece whose pointed end faces the opponent belongs to you. The board sets up the starting position automatically.
Attacking the king's square is check. If the king is attacked and cannot escape, block the attack, or capture the attacking piece, it is checkmate and the game ends. You may not make a move that leaves your own king under attack.
How the eight piece types move
- King. One square in any direction, but never onto an attacked square.
- Gold. One square forward, sideways, diagonally forward, or straight back, but not diagonally backward.
- Silver. One square straight forward or diagonally in any direction, but not sideways or straight back.
- Knight. Two squares forward and one left or right. It jumps over intervening pieces and only moves forward.
- Lance. Any number of empty squares straight forward. It cannot move backward or jump.
- Pawn. One square straight forward. It does not capture diagonally or move two squares on its first turn.
- Rook. Any number of empty squares along a rank or file.
- Bishop. Any number of empty squares diagonally.
"Forward" always means the direction in which the pointed end faces. A captured piece turns around when it is dropped, so it moves forward for its new owner.
Captured pieces become pieces in hand
Moving onto an opposing piece captures it. The captured piece loses any promoted state and enters your hand. On a later turn, instead of moving a board piece, you may place one piece from your hand on a legal empty square. That is a drop. Moving and dropping are alternative actions; you cannot do both in one turn.
A knight cannot be dropped on the last two ranks because it would have no next move; a lance or pawn cannot be dropped on the last rank. Rook, bishop, gold, and silver may be dropped on any empty square that does not leave your king in check. A dropped piece always arrives unpromoted.
Most pieces may promote in the far three ranks
The three ranks nearest your opponent are your promotion zone. An eligible piece may promote when a move starts in, enters, or stays within that zone. Promotion follows a move by a board piece; a newly dropped piece must remain unpromoted until a later turn.
- Rook to dragon: keeps its long orthogonal moves and gains one-square diagonal moves.
- Bishop to horse: keeps its long diagonal moves and gains one-square orthogonal moves.
- Silver, knight, lance, and pawn: move like gold after promotion. Gold and king do not promote.
Promotion is not always compulsory. Silver may want to keep its diagonal retreat. A pawn or lance on the last rank, or a knight on the last two ranks, would have no legal move, so promotion is mandatory there.
When in check, your next move must save the king
You cannot ignore check to capture elsewhere or begin your own attack. You must move the king to safety, capture the checking piece, or block a long-range line. A knight's jumping attack cannot be blocked.
An empty square is safe only if no opposing board piece attacks it. Pieces in hand do not give check until dropped, but their possible landing squares near your king still deserve attention.
Nifu and uchifuzume
You may not have two unpromoted pawns on the same file. That ban is nifu. A pawn that has already promoted to a gold-like piece no longer counts for it. Scan the file before you drop a pawn.
You also may not drop a pawn that would checkmate in that instant. That ban is uchifuzume. Mating with a pawn that is already on the board is allowed; dropping a pawn from the hand to finish mate is not. This board refuses both kinds of drop.
Use the rules in your first game: check in this order
- Look at the king first. If it is in check, find a legal escape, capture, or block.
- Choose a move or a drop. Board pieces follow their movement; pieces in hand go only to legal empty squares.
- Check your king afterward. The move may not expose your king or send it onto an attacked square.
- Compare promotion choices. Ask which movement pattern helps next instead of confirming automatically.
- Check both pawn-drop bans. Scan the file, then make sure the opponent has a legal reply if the drop gives check.
For a first practice game, open Play AI at a lower level. If a square does not highlight or confirm, return to this order instead of tapping repeatedly.
Gotchas from the first games
- Thinking a capture only removes an opposing piece. It also adds that piece to your hand, so count both hands after an exchange.
- Thinking a piece can be dropped already promoted. Every drop uses the unpromoted form.
- Thinking the king may capture any adjacent enemy. It cannot move onto a square protected by another piece.
- Thinking a refused move means the page is broken. Check the turn, check status, dead ranks, and pawn-drop bans first.
Questions people ask before the first game
Do I need to memorise all the Japanese piece names first?
No. Learn the eight movement patterns, piece direction, and promotion results first. Japanese readings and notation can wait until the board feels familiar.
Why will the board not accept the empty square I tapped?
That square is illegal for the piece you selected. It may be occupied, a knight, lance, or pawn may have no onward move, or a pawn drop may hit nifu or uchifuzume. Choose another piece in hand, or walk a piece already on the board.
Must I promote as soon as a piece enters the zone?
Not usually. You may keep the original movement unless the piece would otherwise have no legal future move, as with a pawn or lance on the last rank and a knight on the last two.
Can I drop a piece immediately after capturing it?
Not in the same turn. The capture uses your action. You may drop that piece the next time it is your turn.
Can I take a move back in an online room?
No. AI and shared-device games include undo, hints, and replay. Once an online move syncs, one player cannot withdraw it. Check the pawn file and the promotion choice before you confirm a drop.
