Some Folks Are So Smart That They Can Play Chess Using 96 Pieces That Move 68 Different Ways. I, On The Other Hand, Like To Make Horsey Sounds Whenever I Move My Knights.

Time for Wiki Wednesday.

You know - you go to Wikipedia, you click on "random article," you report on the outcome.

Here's my random Wiki Wednesday find for this week:

Dai dai shogi

Daidai shōgi ('huge chess') is a large board variant of shogi (Japanese chess). The game dates back to the 15th century and is based on the earlier Dai shogi. Apart from its size, the major difference is in the range of the pieces and the “promotion by capture” rule. It is the smallest board variant to use this rule.

Rules of the game

Objective
The objective is to capture the opponent's king. Unlike standard shogi, pieces may not be dropped back into play after being captured.

Game equipment
Two players, Black and White (or sente and gōte), play on a board composed of squares in a grid of 17 ranks (rows) by 17 files (columns) with a total of 289 squares. The squares are undifferentiated by marking or color.

Each player has a set of 96 wedge-shaped pieces of 64 different types. In all, the players must remember 68 different moves. The pieces are of slightly different sizes, from largest to smallest (or roughly most to least powerful.) they are:

1 King
1 Free king
1 Rushing bird
1 Free demon
1 Free tapir
1 Water buffalo
1 Dragon king
1 Dragon horse
1 Square mover
1 Racing chariot
1 Rook
1 Bishop
1 Golden bird
1 Great dragon
1 Standard bearer
1 Fragrant elephant
1 White elephant
1 Lion
1 Lion dog
1 Dove
1 She-devil
1 Blue dragon
1 White tiger
1 Right chariot
1 Left chariot
1 Phoenix
1 Kirin
1 Poisonous snake
1 Old kite
2 Violent oxen
1 Flying dragon
1 Enchanted fox
1 Old rat
1 Enchanted badger
1 Flying horse
1 Prancing stag
2 Savage tigers
1 Hook mover
1 Long-nosed goblin
1 Northern barbarian
1 Southern barbarian
1 Eastern barbarian
1 Western barbarian
1 Neighboring king
1 Blind monkey
2 Ferocious leopards
2 Evil Wolves
2 Violent bears
1 Right general
1 Left general
2 Gold generals
2 Silver generals
2 Copper generals
2 Iron generals
2 Wood generals
2 Stone generals
2 Angry boars
1 Cat sword
2 Reverse chariots
2 Lances
2 Side movers
2 Vertical movers
2 Howling Dogs
17 Pawns

Many of the English-language names are chosen to correspond to their rough equivalents in Western chess, not necessarily as translations of the Japanese names.

Each piece has its name in the form of two Japanese characters marked on its face. On the reverse side of some pieces are one or two other characters, often in a different color (e.g., red instead of black); this reverse side is used to indicate that the piece has been promoted during play. The pieces of the two sides do not differ in color, but instead each piece is shaped like a wedge, and faces forward, toward the opposing side. This shows who controls the piece during play.

Because regular chess isn't hard enough already.

Comments

[TwoBusy]

For whatever it's worth, your post title made me laugh out loud.

[Karen]

Sometimes when I can't fall asleep, I just close my eyes and imagine I'm playing a game of Daidai shōgi against myself. I picture the board in my head and visualize all the moves I'm making on both sides. Very relaxing. /chortle

[Donna]

Horsey sounds haha!!! Thats funny and I can so see it.