BMUG PD-ROM B4/PD-ROM B4.iso/Entertainment/Strategy/Shogi 0.21E/Read Me

Text File | 1990-10-07 | 12KB | 269 lines

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S H O G I  Version 0.21E

by Kengo Tsuruzono, August 1990.

This document accompanies Shogi 0.21E, a Shogi playing program for the
Macintosh. It consists of the following sections:
- 1 -  General Notes
- 2 -  Instructions
- 3 -  Version History
- 4 -  Shogi Rules
- 5 -  Shogi Addresses


- 1 -  G E N E R A L  N O T E S
===============================

Finally I have accomplished the task of writing the Think Routine and
SHOGI version 0.21E has been released. It is still kind of weak though.
You may feel you are playing with quite a beginner. Anyway, I have
released this for the people who love Shogi. Have fun with it !

I made this English version on request of several Shogi enthousiastics
outside Japan and I'm pleased that my program is used in foreign
countries ! I'm trying to make a stronger version, but please be
patient. My plans for future versions are:
+ writing a stronger Think Routine.
+ include an option for playing with handicaps.
+ allow saving and restoring games.
+ pronounce the moves using the Macintalk sound driver.
+ display the way the Macintosh is reasoning.
+ automatic recognition of the System, Japanese or other, and subsequent
  selection between Japanese and English menus.

I would welcome remarks and suggestions for improvement. Since I don't
have a bitnet or internet connection, I ask you to send your comments
to a friend of mine, Mr. Masamichi Honda, who will forward your mail to
me. Please send E-mail to: [e-mail].

** NOTE **: Under MultiFinder, SHOGI 0.21E will cause a crash when the
"Apple Menu" is clicked. I'm trying to find out why this happens and
fix it.

SHOGI 0.21E is freeware, but I retain all rights. You can freely
distribute the program anywhere you want under the following conditions:
+ Distributing this program for profit is absolutely prohibited.
+ You are not allowed to modify this program, except for your own use.
+ The author will not be held responsible for any problems caused by
  this program.
+ This document (Shogi 0.21E doc) may not be changed and must be
  distributed together with the program Shogi 0.21E.

Kengo Tsuruzono
Until February 1991: 5-19-8-305, Nagasaki, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171 JAPAN.
NiftyServe (in Japan): MAH01603


- 2 -  I N S T R U C T I O N S
==============================

START A GAME
------------

Select "New" from the "File" menu to start a new game. You are supposed
to make the first move as a default. If you want the Macintosh to move
first, select "Macintosh" from the "First Move" menu before selecting
"New".

MAKE A MOVE
-----------

Just drag a piece in order to move it. You can't make illegal moves.
The Macintosh will check for illegal moves and put the piece back to
its original square. In case you forgot the rules of movement, "Help"
from the "Apple" menu will provide you the necessary details. If a
piece can promote after it has made a move, you will be warned by a
small flashing sign, which alternatingly displays the characters for
promotion and non-promotion. You must choose either of these options.

UNDO A MOVE
-----------

When you happen to make an undesired move, select "Undo" from the
"Edit" menu after the Macintosh has made its move. You can undo twice
in a game. You can't undo after checkmate.

SOUND
-----

You can toggle the sound on and off by using the "Sound" menu.


- 3 -  V E R S I O N  H I S T O R Y
===================================

+ Version 0.1 (First version of "SHOGI")
  The Think Routine only checked whether moves were correct. Moves were
  generated in a random fashion.
+ Version 0.2
  The Think Routine REALLY thinks, but is still kind of weak.
+ Version 0.21
  Minor upgrade.
+ Version 0.21E
  Provisional English version. Menus are changed from Japanese
  to English.


- 4 -  S H O G I  R U L E S
===========================

The following rules have been compiled by Chris Sterritt and Pieter
Stouten and have last been revised on 28-th June 1990.

GENERAL
-------

Shogi is a Japanese board game played by two players.
The object of the game is to capture the opponent's King.
Shogi is played on a nine-by-nine board. The vertical rows are called
files, the horizontal ones ranks or just rows. Each player has twenty
pieces (with Japanese names in parentheses): one King (O-sho), two Gold
Generals (Kin-sho), two Silver Generals (Gin-sho), two kNights (Kei-ma),
two Lances (Kyo-su), one Rook (Hi-sha), one Bishop (Kaku-gyo) and nine
Pawns (Ho-hei).
The player moving up the board and making the first move is referred to
as black and his opponent white, although in Shogi sets all pieces have
the same colour. They are differentiated only in direction: pieces
pointing away from a player are his. The pieces lie flat on the board
and have their Japanese name written on them.

THE MOVES
---------

King (O-sho):      one step in any direction per move.
Gold (Kin-sho):    one step per move any way except diagnoally backward
                   (as a king but not diagonally backward).
Silver (Gin-sho):  one step per move forwards or diagonally.
                   (as a king but not sideways or vertically backward)
Knight (Kei-ma):   one step to left or right, and two steps forward
                   (the only piece which may jump over other pieces).
Lance (Kyo-su):    moves forward any distance.
Rook (Hi-sha):     moves vertically or horizontally any distance.
Bishop (Kaku-gyo): moves diagonally any distance.
Pawn (Ho-hei):     one step forward.

Apart from the King and the Gold General all pieces can promote:
Silver (Gin-sho)   ->  Promoted Silver (Nari-gin)
Knight (Kei-ma)    ->  Promoted Knight (Nari-kei)
Lance (Kyo-su)     ->  Promoted Lance (Nari-kyo)
Rook (Hi-sha)      ->  Promoted Rook or Dragon King (Ryu-o)
Bishop (Kaku-gyo)  ->  Promoted Bishop or Dragon Horse (Ryu-ma)
Pawn (Ho-hei)      ->  Promoted Pawn or Tokin (To or To-kin)
After promotion their moves are as follows:
+ Promoted Silver, promoted kNight, promoted Lance and promoted Pawn
  all move as a Gold.
+ The promoted Rook in addition to the moves of the unpromoted Rook can
  move one step in the diagonal directions. It either moves like a Rook
  or like a King.
+ The promoted Bishop in addition to the moves of the unpromoted Bishop
  can move one step horizontally or vertically. It either moves like a
  Bishop or like a King.

PROMOTION
---------

The three rows furthest away from a player are called the promotion
zone. Apart from the King and the Gold, any piece can be promoted to a
more powerful piece when it makes a move completely or partly in the
promotion zone. So, when a piece moves into, out of or fully inside the
promotion zone it may be promoted upon completion of its move.
Promotion is optional, provided that the piece still can make a legal
move in case it is not promoted: if a Pawn or a Lance move to the last
row, or a Knight moves to either of the last two rows, it must be
promoted. In Shogi sets promoting a piece is done by turning this piece
upside down. Its promoted name is written on its other side.

CAPTURING AND DROPPING PIECES
-----------------------------

When one piece moves onto the same square as an opponent's piece, the
opponent's piece is captured. All pieces capture in the same way that
they move. Captured pieces become part of the capturer's force. In a
later move, instead of moving a piece on the board, a player may put a
piece that he has captured from his opponent back onto the board, in an
empty square. This is called dropping a piece. Pieces are always
dropped unpromoted: if a promoted piece is captured, it reverts to its
unpromoted rank. Pieces may be dropped on any empty square on the board
with only three restrictions:
 1) After dropping a piece it must be able to make a legal move. This
    applies to Pawns, Knights or Lances. They may not be dropped onto a
    square from which they will never be able to move.
 2) Attacking the King by dropping a Pawn on the square in front of him
    is not allowed if the King cannot prevent being captured on the
    following move. To use the Chess expression: checkmating the King
    with a Pawn drop is prohibited.
 3) A pawn may only be dropped on a file (vertical row) if there is no
    other unpromoted pawn of the same player on that file.

DRAWS
-----

The game of Shogi has very few draws (roughly 1 percent), mainly
because of the possibility to drop pieces. Draws cannot be offered and
can arise from two situations:
 1) A position (including the pieces in hand) occurs 4 times with the
    same player to move ("Sennichite"). However, if this is caused by
    consecutive checks (direct attacks on the King, threatening to
    capture it on the next move) by one side, the player giving these
    checks loses the game.
 2) Both players have moved their King into the the promotion zone (or
    they cannot be prevented to do so) and the Kings cannot be given
    check. In that case the players may decide to count their pieces
    where the King does not count, the Rook and Bishop count as 5
    points, and all other pieces as one point. Promotion is
    disregarded. If both players have at least 24 points the game is a
    draw ("Jishogi"). If a player has less, he loses the game. Of
    course, a player can refuse to count pieces when he still has
    mating chances or chances to gain material which would affect the
    outcome of the counting. There is no strict rule about what to do
    if this is not the case, but nonetheless a player refuses to count
    up (e.g. because he does not have enough points for a draw). It has
    been generally accepted that in such a case the game ends and the
    pieces are counted after one player has managed to get all his
    pieces protected in the promotion zone.


- 5 -  S H O G I  A D D R E S S E S
===================================

SHOGI ORGANIZATIONS
-------------------

+ Nihon Shogi Renmei (Japanese Shogi Association), 2-39-9 Sendagaya,
  Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Fax [phone].
+ FESA (Federation of European Shogi Associations).
  - President: John Hall, 6 Rue Maryse Bastie, 59130 Lambersart, France.
  - Secretary: Reijer Grimbergen, Oude Groenewoudseweg 162, 6524 WD
    Nijmegen, The Netherlands. E-mail: [e-mail].
+ Postal Shogi League (snail-mail). Phil Holland, coordinator,
  11 Honeyway, Royston, Herts SG8 7ES, England. Tel. [phone].

SHOGI MATERIAL
--------------

+ Die Spielekiste (books and sets), Gesellschaftsstrasse 15,
  4750 Unna, West Germany. Tel. [phone].
+ George F. Hodges (books, sets, magazines), P.O. Box 77, Bromley,
  Kent BR1 2WT, England. Tel. [phone], Fax [phone].
+ The Ishi Press, Inc. (books and magazines), CPO Box 2126, Tokyo, Japan.
+ Ishi Press International (books and magazines), 1400 Shoreline
  Boulevard, Building A7, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

E-MAIL ADDRESSES
----------------

+ [e-mail]: Masamichi Honda (communication to Mr. Tsuruzono).
+ [e-mail]: The Shogi Discussion List (SHOGI-L).
+ [e-mail]: Reijer Grimbergen (FESA secretary).
+ [e-mail]: Robert (Al) Hartshorn (co-owner SHOGI-L).
+ [e-mail]: Chris Sterritt (co-owner SHOGI-L).
+ [e-mail]: Pieter Stouten (co-owner SHOGI-L).