Hey great! I was wondering if you were truly interested. I wasn't going to pressure you or anything, but so many I've tried to introduce to this end up flaking out. Okay, let's begin. I don't have much in the way of opening strategy, as my shogi theory is not nearly as advanced as my chess theory (which in itself could use some serious sharpening). But since I have a couple of early ideas, I will go ahead and go first for demonstrative purposes. Note that I am including the Japanese set for those who wish to familiarize themselves with the true appearance of the pieces, as well as a Westernized set (with pieces that change color depending on the owner!) to facilitate understanding of which piece is which and perhaps ease in those who wish to learn to play the game.

Opening board:

First move: P-2f

T'o reveal my amazingly secret opening strategy (which is actually among the most common of openings), I am advancing my pawn, the only pawn protected by the rook during its whole advance. This is often mirrored by the other player, but need not be. As I mentioned before, most pieces are weaker than our chess, and with a larger board, it often takes longer for the action to really start. The opening phase usually involves a lot more defensive posturing, a very important aspect considering the mobility of pieces when the are dropped back into play, later in the game. It's when pieces are exchanged that the game really gets exciting.