darth_ender said:
Same with me for Ito. I want to play, but I haven't made an appropriate set. We could just try the software and see how it plays. It's too small a board, but with our amateur abilities at the game (I am honestly no good, in spite of being the inventor), it probably won't make a noticeable difference. Or we could just wait till tomorrow and I could throw together a crummy set.
I'm fine with whatever. I'll probably mock up a set tonight regardless of whether or not we end up playing it.
I really enjoyed Chu, but I have had so many games I wanted to try, and that took so long that I hesitate to play another game just yet.
Agreed. It might be nice to break up long games with short ones in between.
I ask frequently, but I really want to be sure, am I too hard a player? It gets discouraging to continually lose, and I have beaten you in almost every game. I can be competitive, but I don't want to do so at the expense of your fun. I can play easier, coach you through positions more, make deliberate (but subtle) mistakes, accept handicaps, whatever, just because I'd hate to lose such an enjoyable gaming partner.
I don't think you're too hard of a player. I've played chess games in which I was checkmated in less than five moves (granted, I made some stupid moves) before, so I don't feel that you're so good I don't get any chance to make moves I'm not being forced to make. It's only when the game gets to that point that I really start to get frustrated, because then it's really just the other player playing him/herself since I can't make attacks/counter-attacks/set up defenses of my own. I definitely don't find that with you, unless I'm playing really badly myself.
It might be helpful to play a game (probably of normal Shogi) in which we tell each other the reasoning behind our moves as we play, while you critique my strategies and reasoning or point out things I've overlooked. It obviously won't be the same as a regular Shogi game because we'll be spoiling our strategies by telling them to the other person and it will probably take longer, due to the extra time taken in writing posts. However, it will allow me to learn to think about my moves more and also give me the chance to pick up more strategy and gain a better awareness of the board as a whole, since I tend to concentrate on one or two areas at a time.
I also am interested in your thoughts on Chu. I already asked, but now at the end of the game, have you developed any new insights or opinions? I personally learned that the lion is not as amazing as I expected (and I'm glad for that). If he breaks through, he can wreak havoc. But if a player has two rook-type pieces protecting two adjacent ranks (these pieces should be well defended of course), then the lion simply cannot safely cross. You had a pretty good defense against my lion for a while. There were several dangerous squares, and you had at least one rank covered. I simply couldn't get through in spite of my far superior forces by that point. It was difficult to figure out how to tear down your wall.
I think Chu Shogi is a lot of fun. Your lion didn't end up proving too devastating, though of course it deprived me of my free king, and if I remember correctly, my lion, and of course delivered checkmate. I found that I focused just about all my attention on getting rid of your lion, which may or may not have been a good idea. I made some silly moves which cost me in the end, and I think that made it a lot harder to play. The problem is that when you lose a lot of your long-range pieces, it becomes vastly more difficult to play, as not only does it take forever to cross the board, but it is difficult to trap one's opponent's long-range pieces. I enjoyed creating fairly elaborate defenses while simultaneously trying to capture your lion, but the drawback of focusing so much on defense is that I wasn't able to make many offensive moves against any piece besides your lion (thus I think I was even more defensive this game than normal).
That about sums up my thoughts.
If you wanted, we could just play another small game. Dobutsu shogi is very small and simple. Nana shogi could be fun. I hear Tori Shogi is a great game. We have many options if you want to go for another faster game. I don't think I'd want to go bigger than Chu ever. I doubt I would have the patience for a larger game, except maybe in person where we could finish in a single day. But Wa Shogi is 11x11, and is fun with or without drops (as historically it is unclear whether or not the game was designed with them in mind). I leave the choice up to you.
I don't feel like making decisions right now, so I'm going to throw the choices back at you and get you to pick one. :)
Thanks for being a good playing partner and a good sport. You let me know what you think. I want to be accommodating in all aspects. :)
No problem, I enjoy playing despite losing. I don't want you to be too accommodating, because then you won't enjoy the game as much. But I already stated my thoughts above, so I won't repeat myself here.