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How about a game of Japanese Chess, i.e. Shogi? Now playing Shogi4 — Page 39

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That was unexpected. Now both your lance and your knight are trapped, which protects me from all but your phoenix...I had better keep an eye on him.

Can a gold cannon jump over a piece without capturing? Anyway, I have to go now and I want to think about my move for a bit. Thanks for being patient.

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No, a gold cannon moves like a rook (or in this game, a reverse chariot), but captures by jumping.  Think about your move.  Any other move would have just sacrificed my lance.  At least your king can't move for now, but I'm still worried about what to do.  I don't think I could have made a better move without sacrificing something.  Maybe I'm wrong.  I haven't had time to analyze the board much.  I'm shooting from the hip most of the time.

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Yeah, looking at it now, I think I've really screwed things up.  Oh well.

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You can take it back if you want. I think you have a better chance than you realize if you do take it back and I think I can still do well if you do something different.

If not, HH-23

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Not sure yet.  But I need to get home.

k
-
-
rs
ph
-
-
-
-
-
-
rc
s
p
-
-
-
P
-
-
-
SC
HH
ph
-
-
RS
l
n
K

Ric in hand:
SC/GC

ender in hand:
s/g

Let me know if that's not correct.

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RicOlie_2 said:

SCx22+GC

 You have everything right, except you didn't note this promotion.

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I screwed it up, but I don't want to have to take anything back.  I'll play Phx23+Gs, and add a little side note that I hate you ;)

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 (Edited)

Carp, I forgot ramshead soldiers couldn't go backwards! *mutters*

SC*21

EDIT: Hold that, I removed my heavenly horse but didn't move your phoenix.

OK, GC-20 is my move.

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You must have also forgotten that Geese can jump two backwards.  Gsx21+Ph

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No worries, but I wonder if my board looks like yours because now I want to play Gsx27+Ph.  Is that not an available move on your board?

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Well, I think we've both made some good moves this game, but I think we both have made some blunders as well.  I am certain you could have come out far better in this exchange than it's turning out for you.  I don't mean to be rude, and I certainly messed up so bad that even with your mistakes, you still are coming off better.  This is actually a far more interesting game than I could have hoped for!

Ph-26#

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So I am curious about your thoughts.  What would you suggest changing for once this game is done?  I had suggested a positional change, one I'm still interested in.  But I am not certain how well I like the cannons.  They seem a bit too powerful for a game like this.  What's more, they are not truly native to Japanese Chess.  They come from Chinese Chess (gold cannon) and Korean Chess (silver cannon), and were adopted by a Westerner and given their present names for Cannon Shogi.  But there is no actual Japanese heritage for them, so I've always felt a bit like a cheater for including them.  On the other hand, they make the game exciting and faster paced, in what otherwise might take ages to complete.  The silver cannon in particular is especially effective on a one dimensional board, and when a game can get so easily cluttered, it's nice to have a mobile piece.  So I'm not sure.

I also think the first four pieces could use some more rearrangement.  When we started this game, I couldn't see a way to initiate a trade without coming out behind.  You did a good job starting the trades and getting our armies to clash, but it took some doing.  With enough study, it would probably be too easy to identify the best opening moves to make.  I want this game to be more complex than that.  Now that we're in the thick of it, I think the number of options has increased and thus made it more interesting and complex.  But the opening is too narrow.  I think it would be better to include more long-range pieces towards the front (especially the somewhat offensively useless lance/reverse chariot, which is always stuck behind its own pieces unless captured and dropped by the enemy), while tucking a couple of steppers or leapers (perhaps the silver, knight, or goose) closer to the back to act as defense.

I'm not entirely sure I want to shrink the board anymore.  Though it's rough for some of my pieces stuck way at my end, it's also good that the pieces in play have plenty of room to maneuver.

Anyway, these are my thoughts.

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My move is SCx26+GC and I'll give my thoughts on the game shortly (or longly, as I tend to be long-winded).

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When you get the chance, could you make a diagram of our game?

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GC-22

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to share any profound thoughts with you because I lost my internet connection last night. I'll probably type something up this evening. As for the diagram, here you go (your pieces in bold, mine in italics):

K
-
-
RS
Ph
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-
-
-
-
-
RC
S
P
-
-
-
P
-
-
-
GC
HH
-
-

GC
-
L
N
K

In hand:

G/S
RS/B

Gs/Ph

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Thanks, I think that makes it impossible for you to checkmate me now (until you get kill off all my pieces and leave me with just my king, that is).

Unfortunately for me, though, you have 9 pieces besides your trapped pieces and I only have 4.

Ph*16

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 (Edited)

RicOlie_2 said:

Thanks, I think that makes it impossible for you to checkmate me now (until you get kill off all my pieces and leave me with just my king, that is).

 I didn't mean to sound rude there, but I think I did. Sorry, I only intended to make an observation and I was relieved that I didn't have to worry about those knights any more.

EDIT: I just about forgot to move.

Ph-20

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G*21. You were fine.  Don't worry about it.  Forgive my lack of commentary, but I'm busy with work.