Gosh, I'm irritated. I left my computer on overnight, and because Win7 likes to automatically restart without permission (my one big gripe with the OS), both games were reset. I believe, however, that I remember I had one move available: K-1b, after which you can deliver checkmate.
Not quite. You make that move (which is your worst option out of several), then I drop my rook on 3b, then you drop a piece (let's say your gold general) on 2b, then I take it with my rook, which promotes, and then it's checkmate.
Do you feel cheated that way? Because I see no point in running. I've obviously already lost.
No, I had several plans anyway, accounting for several of your different options, so you would have only delayed checkmate by a few turns, unless you had done something unexpected.
I kind of want to work up through the larger variants, beginning with Heian Dai Shogi, then moving on to Dai Shogi, Tenjiku Shogi, Dai-Dai Shogi, Maka-Dai-Dai Shogi, and finishing with Tai Shogi.
It could take a while to play them all, and I know you're less of a fan of the long and big game than I am, so if you don't want to do that, that's OK with me too. We don't have to play them all, either, unless you want to (which would be great ;)). We can also alternate between large and small variants if you wish.
If someone wants to play a three player game, I'd be OK with playing simultaneous games, or taking a break from the large variant to play that.
Heian Dai Shogi really is not a very fun game. And I truthfully doubt I would ever have any interest in playing any of the very large games. I'm surprised that you wouldn't want to tackle Taikyoku Shogi, though, as that is far larger than Tai. From what I read, Dai isn't too good either, as Chu Shogi has almost all the same pieces, but is on a smaller board and thus is more dynamic and quick paced (not just fast, but I mean action-packed instead of dull). Tenjiku is intersting to me, as it has some very strange and unique pieces not found elsewhere, and Dai-Dai is supposed to be pretty good even though it's even larger than Dai. I might be willing to try those two, but I'd probably not want to get any larger. You've probably noticed, I have much less time lately, and I've been playing poorly because I've been giving my games much less attention when I do move, so it really could last a very long time playing Dai Dai (I hear Tenjiku is actually really quick). Anyway, we'll see how it goes. Good game, btw. You got me!
I would still like to try some of the smallest games we never got around to as well, like Tori, Dobutsu, Nana, and Gufuu shogi. Like you said, we could alternate. You decide what we play first.
That's fair enough. I can understand why you wouldn't be as interested in the large variants, and since my dad likes the large variants far more than the small ones, so I'll just play him sometime. :)
I wouldn't mind a game of Tenjiku Shogi. There are a lot of interesting pieces and I can see how it could be faster than the other large variants. After that, we could play Tori Shogi if that suits you.
I'll just tell you now, if you've come so far that you can kick my butt in regular shogi, you will trash me at Tenjiku. I can't possibly remember most of these piece's moves, and I won't be able to give a lot of attention to the game. I'm trying to find the best way to play it, but it looks like I'll be relying on the old ShogiVar software and my emulated version of XP. I'm quite certain I will lose this game, but oh well.
P-7k
The site went down just as I submitted my post yesterday. :(
Before we start, we should make sure we're on the same page...
While looking for Tenjiku Shogi software (which I didn't find, so I'll have to use excel unless you can link me to a ShogiVar download), I discovered that there are old and new rules. I believe ShogiVar uses the old rules, but I'm not sure. I'll have to use the rules found on Wikipedia, which would be the new moves. Some pieces have English and Japanese moves, so if the Japanese moves are the old moves, then I should be OK.
We might be better off just skipping this variant, since this is all so complicated. If you remember where you downloaded ShogiVar from (if the page is still up), then I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me find it. If not, and ShogiVar does indeed use the old rules, then we're probably better off just skipping to Tori Shogi.
I finished my Ito Shogi variants and off-shoots last night, so I'll be sending that to you in a PM shortly.
Let me know when you make room in your inbox for my PM... :P
Cleared up my inbox a bit.
Here is the link for ShogiVar software.
http://www.users.on.net/~ybosde/
I'm sure that this does use the older rules, which I had forgotten but do remember reading about the discrepancies on Wikipedia recently. I have found some other software that might have newer rules, but it's not visually very helpful, especially for someone as unfamiliar with the moves as we are.
Tori Shogi is a very popular variant, so I imagine we will enjoy it. Someone has programmed a game. But since you're asking for a large variant, we could do Dai Dai, and I believe there is a Zillions file available, either at the Zillions website or at chessvariants.org. If not, I know I found one for one of the larger variants in a different location, but it's not at either of these two sites. I don't have time to look at the moment, but if you can't find it, let me know and I'll send it your way.
Thanks a bunch!
I'll make my move as soon as I get it downloaded in XP (running on VirtualBox, of course). It's been giving me some trouble--first it gave me the blue screen of death and shut my whole computer down, and now it's frozen. :P
The emulation of Windows XP is now installing 50 updates on my fourth try to get it started up. Grrrrr! }:(
Oh, well. I probably won't be able to move tonight though.
And I finally sent you the Ito Shogi thingamajiggers.
Well, it's up to you. If you want to run Tenjiku, you could use the program. But I know there are Zillions files for Tori and Dai Dai, which would be easier to run. Here are two links for Dai Dai
http://www.zillionsofgames.com/cgi-bin/zilligames/submissions.cgi?do=show;id=1913
http://www.zillionsofgames.com/cgi-bin/zilligames/submissions.cgi?do=show;id=1465
Whichever version you like better you can use. I think there is another. I will try to find it. Also, zillions has a Tori file, if you'd prefer to play that first.
Here's Tori Shogi.
http://www.zillionsofgames.com/cgi-bin/zilligames/submissions.cgi?do=show;id=1463
I really love the ShogiVar software, but it is really a bummer that it's hard to run on a newer computer. There has never been a program made to match it except Zillions, and even then, not all the games have been programmed in Zillions that were made for ShogiVar. He had plans to expand the program and include more games, but never got around to it. He was going to include Sannin Shogi, which I would have loved, but oh well.
If you ever do get VirtualBox working, I can send you the lame software for Sannin and Yonin (4 player) Shogi that I have. They are old and not very visually attractive (and Yonin Shogi utilizes Japanese text :( ), but they are serviceable. Let me know. I'll check my PM. Had to spend the past couple of hours changing passwords for the Hearbleed Virus.
Maybe we should play Tori Shogi.
When I try to open the .exe file for ShogiVar, a window pops up that says "Cannot find VBRUN300.DLL". When I close that, another window, titled "Can't run 16-bit Windows program". I'm not having much luck, so unless you know a solution, I think I'll just give up and download Tori Shogi.
I do know a solution, but it will take a little refresher on my part and a little walkthrough. It's not too difficult. I had to do the same thing. What OS are you running in VirtualBox? Did you see my post above that includes links for Dai Dai?
I'm using Windows XP in VirtualBox. I also tried copying the thing over to Windows 95, but I wasn't able to open the flash drive in it. Did flash drives come after Windows 95? I didn't think they did...
I saw your post with the links to Dai Dai. I say we play a game of Tori Shogi while we get this sorted out.
Sx3d
Okay, we can play Tori. I'm just surprised you want to get ShogiVar working so badly instead of just using Zillions. It does have a few you can't find elsewhere (actually, it might only be unique in having Tai, and possibly Maka Dai Dai), but most of them can be found elsewhere or utilized in Zillions. Don't get me wrong, it's a great program and I wish Steve Evans would update and expand upon it. But if you're wanting to avoid technical difficulties, you can try some other links. And I looked it up, and the only Zillions file not available on chessvariants.org or zillionsofgames.com is Dai Shogi. If you want that, I have it and can get it to you.
As for the program working on your emulated Win95, what you usually have to do these days is download VBRUN300.dll and put it in the folder containing all your ShogiVar files.
https://www.google.com/search?q=VBRUN300.DLL&rlz=1C1TSNF_enUS550US550&oq=VBRUN300.DLL&aqs=chrome..69i57.867j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8
Just download the dll (if you haven't set up a folder that shares between your real and emulated OS, then you should just download it in Win95), put it in the folder, and try running the program again. If you're still having some trouble, I'll take a little more time to help you walk through the process.
OK, thanks. I couldn't find a Zillions file for Tenjiku, so I wanted to get ShogiVar running so I could play it. But if there's a Zillions file for it, then I'd be happy to use the Zillions file instead.
Well, I forgot to mention Tenjiku. Sorry. You are right, and that is the best way to play. No, there is no Zillions file, only ShogiVar and some crappy software I found. I'll send that to you soon. Sorry I'm always posting on the run.
So here is a website that has software that plays by the new rules, but visually it is very uninteresting, and since I'm already unfamiliar with the pieces and their moves, this makes it even harder. Nevertheless, it is workable and we could try it if you wanted.
http://www.luckydog.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/games/tenjiku/tenlinks.htm
But since you're still working on the ShogiVar software, we can continue with the Tori game you started.
Sx3d
Sx5c
Yeah, that other software might be hard to work with. Unless I'm missing something, it only shows the Japanese kanji, which I am very unfamiliar with. I'll try ShogiVar again later, and if I get it to work, we can play a game.
For what it's worth, ShogiVar also only uses the Kanji, but the software does show potential moves better than what I linked to.
Fx5c
Well, as long as it shows the moves well, I should be mostly OK. After all, I played several small variants with only Japanese Kanji.
C-3f
C-3b