Philosophy shogi checkers

Philosophy shogi checkers

Philosophy shogi checkers (哲学飛将碁) is a board game similar to English draughts, invented by Inoue Enryō, a Japanese philosopher, and described by his student in 1890. It has the same board size as shogi and the game ends with capturing the opponent’s king, similar to shogi and Persian chess. The game was created for educational purposes, and philosophy terms are used in the game.

Why is Philosophy shogi checkers Popular?

Philosophy shogi checkers is an attractive game that revolves around acquiring material advantage, because the king cannot easily be attacked unless it ventures out on the board in the middlegame. The game is significant because it is a unique combination of philosophy and strategy, and it is a popular game in Japan.

Game Components of Philosophy shogi checkers

Board: The game is played on a board of 9×9 dark and light squares, all the corner squares are dark, and the players move their pieces only on the dark ones.

Pieces: Each player has 14 pieces (13 pieces + one king).
– King: The king is named “ideal” (理想) and has a larger size than other pieces. The king is positioned in the center of the first row.
– Materialism and Spiritualism: Pieces with black characters are named Materialism (唯物), and pieces with white characters are named Spiritualism (唯心).
– Prince: The prince is written as 理, the first character of 理想 (ideal). It is written at the back of the piece. A piece is promoted by turning the piece over.

Game Setup of Philosophy shogi checkers

At the beginning of the game, each player places their pieces in the first three rows of their side (only on the dark fields). The king is positioned in the center of the first row.

Gameplay Mechanics of Philosophy shogi checkers

The rules of Philosophy shogi checkers are similar to modern English-style checkers, with the difference being that there are 9 x 9 squares on the game board, the same as shogi, and the main goal of the game is to capture the opponent’s king. Pieces move in dark squares only, and capture is mandatory, but it is not mandatory to capture the longest line (i.e., it is not necessary to choose the series of jumps that captures the most men).

Game Objective of Philosophy shogi checkers

The game ends with capturing the opponent’s king, similar to shogi and Persian chess.

Player Experience

Philosophy shogi checkers is a game that revolves around acquiring material advantage, and it requires tactics and strategy. The game is not a quick one because it takes much time until a decision is made. The game is played by two players, and it is suitable for players aged 5 and above.

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