Taikyoku shōgi (Japanese: 大局将棋; lit. "ultimate shogi") is the largest known variant of shogi (Japanesechess). The game was created around the mid-16th or 17th centuries (presumably by priests) and is based on earlier large board shogi games. Before the rediscovery of taikyoku shogi in 1997, tai shogi was believed to be the largest physically playable chess variant ever. It has not been shown that taikyoku shogi was ever widely played. There are only two sets of restored taikyoku shogi pieces, one of which is held at Osaka University of Commerce.[1] The only played game in recent history was played in 2004 for the Japanese television show Fountain of Trivia, which took 32 hours and 41 minutes, spanning over three days, and a total of 3,805 moves.[2]
Because the game was found only recently after centuries of obscurity, it is difficult to say exactly what all the rules were. Several documents describing the game have been found; however, there are differences between them. It is not clear how accurate the rules given by modern sources for the game are, because many of the pieces appear in other shogi variants with a consistent move there, but are given different moves in taikyoku shogi. The board, and likewise the pieces, were made much smaller than usual for the other variants, making archaeological finds difficult to decipher. Research into this game continues.
Taikyoku shogi is very different from other large-board shogi variants: tenjiku shogi, dai dai shogi, maka dai dai shogi, and tai shogi. The most notable differences lie with the piece movements and their promotions.
The objective of the game is to capture the opponent's king(s) and crown prince(s). When the last of these is captured, the game ends. There are no rules for check or checkmate; however, in practice a player resigns when checkmated. Unlike standard shogi, pieces may not be dropped back into play after being captured.
Two players, Black and White (or 先手 sente and 後手 gote), play on a board ruled into a grid of 36 ranks (rows) by 36 files (columns) with a total of 1,296 squares. Each "square" is a 17mm by 15mm rectangle, making the playing size tantamount to 65 cm by 55 cm.[3] The squares are differentiated by marking or color.
Each player has a set of 402 wedge-shaped pieces of 207[a] types. The players must remember 253 sets of moves. The pieces are of slightly different sizes with the larger pieces near the king and becoming progressively smaller for pieces further from the king, regardless of power. In general, the stronger pieces are nearer to the king.
Each piece has its name in the form of two or three kanji written on its face. On the reverse side of some pieces are two or three other characters, often in a different color (commonly red instead of black); this reverse side is used to indicate that the piece has been promoted during play. The pieces of the two sides do not differ in color, but instead each piece is shaped like a wedge, and faces forward, toward the opposing side. This shows who controls the piece during play.
Listed below are the pieces of the game and, if they promote, which pieces they promote to. Promotions prefaced with a star are not also represented as their own pieces, existing only as promotions.
In smaller variants of shogi, some pieces that move identically or similarly to chess pieces are given the name of the chess piece. However, in taikyoku shogi, this breaks down since there are other pieces with the same movements as in chess. Hence, and for the purpose of consistency, names of the pieces have simply been translated from Japanese. A list can be seen here:
Note also that even though 歩兵 translates directly to "foot soldier", it is named "pawn", the same as in chess, since "pawn" comes from the Medieval Latin term for "foot soldier".
Below is a diagram showing the setup of one player's pieces. The way one player sees their own pieces is the same way the opposing player will see their pieces.
The players alternate making a move, with Black moving first. (The traditional terms 'black' and 'white' are used to differentiate the sides during discussion of the game, but are no longer literally descriptive.) A move consists of moving a single piece on the board and potentially promoting that piece or displacing (capturing) an opposing piece.
Most pieces in the game move in a unique manner. An opposing piece is captured by displacement: That is, if a piece moves to a square occupied by an opposing piece, the opposing piece is displaced and removed from the board. A piece cannot move to a square occupied by a friendly piece (meaning another piece controlled by the moving player).
Each piece on the game moves in a characteristic pattern. Pieces move either orthogonally (that is, forward, backward, left, or right, in the direction of one of the arms of a plus sign, +), or diagonally (in the direction of one of the arms of a multiplication sign, ×). The lion, lion hawk and cassia horse are exceptions at the beginning of the game, in that they do not move, or are not required to move, in a straight line. (The Buddhist spirit, king of teachings, heavenly horse and furious fiend are similar, but they only appear as pieces promote.)
Complete rules have not been found, and different sources vary on how promotion is handled. Either a piece that can promote promotes when it makes its first capture,[5] or a player must promote the piece when it enters one of the 11 ranks at the opposite side of the board.[6]
Many pieces are capable of several kinds of movement, with the type of movement most often depending on the direction in which they move. The movement categories are:
Some pieces move only one square at a time. (If a friendly piece occupies an adjacent square, the moving piece may not move in that direction; if an opposing piece is there, it may be displaced and captured.)
The step movers are the crown prince, generals (except: angle mover, flying chariot, pig, vice, great and wood), wolves, earth dragon, running horse, running rabbit, turtle-snake, turtle dove, flying swallow, rain dragon, mountain stag, running pup, running serpent, side serpent, nature spirit, Buddhist devil, fierce stag, drunken elephant, neighboring king, chariots (except: reverse, running and copper), right tiger, left tiger, wind dragon, free pup, rushing bird, old kite, bears (except running), side boar, cloud eagle, flying cat, little standard, cloud dragon, soldiers (except soldier and chariot), fierce ox, dark spirit, deva, howling dog, side mover, prancing stag, fierce leopard, fierce eagle, poisonous serpent, flying goose, strutting crow, blind dog, Huai chicken, phoenix, kirin, side ox, angry boar, wind horse, flying chicken, monkeys, barbarians, vermillion sparrow, swooping owl, old rat, cat sword, swallow's wings, blind tiger, side flyer, coiled serpent, reclining dragon, go-between, dog, vertical mover, vertical pup, vertical horse, dragon horse, dragon king and pawn.
Some pieces can move along a limited number (2 to 7) of free (empty) squares along a straight line in certain directions. Other than the limited distance, they move like ranging pieces (see below).
The limited ranging pieces are the king, standards, free dream-eater, wooden dove, dragons (except: rain, side, wind, cloud, flying and reclining), demons, beast cadet, mountain eagle, white tiger, ceramic dove, turtle dove, fowl officer, mountain stag, side serpent, great dove, running tiger, running bear, nature spirit, Buddhist devil, guardian of the Gods, sumo wrestler, gold chariot, running stag, beast officer, free pup, rushing bird, old kite, peacock, phoenix master, kirin master, silver chariot, vertical bear, pig general, chicken general, horse general, ox general, silver rabbit, gold stag, fowl cadet, great stag, stone chariot, cloud eagle, mountain hawk, vertical tiger, copper chariot, gold bird, prancing stag, water ox, fierce eagle, water general, mountain general, fire general, turtles, vertical wolf, donkey, enchanted badger, flying horse, angry boar, fierce bear, wind horse, barbarians, center master, peng master, horseman, soldiers (except: flying chariot, ram's-head, spear and sword), wing general, wind general, wood general, great master and roaring dog.
Several pieces can jump, that is, they can pass over any intervening piece, whether friend or foe, with no effect on either.
The jumping pieces are the wooden dove, running horse, mountain eagle, phoenix master, kirin master, cassia horse, lion, great stag, vice general, flying cat, mountain hawk, gold bird, flying dragon, phoenix, kirin, turtles, treacherous fox, center master, peng master, free eagle, lion hawk, great master, horned hawk, flying eagle, roaring dog and lion dog.
Many pieces can move any number of empty squares along a straight line, limited only by the edge of the board. If an opposing piece intervenes, it may be captured by moving to that square and removing it from the board. A ranging piece must stop where it captures, and cannot bypass a piece that is in its way. If a friendly piece intervenes, the moving piece is limited to a distance that stops short of the intervening piece; if the friendly piece is adjacent, it cannot move in that direction at all.
The ranging pieces are the standards, free king, free dream-eater, wooden dove, dragons (except: fierce, flying and reclining), demons, running horse, mountain eagle, whale, running rabbit, tigers (except blind), turtle-snake, ceramic dove, incense chariot, ox chariot, chariots, flying swallow, running pup, running serpent, great dove, running bear, running stag, running wolf, free pup, phoenix master, kirin master, vertical bear, side boar, silver rabbit, gold stag, great stag, cloud eagle, angle mover, flying chariot, side wolf, mountain hawk, soldiers (except: sword, cannon and crossbow), fierce ox, gold bird, white foal, howling dog, side mover, water ox, turtles, vertical wolf, side ox, wind horse, treacherous fox, peng master, vermillion sparrow, horseman, swallow's wings, side flyer, great master, side monkey, vertical mover, flying ox, vertical pup, vertical horse, dragon horse, dragon king, horned hawk, flying eagle, roaring dog and lion dog.
The hook mover, tengu, capricorn, and peacock can move any number of squares along a straight line, as a normal ranging piece, but may also abruptly change tack left or right by 90° at any one place along the route, and then continue as a ranging piece. Turning a corner like this is optional.
The range covered by a hook move is the equivalent of two moves by a rook, or two moves by a bishop, depending on the piece. However, a hook move is functionally a single move: The piece cannot capture twice in one move, nor may it capture and then move on. It must stop before an intervening piece (unless it first changes direction to avoid it), and must stop when it captures, just like any other ranging piece. It can only change direction once per move.
The lion and lion hawk may take multiple (2) steps in a single turn. These do not have to be in a line, so these pieces can potentially reach every square within two or three steps of the starting square, not just squares along one of the diagonals or orthogonals. Such moves are also useful to get around obstructions. An area mover must stop where it captures.
The heavenly tetrarch king, great hawk, rain demon, great eagle, treacherous fox and mountain crane may jump a limited number of squares, before (optionally) continuing on in the same direction as a ranging piece. This is also the likely behavior of the gold bird, free bird, ancient dragon, great elephant and king of teachings.
The great general, vice general, flying general, angle general, fierce dragon and flying crocodile may jump over any number of pieces, friend or foe, along a diagonal or orthogonal. They capture all pieces they jump over, as well as the one they land on.
However, they may only jump over or land on pieces of lower rank, whether friend or foe. The relevant ranking is:
King, crown prince
Great general
Vice general
Flying general, angle general, fierce dragon, flying crocodile
This ranking makes it impossible for range capturing pieces to capture the king or crown prince.[j]
Step: The drunken elephant, neighboring king and rushing boar can move one square in any direction, orthogonal or diagonal, except orthogonally backward.
Notation: fsK
They have the same range of movement but promote differently (see above).
Ranging: The flying chariot, soldier, running chariot, square mover and gliding swallow can move any number of free squares in a straight line in the four orthogonal directions.
They have the same range of motion but promote differently (see above).
Notation: R
│
│
─
─
☖
─
─
│
│
Free serpent (奔蛇), coiled dragon (蟠龍) and whale (鯨鯢)
Range: The free serpent, the coiled dragon and the whale can move any number of free squares in a straight line orthogonally forward, backward, or diagonally backward.
Ranging: The flying ox, the free bear, the free leopard and the great whale can move any number of free squares in a straight line in the four diagonal directions.
Ranging: It can move any number of free squares in a straight line orthogonally forward or backward.
Ranging: The treacherous fox can move any number of free squares in a straight line orthogonally forward or backward, or in the four diagonal directions.
Jump and range: It can jump to the second or third square in those directions, then (optionally) continue moving in that direction.
Range: The free dragon and free tiger can move any number of free squares in a straight line in any direction, orthogonal or diagonal, except orthogonally forward.
Notation: BbsR
╲
╱
╲
╱
─
─
☖
─
─
╱
│
╲
╱
│
╲
Free king (奔王), free stag (奔鹿) and strong eagle (勁鷲)
Ranging: The free king, the free stag and the strong eagle can move any number of free squares in a straight line in any direction, orthogonal or diagonal.
Step: The vermillion sparrow can move one square in the four orthogonal directions, or diagonally forward to the right or diagonally backward to the left.
Ranging: It can move any number of free squares in a straight line diagonally forward to the left or diagonally backward to the right.
Limited range: The center standard and front standard can move one to three squares in the four diagonal directions.
Ranging: They can move any number of free squares in a straight line in the four orthogonal directions.
They have the same range of movement but promote differently (see above). Uniquely, when a center standard promotes to a front standard, it gains no new abilities.
Jump: A cassia horse jumps at an angle intermediate between orthogonal and diagonal, amounting to one square forward plus one square diagonally forward, in a single motion. That is, it has a choice of two forward destinations.
The cassia horse ignores intervening pieces on the way to its destination, though its destination square must of course be either empty, or occupied by an opponent's piece (in which case the opponent's piece is captured), just as with any other moving piece.
Limited range: The left mountain eagle can move one or two squares diagonally backward to the right.
Jump: It can jump to the second square along either left diagonal.
Ranging: It can move any number of free squares in a straight line diagonally left, diagonally forward to the right, or in the four orthogonal directions.
Limited range: The right mountain eagle can move one or two squares diagonally backward to the left.
Jump: It can jump to the second square along either right diagonal.
Ranging: It can move any number of free squares in a straight line diagonally right, diagonally forward to the left, or in the four orthogonal directions.
Jump: The heavenly horse jumps at an angle intermediate between orthogonal and diagonal, amounting to one square forward plus one square diagonally forward, in a single motion; or one square backward plus one square diagonally backward, in a single motion.
It ignores intervening pieces while jumping to its destination, though its destination square must of course be either empty, or occupied by an opponent's piece (in which case the opponent's piece is captured), just as with any other moving piece.
Range: It can move any number of free squares in a straight line orthogonally forward.
Limited range: The wooden dove can move one or two squares in the four orthogonal directions.
Ranging: It can move any number of free squares in a straight line in the four diagonal directions.
Jump plus limited range: It can jump to the third square in the four diagonal directions, and then (optionally) move one or two squares in the same direction.
Ranging: The free eagle can move any number of free squares in a straight line in any orthogonal or diagonal direction.
Jump/ranging: It can jump up to 3 steps in any orthogonal or diagonal direction (squares ① - ③), or up to 4 steps if diagonally forward (squares ① - ④), and then (optionally) continue moving any number of free squares in that direction.
Multi capture/ranging: It can capture all pieces on squares ① - ③ (or if moving forward diagonally, ① - ④), and then (optionally) continue moving any number of free squares in that direction.
When it is performing a multi-capture move, it must capture all pieces on squares ① - ③ (or if moving forward diagonally, ① - ④). It cannot jump to ② or ③ then start a multi-capture, and it cannot stop before reaching a ③ square (or if moving forward diagonally, a ④ square).
It does not have to jump before moving or move after jumping.
It may move to an adjacent (a ① square) and return to its original square in the same move.
This means it may capture a piece on an adjacent square without moving (igui).
This also means it may move to an adjacent empty square and immediately return, effectively staying put and passing the player's turn (jitto).
Jump and range: The king of teachings can jump up to three pieces along a straight line in any diagonal or orthogonal direction, and then optionally continue any number of free squares in that direction.
Limited range: The great elephant can move one to three squares diagonally forward.
Jump and range: It can jump up to three pieces in a straight line diagonally backward or in one of the four orthogonal directions, and then optionally continue any number of free squares in that direction.
Range capture: The flying general can fly over any number of squares along a straight line in any orthogonal direction, so long as they don't contain a royal (king or crown prince) or another range capturing piece. All pieces it flies over are removed from the game.
Range capture: The angle general can fly over any number of squares along a straight line in any diagonal direction, so long as they don't contain a royal (king or crown prince) or another range capturing piece. All pieces it flies over are removed from the game.
Range capture: The great general can fly over any number of squares along a straight line in any direction, orthogonally or diagonally, as long as they don't contain a royal (king or crown prince) or another great general. All pieces it flies over are removed from the game.
Limited range: The fierce dragon can move one or two squares in the four orthogonal directions.
Range capture: It can fly over any number of pieces along one of the four diagonal directions, as long as they don't include a royal (king or crown prince) or another range capturing piece. All pieces it flies over are removed from the game.
Limited range: The flying crocodile can move one or two squares diagonally backward.
Limited range: It can move one to three squares diagonally forward.
Range capture: It can jump any number of pieces in one of the four orthogonal directions, as long as these do not include a royal (king or crown prince) or another range capturing piece. Any piece it jumps over is removed from the board.
Jump: The vice general can jump to the second square in the four orthogonal directions. This is a standard jump.
Range capture: It can fly over any number of squares along one of the four diagonal directions, as long as they don't contain a royal (king or crown prince), great general, or another vice general. All pieces it flies over are removed from the game.
Hook move: The hook mover can move any number of free squares in a straight line in the four orthogonal directions, then (optionally) turn 90° and move any number of free squares in a perpendicular direction.
Hook move: The tengu can move any number of free squares in a straight line in the four diagonal directions, then (optionally) turn 90° and move any number of free squares in a perpendicular direction.
Notation: B(B-sB)
Unlike in other shogi variants, in taikyoku the tengu cannot move orthogonally, and therefore can only reach half of the squares on the board. This is the move of the capricorn, and may be an error.[verification needed]
Hook move: The capricorn can move any number of free squares in a straight line in the four diagonal directions, then (optionally) turn 90° and move any number of free squares in a perpendicular direction.
Notation: B(B-sB). If the capricorn can also move one square orthogonally, the notation can be represented as WB(B-sB)
The description of the Tengu implies the capricorn also can move one square orthogonally.[verification needed]If it isn't the case, it can only reach half of the squares on the board.
Hook move: The peacock can move any number of free squares in a straight line along one of the two forward diagonals, then (optionally) turn 90° and move any number of free squares in a straight line in a perpendicular diagonal direction.
Limited range: It can move one or two squares in one of the two rearward diagonals.
Area move/double capture: The lion can step one square in any direction up to twice in a turn. It can change directions after its first step, and is not restricted to following one of the eight orthogonal or diagonal directions. That is, it can also step to one of the in-between squares that a knight jumps to in Western chess.
Unlike the hook movers, it can continue after a capture on the first step, potentially capturing two pieces on each turn.
By moving back to its starting square, it can effectively capture a piece on an adjacent square without moving. This is called 居喰い igui "stationary feeding".
A similar move without capturing leaves the board unchanged, which is a way to pass a turn (jitto).
Jump: The lion can jump anywhere within two squares. This is equivalent to jumping in any of the eight diagonal or orthogonal directions, or making any of the jumps of a knight in Western chess.
Notation: KDAN(cK-bK)
Note: The restrictions when capturing a lion in chu shogi do not apply in taikyoku shogi.
Area move/double capture or jump: The furious fiend can move as a lion; or
Limited range: It can move three squares in any direction, orthogonal or diagonal. (A normal move: it can only capture once and cannot jump when doing this.)
^208 or 209 if the left and right Howling Dog pieces or the left and right Mountain Eagle pieces are counted as separate.
^The higher ranked player takes the 王将 piece and the lower ranked player takes the 玉将 piece. Originally both kings were named "jewelled general" (玉將), but at one point in history the dot in "jewel" (玉) was left out on one piece to make "king" (王). This is said to be introduced by the great warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 16th century.[4]
^This is often translated simply as "prince", which is less accurate.
^ abIn English this piece is usually pluralized as 'Heavenly Tetrarchs', as this could refer to all four tetrarchs. Nevertheless, it seems more likely that the piece is intended to be singular, because there are four pieces which can promote to this piece and hence four potential tetrarchs.
^ abAlthough sometimes translated as "katsura horse" due to the first character, the name keima is derived from a word for cassia (肉桂, nikkei), also known as "Chinese cinnamon," the bark of which is a spice that used to be very valuable in Japan, similar to jade, gold, silver, and incense.[4]
^Depending on the source, this might instead be 古鵬 (old peng)
^This is another name for the gold general, which is usually named 金将. Promoted pawns move identically to gold generals.
^This is the name given to this piece in regular shogi due to its movement being an unlimited range forwards; note that this movement is shared with the 牛車 (ox chariot) and 猛虎 (fierce tiger).
^Interpretation of this rule is unclear, and some may claim that range capturing pieces can capture pieces of equal or higher rank, whilst not being able to jump over them. However, this would allow sente to capture gote's crown prince in the very first move of the game, and would likely lead to large imbalance.
^In the book Sekai no Shogi, this is represented by an arrow with 3 perpendicular slashes through it. The author notes "There is no detailed explanation in the original text, so it is unclear, but it is thought that it is possible to jump over up to three pieces [squares] and run [range]." →の説明については、原典では詳しい説明がなく、不明であるが筋が3っ引いてあるものは、駒を 3 つまで飛び越して走りが出来るものと思われる。
^The book Shōgi Rokushu no Zushiki includes the same symbol when describing pieces in Maka Dai Dai Shogi, and implies that pieces with this symbol have the special "power moves" of the lion dog. However, the lion dog described in Shōgi Rokushu no Zushiki for Maka Dai Dai Shogi is different to the lion dog described in Sekai no Shogi for Taikyoku Shogi. Furthermore, translations of the classical Japanese leave ambiguity about whether it should be interpreted as a "leap" over multiple pieces, or as the "dance" of the lion dog.[7]
^ abSekai no Shogi claims that the left and right generals move identically to the king. Ten Shogi Variants claims that other sources have these pieces move like "Kings but not stepping to left or right." This is what is used in this article, with the assumption that "left or right" includes diagonal left/right directions as well as orthogonally left/right.
^ ab"将棋の駒の意味や名前の由来、王将は昔存在しなかった。" [The meaning of shogi pieces and the etymology of their names, the king general used to not exist.]. 雑学.com (in Japanese). 2018-11-02. Archived from the original on 2018-11-04. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
